Airlines say some travelers are shunning Mexico vacations due to new COVID test requirement
For vacationers traveling during the coronavirus pandemic, Mexican beach resorts have beckoned.
Americans seeking an international getaway have been flocking to destinations including Cancun and Cabo San Lucas for sun and fun because they’re close, affordable and, most notably, don’t have entry restrictions such as COVID-19 test requirement or quarantines.
Never mind that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discourages travel during the pandemic and specifically says travelers should avoid all travel to Mexico, its highest alert level.
Mexico and Caribbean getaways have been a rare bright spot for airlines struggling to fill planes, but there are signs of a slowdown, executives say.
The culprit: the CDC’s new requirement that travelers boarding an international flight to the United States must show a negative COVID-19 test before boarding or proof that they had the virus within the past three months and have recovered. The new policy, which applies to U.S. citizens and foreign visitors, takes effect on Jan. 26 and may send travelers scrambling to find a testing location during vacation.
