What are the rules for travel to a ‘green’ country with easyJet?

HOW DO I SHOW MY VACCINATION PROOF, AND WILL I NEED IT TO TRAVEL?

Both the UK and the EU have introduced their own versions of a ‘vaccine passport’. In the UK, people who have had two doses of the Covid vaccine can get an ‘NHS Covid Pass’, which shows a person’s Covid vaccine status and is becoming increasingly necessary to travel abroad.

If you are fully vaccinated under the UK vaccination programme, you can prove your vaccination status using:

NHS COVID Pass if you are from England or Wales

NHS Scotland COVID status app if you are from Scotland

COVIDCert NI if you are from Northern Ireland

For more information, visit the NHS Covid Pass site.

WHAT IS AN EU DIGITAL COVID CERTIFICATE (EUDCC), AND WILL I NEED ONE TO TRAVEL?

The EU Digital COVID Certificate (EUDCC), was previously called the ‘Digital Green Certificate’. This is another term for a EU-specific vaccine passport, which proves if a traveller has already had their Covid vaccine or not. Proposed by the European Commission, it allows citizens of member countries to travel around the area, as well as allowing citizens from non-member countries access to the region. They are available in digital and physical formats. For more information, visit the EUDCC site.

If you are a UK citizen, you will use an NHS Covid Pass and not an EUDCC.

Vaccine documentation is already becoming the norm as a way of safely reopening borders for leisure and business travellers without risking the spread of Covid – and some countries are expected to require proof of vaccination outright before allowing entry.

'GREEN LIST' COUNTRIES – FLYING FROM AND TO THE UK IF YOU ARE FULLY VACCINATED

YOUR OUTBOUND JOURNEY 

Depending on the entry requirements of the country you are visiting, you may need to take an antigen or PCR test within 48 hours of flying, to prove you do not have COVID-19. These are paid-for swab tests that you can either take yourself at home or at a dedicated test centre. You can find an easyJet approved list of testing providers here. You should order this in advance of your trip.

You may also need to fill in a passenger locator form for the country you are visiting. Again, you can find country-specific entry requirements on the UK government’s foreign travel advice site. A passenger locator form is a document – that you can show either digitally or as a paper copy – that lists information about where you’ve come from, your flight details and where you are staying on your holiday. 

It is very likely that you will have to show your COVID-19 vaccination certificate. If you are fully vaccinated under the UK vaccination programme, you can prove your vaccination status using:

NHS COVID Pass if you are from England or Wales

NHS Scotland COVID status app if you are from Scotland

COVIDCert NI if you are from Northern Ireland

YOUR RETURN JOURNEY

You will need to book and pay for a day 2 COVID-19 test, to be taken after you arrive in the country. 

From the end of October, eligible fully vaccinated passengers and those with an approved vaccine from a select group of non-red countries will be able to replace their day two Covid test – taken two days after arrival back into the UK – with a cheaper lateral flow test, reducing the cost of tests on arrival into England. The government wants to introduce this by the end of October, aiming to have it in place for when people return from half-term breaks.

You must also complete a passenger locator form, 48 hours or less before you return to the UK. You’ll have to order your day 2 COVID-19 test kit before you travel, as you’ll need to enter your kit booking reference on the passenger locator form.

'GREEN LIST' COUNTRIES – FLYING FROM AND TO THE UK IF YOU ARE NOT FULLY VACCINATED

YOUR OUTBOUND JOURNEY 

Depending on the entry requirements of the country you are visiting, you may need to take an antigen or PCR test within 48 hours of flying, to prove you do not have COVID-19. These are paid-for swab tests that you can either take yourself at home or at a dedicated test centre. You can find an easyJet approved list of testing providers here. You should order this in advance of your trip.

You may also need to fill in a passenger locator form for the country you are visiting. A passenger locator form is a document – that you can show either digitally or as a paper copy – that lists information about where you’ve come from, your flight details and where you are staying on your holiday.

You may need to self-isolate for a certain amount of time when you arrive (in Italy, for instance, non-vaccinated travellers must self-isolate for five days, and take another PCR or antigen test at the end of this period).

You might also need to inform a local authority of your arrival. Again, you should check for country-specific entry requirements on the UK government’s foreign travel advice site.

YOUR RETURN JOURNEY

If you are not fully (that is, double) vaccinated, you’ll need to take a PCR or antigen test within three days of returning to the UK. 

When you arrive, you’ll need to take a day 2 COVID-19 test and a day 8 COVID-19 test. You have the option of Test to Release with an extra test on day 5. You can find an easyJet approved list of testing providers here.

You will need to self-isolate for 10 days when you arrive in the UK.

You must also complete a passenger locator form, 48 hours or less before you return to the UK. Again, you should order your day 2 and day 8 COVID-19 test kits before you travel, as you’ll need to enter your kit booking reference on the passenger locator form.

Are they serving food and drinks on easyJet flights?

Yes, a paid for food and drinks service is running as normal. You are permitted to remove your mask to eat and drink but must put it on immediately after you have finished, for the duration of the flight.

Will I still have to wear a mask on an easyJet flight after being vaccinated?

Wearing a mask on an easyJet flight remains mandatory, whether you are vaccinated or not. You will not be allowed to board your flight without one, and you must also wear one in the airport. Your mask must be FFP2 certified, surgical or cloth. Scarves, masks with valves and face masks do not count. For more information, read easyJet’s official mask policy here.

If you are exempt from wearing a face mask, you must bring a signed doctor’s letter or medical certificate stating this, either in a physical or digital format. Without this, you will not be allowed to board your flight.

Do I need a vaccine passport to enter Greece?

At the moment, entering Greece from the UK requires either proof of full vaccination or demonstrable negative results from a PCR or lab-approved rapid test. Slightly confusingly, Greece is also accepting proof of recovery from Covid for entry. For this, you will need proof of a positive PCR test taken within 30 to 180 days of your travel dates.

Make sure to check the latest requirements on the Greek government website before you travel.

Do I need a vaccine passport to enter Spain?

At the moment, entering Spain from the UK requires either proof of full vaccination or demonstrable negative results from a PCR test. Further restrictions may apply if travelling from a country deemed a risk by the Spanish government.

Check for the latest information on the Spanish government website before travelling.