Updated October 1, 2022
If your looking for answers to questions about Real ID or just have general questions about TUS not related to COVID, please click either of these buttons:
No. There are no requirements to take a COVID test for domestic travel within the United States. For international travel, check your destination for the latest entry requirements. More than 100 countries have lifted all requirements regardless of vaccination status and more than 50 others have eliminated the test requirement for those who are vaccinated. Canada lifted its vaccination and other entry requirements as of October 1, 2022, more here. Mexico and nearly all western European counties are among other counties that have also eliminated the vaccination requirement. About 45 countries continue to require COVID-19 tests regardless of vaccination status. The U.S. Department of State offers country-specific travel information here.
If you find a flight at a fare you feel is acceptable, book it. Airline schedules have been reduced mostly due to staffing shortages and flights are selling out quickly. Expect fares to be higher than you have seen them in a while.
If there has been a consumer benefit that has come from the pandemic, it is that Alaska, American, Delta and United airlines have permanently ended change fees on all but their lowest priced basic economy fare tickets. Southwest Airlines does not charge change fees. Ultra-low fare airlines Flair and Sun Country are keeping their regular change-fee policies. In all cases, passengers pay the difference if the fare for the new flight is higher than the original fare.
For details on change policies click the link for your airline:
Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
Delta Air Lines
Flair Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Sun Country Airlines
United Airlines
Most travel credits issued by airlines in 2020 are expiring in 2022. Two exceptions are Delta, which has extended the expiration to allow bookings to be made through the end of 2023 on flights through the end of 2024, and Southwest that has eliminated the expiration date entirely on all unexpired flight credits as of July 28, 2022.
Other airlines are sticking with 2022 expiration dates for pandemic-related credits that were issued in 2020 so if you haven’t already used a flight credit it is crucial to be aware of your deadline. Review the credit confirmation you received from your airline for specific information such as your ticket number and the date of the original purchase or the date the credit was issued. Once you have that information, click on your airline’s name below for a link to begin making a new reservation. If you did not buy your ticket directly from an airline at TUS, contact the airline or service where you purchased the original ticket.
Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
Delta Air Lines
Southwest Airlines – book a flight as you would normally do (search by dollars, not points) and select Travel Funds on the payment screen to apply your credit
Sun Country Airlines
United Airlines
If you require additional help, phone numbers and email contact information for the airlines at TUS are here.
No. As of April 18, 2022, it is your decision whether to wear a face covering at TUS. The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has withdrawn the security directive requiring face masks be worn in airports and ended enforcement. Wearing a face covering is also no longer required for airport employees.
No, all airlines arriving and departing TUS have made wearing face masks optional on U.S. domestic flights. Be aware some airports and destinations may still require wearing a face covering so it’s wise to bring one in case you need it.
Check with your airline as this is changing rapidly. As of October 1, 2022, Canada becomes the latest country to lift requirements that passengers wear face covering on flights. Other countries, including Mexico and most in Europe, do not require face masks to be worn on flights. Individual airlines and destinations may have separate face covering requirements. It’s a good idea to bring a face mask in case you need it.
As of June 12, 2022, a pre-departure COVID-19 test is no longer required before boarding an international flight coming to the United States. However, all travelers must provide contact information to the airline within 72 hours of departure listing their full name, address while in the U.S., primary contact phone number, secondary or emergency contact phone number and email address. (This information is to be kept by the airline for 30 days and turned over to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention upon request.) Non-U.S. citizens ages 18 and older must also provide proof of vaccination and complete a form attesting they meet entry requirements. The CDC has more information here.
If you are a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident or a foreign national traveling on an immigrant visa, the same procedures outlined in the answer to question 8 apply to you. If you are a foreign national you must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination otherwise you will not be permitted to board an international flight to the United States.
No, a COVID-19 test is not required to go through TUS.
No. COVID tests are no longer available at TUS. Visit the Arizona Department of Health Services website for testing locations here.
No, the vaccination clinic in the TUS terminal has closed. The Arizona Department of Health Services can help you find another location on its website here.
Although TSA is no longer enforcing the mask mandate, several other changes have been put into effect during the pandemic. Among them, an individual can temporarily carry-on one larger liquid hand sanitizer container up to 12 ounces and food items in clear plastic bags. These items must be removed from your carry-on bag and screened separately. More about TSA changes on the TUS Security page here.
No, so far that has not been necessary at TUS. Wait times at TSA security checkpoints at Tucson International Airport rarely exceed 15 minutes. Barring unforeseen circumstances or special requirements, arriving 90 minutes ahead of scheduled departure time should still be adequate.
Yes. If you received your vaccination through a pharmacy such as CVS Health, Fry’s or Walgreens, return to the location where you received your most recent dose and they should be able to print a new card from their electronic records. State health agencies also track vaccinations through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Immunization Information Systems. To get a replacement card in Arizona, complete the form here and return it to ASIISHelpDesk@azdhs.gov. More information is at Arizona State Immunization Information System or call (602) 364-3899.
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