The US government has confirmed the date it will reopen for vaccinated travellers from most countries as November 8.

The lifting of Presidential Order 212F allows UK visitors to travel to the United States for the first time since March 2020.

The news follows the initial announcement made in September,  United States relaxes restrictions in incoming travel, though at that time the date had not been confirmed.

Shai Weiss, CEO of Virgin Atlantic, commented;

“The US Government’s confirmation that fully vaccinated UK visitors will be able to enter the US from 8 November is welcome news and finally allows consumers and businesses to book travel with confidence.  The US has been our heartland for more than 37 years and we are simply not Virgin without the Atlantic.  We’ve been steadily ramping up flying to destinations such as New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, and we can’t wait to fly our customers safely to their favourite US cities, on holiday or to reconnect with friends, loved ones and colleagues.

“As the UK forges its recovery from the pandemic, the reopening of the transatlantic corridor and the lifting of Presidential Order 212F acknowledges the great progress both nations have made in rolling out successful vaccine programmes. The UK will now be able to strengthen ties with our most important economic partner, the US, boosting trade and tourism as well as reuniting friends, families and business colleagues. We are thankful to Prime Minister Johnson and the UK Government, the Biden administration and our industry partners for their support in removing these barriers and allowing free travel between our countries to resume.”

Sean Doyle, British Airways Chairman and CEO said:

“Nearly 600 days since the introduction of the US travel ban, this is a pivotal moment for the entire travel industry and finally provides the certainty we have so desperately needed. We can’t wait to welcome our customers back on board and reconnect friends and families across the Atlantic, rebuild US-UK business relationships and reclaim Britain’s position as a leader on the global stage.”

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO said: “It is great news that the U.S. will reopen its borders to fully-vaccinated travellers from the UK and EU. It has been a long time coming, but the Travel & Tourism businesses on both sides of the Atlantic will be breathing a sigh of relief. Visitors from the EU and the UK contributed more than $46 billion to the U.S economy in 2019, showing just how critical this move will be to the U.S recovery. WTTC believes that governments should axe red lists completely, and instead base the risk on individuals rather than entire countries.”