Travelling to the states in 2022 - How difficult is it?

So for the past 10ish years, I have been gaming with the same core of guys online playing Xbox almost nightly. We have seen each other have kids, get married, big life events, etc. We are a pretty tight group, but, we are also spread all over Canada and the USA. We have never met in person, and this summer, we are changing that.

At the end of July we are getting together. We are all headed to Minneapolis, chosen as it is about the geographical center for everyone to travel to, and one of them lives nearby. We have rented an Air B&B, and flights are now booked. To say I am excited is a bit of an understatement.

After I booked my tickets, I got a notification about covid travel restrictions and required documentation. I thought restrictions had lifted and I would only need my passport, but, I was under the wrong impression.

Has anyone traveled into the states via air recently? what steps did you have to take? This Covid negative test I need, is this one I can get from my doctor or a pharmacy or does it have to be a test from the government? Any other steps I need to take before I go?

For air travel you still need to be vaccinated. And the US still requires a negative covid test to enter by air, either the day of your flight or the day before. For returning to Canada you'll still need to download and fill out the arrivecan app, however no covid testing is required to come back to Canada anymore.

Also masks are mandatory in airports and on the plane itself still.

For your covid test just go to Costco or shoppers, they do travel testing. It's ~20-40$ I think. Make sure to book it ahead so you have it on the right day.

Hmm, I'm heading to the USA friday. I guess I need to figure that out as well. Lol.

I flew to AZ with the wife and kid 2 days ago.

Wednesday at lunch I went to shoppers for a Covid test, went to the food court to eat, came back to get my negative paperwork. Just need a rapid antigen test $40 at shoppers. I have heard Walmart does them for $16 but they didn’t have appointments available.

Next day Showed my Covid test and vaccination records to the WestJet agent, they never came up again.

Had to wear a mask in the airport and on a plane, aside from that no difference to travelling to the states historically.

To go home no testing required.

Basically all the major hurdles don’t really exist anymore.

My kid is under 2 so she had no rules re testing or vaccination.

Have been going frequently, it's fine.

It’s easy. Antigen test before your flight and someone at YYC will check you in.

We are driving down in July. Any idea what is needed to drive across the border. I know coming back we need the arrivecan app, but not sure what is needed going down.

Passports. I believe there may also be an attestation involved that you pinky promise you don’t have the ‘vid.

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Originally Posted by gmc72

We are driving down in July. Any idea what is needed to drive across the border. I know coming back we need the arrivecan app, but not sure what is needed going down.

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Id wait til june to see what happens. Its super easy now if you're driving but that can change

I go down every few weeks for work. Get an antigen covid test at Shoppers and show vaccine status QR code during your online check in.

Still, I have yet to be asked for proof of vaccine or about a negative test whenever entering the US. Entering Canada, they're much more strict at the departing airport about proof of vaccine. I'd suggest to print off your records because, in my experience thus far, they don't have QR scanners.

WestJet let me upload images of my records and QR this go around so that simplified things.

Yes it’s best to have print copies of things. I tried checking using Delta couple of times before and it was hit and miss

Didn't fly but drove across on Saturday from Coutts. They had me do the Arrive Can app (didn't realize I still needed it) right after I crossed the border as I had to pay for my extra booze. No issues and had to wear a mask when inside the border building. Made out well. Just my wife and I, had 2340USD of stuff and just over 5 liters of hard booze. Border guy inside dropped the clothes and food we purchased and only had to pay 20 bucks for the booze. The folks in front were not organized at all, didn't know how much they had and kept adding more as they spoke to the border agent.

They didn't look happy when they had to pay and tried to say they had half bottles so they shouldn't pay. The key is to write out everything you purchased, have it totaled up before you hit the border and when it came to booze, we provide the name, size, type and alcohol content. never had a issue and at times they just wave us through (we are always over at least 3 litres of booze)

Mask mandate in the us was struck down by courts:
https://mobile.twitter.com/PhilipWeg...74492229328899

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Originally Posted by finboy

Mask mandate in the us was struck down by courts:
https://mobile.twitter.com/PhilipWeg...74492229328899

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Today was the last day of the extension for masks on planes in Canada coincidentally. I haven't heard anything about that being extended yet. Does that mean masks are optional now on planes here too?

Maybe strictly legally.

Doesn’t stop any individual airport or airline from forcing them on you under pain of no fly list.

Masks still required in Canadian airports and onboard aircraft arriving/departing Canada.

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Originally Posted by Maxx Mazda

Masks still required in Canadian airports and onboard aircraft arriving/departing Canada.

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Can only speak to YEG but other than going through security & boarding a plane, people dgaf if you're wearing a mask or not. Higher percentage of people still wear them though.

Hopefully my westjet flight tomorrow is on a delta plane lol

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Originally Posted by killramos

Hopefully my westjet flight tomorrow is on a delta plane lol

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Doesn't matter, they still require them because its a Canada flight.