Australia’s international border opens on February 21: New travel rules and how it affects your flight

Australia opens its international border again on Monday. Here’s what it means for those coming in to the country – and those looking to get out.

After just over 700 days, Australia’s international border officially reopens on Monday, meaning we no longer needed special government permission to travel overseas, or return home. It’s a momentous occasion after two years of pandemic, but it opens up a range of questions for travellers. Here’s what you need to know.

What does the border reopening mean for Australians?

From Monday, vaccinated tourists will be allowed to enter Australia without quarantine requirements for the first time since 9pm on Friday March 20, 2020.

While Qantas, Emirates and Etihad recently announced increased flights into Australia, the tourism industry is expecting visitor numbers to be relatively modest for the first few months.

New data from Booking.com shows the most searches for Australian destinations are coming from users in the UK, followed by the USA, Singapore, New Zealand, Germany and Ireland.

Passengers greet family members after landing from Singapore on November 21. Picture: James D. Morgan/Getty Images for Tourism Australia

What do international travellers need to leave Australia?

If you’re an Australian travelling overseas, you will need Australia’s International COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate. Remember that individual airlines and border control at destination countries may have additional requirements, including evidence of booster shots, proof of positive tests or quarantine arrangements.

Once you’ve travelled to a foreign country, proof of vaccination may also be needed as a condition for using services such as public transport, or entering restaurants, shops, theatres and other venues.

Previously, outbound international travellers needed to show proof of a negative Covid-19 PCR test but this requirement has now been dropped. Masks are still essential at all Australian airports and on flights.

What do international arrivals need before coming to Australia?

While people entering Australia are still required to have had two doses of an approved Covid-19 vaccine, on February 10 the Prime Minister confirmed a booster shot will not be mandatory.

For domestic settings, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation now recommends all Australians will need a booster shot to maintain ‘up to date’ status on their vaccination certificates. ATAGI has suggested this be made effective by the end of March.

If we get hit with another wave of Covid-19 coming into winter, there could be some domestic situations in which a booster shot will become mandatory. But right now, two doses is sufficient.

Can I book a trip to holiday overseas now when the border reopens?

Of course. And you should consider using a travel agent – they need all the new work they can get after two horror years, and they will be assist you if your plans have to change because of Covid-19 outbreaks.

Positano on the Amalfi coast in Italy. Still there, still beautiful.

What overseas destinations can I travel to from Australia when the border reopens?

There are a number of destinations on the federal government’s Smart Traveller website that are currently marked “Do Not Travel”, including countries with a high degree of military instability: Afghanistan, Syria and Myanmar.

Other countries where Aussies are being told not to travel at present include Iran, Iraq, Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, Somalia, Chad, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Libya, North Korea, Yemen and Venezuela.

For everywhere else, the government urges travellers either to reconsider the need to visit, or to exercise a high degree of caution, even in such friendly countries as New Zealand and Japan.

But Aussies are formidable travellers, and two years of being cooped up on our island home has led a lot of us to plan an overseas getaway. New data from booking.com shows Dubai is the destination we are most looking at right now, with searches up 57 per cent in recent weeks. Singapore, London, Honolulu, Paris, New York and Pathong Beach in Thailand are the next most popular destinations for Aussies ready to fly the coop.

Dubai is the most searched-for destination by Australians on bookings.com right now.

Exclusive new survey data from research firm Bastion Insights shows varying levels of readiness for travel: one in five of us (21 per cent) say we are ready to jump on a plane in the next three months, while 40 per cent are hoping to do so in the next 12 months. Sixty-one per cent of Australians expect international travel to be available throughout the year.

Do you need a Covid-19 vaccine to fly from Australia?

Yes. You’ll need to be double vaccinated with an approved vaccine. At this stage a booster is not mandatory to leave Australia.

What about a vaccine passport?

If you were vaccinated in Australia, you can get your International COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate from the MyGov portal.

Temperature checks at airports will still be carried out from time to time. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Which airlines can fly into Australia?

Most international airlines are currently operating reduced services. British Airways said it would resume services into Australia from March 29, while a number of other international carriers such as Lufthansa have made no announcements.

What are the rules for flying into Australia? What cities can they go?

The only hard border remaining in Australia is to WA, but that might change within days (see below).

The other states require international travellers who are fully vaccinated to take a Covid-19 test (PCR or RAT) within 24 hours of arriving at their accommodation, which they must not travel to via public transport. They must isolate until receiving a negative test, and stay away from high-risk settings for a further seven days.

New South Wales and Victoria still demand unvaccinated travellers quarantine in an accredited hotel, but the time period has been reduced for 14 days to seven.

Can airlines fly into WA when the international border reopens?

It’s been dubbed the “hermit kingdom”, but with cases of Omicron rising in the west the days of WA’s hard border may be fast coming to a close. Last week a government source revealed Premier Mark McGowan was looking at reopening borders on March 12 – but this could be brought forward.

Watch this space.

Originally published as Australia’s international border opens on February 21: New travel rules and how it affects your flight