Emirates Airlines and Etihad Airlines Will Require a Negative Coronavirus Test from All Passengers Flying to Dubai and the UAE. In fact, Dubai Airports now requires ALL passengers flying into Dubai, regardless of airline, to have a negative COVID-19 PCR test result from a test taken within 96 hours prior to departure.
And some U.S. passengers will be tested twice, if they're originating in coronavirus hot spots such as Florida, California, or Texas.
Here are the details:
Emirates
Effective August 1, 2020, all passengers (except for children age 11 and younger, and passengers with a severe or moderate disability) arriving in Dubai from any destination, including passengers connecting in Dubai, must have a negative COVID-19 test result to board the Emirates flight.
The PCR test must have been taken within the 96 hours immediately prior to the Emirates flight, and the negative test certificate must be presented at check-in.
If the UAE has specified a designated lab in the passenger's origin country, the negative coronavirus test result must be from that designated lab (this does not apply to the U.S., where any registered practitioner or lab may be used).
Certain passengers may have to take a second COVID-19 PCR test on arrival. For example, all passengers from the following U.S. airports, and who originate in any Florida, California or Texas airport, will be tested again upon arrival in Dubai. Those tested on arrival must remain in their hotel or residence until they receive the test result.
- Dallas Fort Worth (DFW)
- Houston (IAH)
- Los Angeles (LAX)
- San Francisco (SFO)
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
- Orlando (MCO)
All passengers arriving in the UAE must also complete the UAE Health Declaration Form.
Those whose final destination is Dubai must also complete the Dubai Quarantine Form, acknowledging that the passenger will download the COVID-19 DXB application on his/her smart phone, self-quarantine until receiving the COVID-19 test result, and that a positive COVID-19 test result will require 14 days of self-quarantine.
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Etihad
Effective August 1, 2020, all passengers on Etihad Airways from any worldwide airport outside of Abu Dhabi also must have a negative COVID-19 PCR test within the 96 hours before departure, again with children 11 and under and the disabled exempt.
Those departing from a country with approved Pure Health medical facilities must use a Pure Health facility (this does not apply to the U.S.). In areas with no Pure Health medical facility, consult Etihad's Destination Guide. In the case of New York, it leads to the New York State Test Site Finder.
If a passenger tests positive or is unable to obtain a negative COVID-19 PCR result in the required 96 hours prior to the flight, s/he won't be permitted to travel on the flight; the flight may be changed, with no change fee charged, or cancelled, with the value of the flight held as a voucher credit (no refund back to the payment card).
While a number of countries already require negative COVID-19 tests, to our knowledge, Emirates and Etihad are the first airlines to require a negative COVID-19 result prior to travel.
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