Ireland is Now Open to Americans. What Should you Expect?
/This is the day we have been waiting for ever since our plane took off from Dublin Airport on March 18, 2020. Americans will soon be able to vacation in Ireland for the first time in over a year!
We have been waiting to write this post for about 10 days because the details were not clear, and we wanted to make sure the government would not change its mind as a result of the increase in the 7 day rolling average case count in Ireland. We now think it is likely the date will be honored since we are so close to the published date.
So what is the magic date, you ask? July 19! You heard me right. Americans will be able to vacation in Ireland again on Monday! Music to the weary ears of travel lovers all over the country.
So what do you need to know and do in order to visit Ireland after Monday? Here is what we know so far from the guidance released by the Irish government:
As of the publishing of this post, on July 19th non essential travel to The Republic of Ireland from the United States will be possible.
Travel will stay open as long as the U.S. does not get added to the EU “Emergency Brake” list. This is a mechanism put in place to stop travel from countries/regions where there is a sudden outbreak of COVID-19.
People arriving in Ireland must fill out a Passenger Locator Form online before arriving - the system is entirely online. Make sure you do this because the fine is probably equal to the budget for most of your trip.
Americans must provide proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to skip the mandatory testing and quarantine procedures. Your CDC issued vaccination card should be proof enough to enter the country.
Those who are not vaccinated will need to provide negative test results from a test taken within 72 hours of arrival in Ireland and then quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. You can test out of quarantine with a second test after 5 days in Ireland. This quarantine is at a government approved hotel and at the visitors expense.
You still need a negative COVID-19 test taken three days or less before your arrival back in the United States at the end of your trip. Rumor has it may change soon.
Things to Keep in Mind Before your Trip
After reading that, here are some things you should keep in mind as your plan for trip to Ireland for sometime in the second half of 2021:
Vaccinated vs. Unvaccinated Travelers
If you are not vaccinated, and don’t have the time or money for a 14 day quarantine, stay home and start planning for 2022 at the earliest.
If you are vaccinated, make sure you pack your vaccine card in your carry on. There is an electronic system for EU residents, but Americans cannot use the system. I would not be surprised if there was an electronic verification system for Americans later in the year, but your paper card will be good enough for now.
Mask Requirements & Physical Distancing
Capacity limits and mask mandates are still in place across the island. This means you may have to wait in longer lines and make reservations for everything from cafes and pubs to restaurants and hotels. It also means you will have to watch where you are standing and you must stay 2 meters away from anyone else.
If you have thrown away all or most of your masks, it may be time to buy more or another box of disposable masks. Even if you are fully vaccinated, you will be required to wear a mask when you are indoors in Ireland. This may be an inconvenience if you have returned to not wearing a mask around town, but I think it is a small trade off to be able to travel again after a long wait.
Airline Tickets & Rental Cars
Having flown a couple times over the last 2 months, it seems I have been paying a little bit more for the same routes I fly a couple times a year. I was curious if tickets to Ireland would follow this same pattern. To my surprise, it seems like airfare is consistent with previous summer and fall ticket prices. I did the most research for flights in the fall, and found round trip tickets for as low as $500 in economy and $1,500 in business class. Not too bad!
On the opposite end of the spectrum, there is the price and availability of Rental Cars. Cars may be hard to find and could be expensive. Just like in the United States, Irish rental car companies sold a large portion of their fleets during the pandemic and as demand increases so will the price. In October of 2018 we paid €663 for an 8 day rental, excessive damage waiver (top shelf insurance), and a GPS. I ran a test search for October 2021 as I was writing this post, and the price for just the car in the same class we rented in 2018 was €617. CRAZY!
You Must Plan Ahead
As I mentioned earlier, you have to fill out a passenger locator form before touching down in Ireland. On this form, you must list all of the places you are going to stay during your trip. This means that traveling in Ireland during 2021 will not be able to be the spur of the moment kind of trip. Make sure you have accommodation reservations for your entire trip before you leave. Tourist attractions, restaurants, and potentially even pubs are looking at putting restrictions in place. This means you will need to think a little ahead of time while planning your itinerary.
So Should you Visit Ireland in 2021?
With all of that information in mind, should you visit Ireland in 2021? At the end of the day, this comes down to your comfort level being around a lot of strangers during this COVID-19 time. If you are vaccinated, feel safe being on a plane for 5-10 hours, and you feel safe being out and about at home, then I think you could plan on visiting Ireland in the back half of this year and have a great time! If you are not vaccinated or will not wear a mask for a long period of time, then I would save your money and start planning for late 2022.
So how about you? Will you be traveling to Ireland in 2021, or waiting for 2022 or beyond?
