NY Requiring Air Travelers to Produce Negative COVID Tests Upon Arrival at Airports

In continuing efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19 in New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo issued updated guidelines for travelers to New York’s airports that they will be required to produce proof of a negative COVID test that was taken in the three days prior to arrival. Members of the National Guard will also be added to airport checkpoints.

The updated guidelines followed a new airport protocol instituted by New York last week that allows air travelers to “test out” of the State’s mandatory 14-day quarantine by:

• Getting tested within three days prior to landing in New York and quarantine for at least three days upon arrival
• Getting a new test on day four of arrival. If both their out-of-state and in-state tests are negative, they can exit quarantine
• Filling out a Traveler Health Form upon arrival into New York

Air travelers from states that are contiguous with New York (Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Vermont) and essential workers are exempt from the quarantine protocol. Travelers who left the state and returned within 24 hours also do not need to quarantine, but they must fill out the Traveler Health Form and take a COVID-19 diagnostic test within four days of arriving back in New York.

This new protocol only applies to domestic travel. The state has mandated quarantine for any traveler entering New York from a Level 2 or Level 3 country since March.

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.