Spain plans to reopen its borders to fully vaccinated international tourists on June 7. It has been closed to foreign visitors since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
At a recent international tourism event in Madrid, Spain Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced that the country is ready to welcome “vaccinated people and their families” from all nations.
The announcement has prompted U.S. airlines to increase flights to Madrid and Barcelona this summer.
Beginning in June, American Airlines will begin offering direct flights to Spain from Miami, New York and Dallas on a daily basis. Passengers will be able to catch flights to both Madrid and Barcelona from Miami, and they can board flights to Madrid from JFK and Dallas.
Delta Air Lines will start flying daily routes from JFK to Madrid in June. It will also fly from JFK to Barcelona three times a week in June and July, with daily flights starting in August.
United Airlines will offer flights from Newark to Madrid and Barcelona five times per week starting in July.
In addition, Iberia, Spain’s flagship carrier, will be offering direct flights from Spain to Boston, New York, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco over the summer.
In order to enter Spain, American tourists must:
- Show proof of a negative PCR test result obtained within 72 hours of arrival
- Fill out an online health control form, which generates a QR code required for entry
- Show proof that they have been fully vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency at least 14 days prior to arrival
Vaccines approved by the EMA include Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. Visitors can use their CDC vaccination card as proof of inoculation until the European Union implements its Digital Green Certificate program for foreign arrivals.
Spain currently requires the use of face masks in all public places, but that requirement could be dropped in the near future, according to the country’s chief health officer.
Meanwhile, the U.S. vaccination rate continues to improve.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 62.2% of adults have received at least one vaccine dose and 50.9% have been fully vaccinated as of May 28. Just over 40% of the total U.S. population has been fully vaccinated.