All domestic air travelers arriving in New York from noncontiguous states will now be required to follow a new COVID-19 protocol designed to keep transmission rates low in the Empire State. The new protocol, announced by Governor Andrew Cuomo and instituted yesterday, includes the following requirements for air travelers to "test out" of the state’s mandatory 14-day quarantine:
- Travelers must get tested within three days prior to landing in New York and quarantine for at least three days upon arrival
- Travelers must then get a new test on day four of arrival. If both their out-of-state and in-state tests are negative, they can exit quarantine
- Travelers must continue to fill out Traveler Health Form upon arrival into New York
Travelers from states that are contiguous with New York (Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Vermont) are still exempt from the State’s quarantine protocol, as are essential workers. Travelers who were only out of the state for less than 24 hours do not need to quarantine, but must fill out the Traveler Health Form upon arrival and take a COVID-19 diagnostic test on the fourth day after their arrival in New York.
This new protocol does not apply to international travel. Since March, New York State has required a mandatory quarantine for any traveler entering New York from a Level 2 or Level 3 country – which currently includes all but 31 countries.
These requirements and protocols are frequently updated. For the latest information, please refer to the official New York State travel website.
In addition to these State rules, AvPORTS has also instituted significant health and safety protocols and standards at all of its airports. In particular, AvPORTS has developed the SAFE HANDS program to prevent the spread of coronavirus through continuous cleaning, disinfecting and monitoring of its airports, as well as detailed signage, physical distancing measures, sanitizing technologies, self-disinfecting materials and frequent education of air travelers.
AvPORTS operates the Albany, Republic, New York Stewart and Westchester airports in New York. AvPORTS also operates Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, a Port Authority of New York and New Jersey facility.
