Travel to the US from Australia during COVID-19: Five reasons it's the best place to go

As Omicron continues its march across the globe and countries implement restrictions that will affect your travel plans, there's one country that's actually still easy to travel in. With border measures making Europe a difficult destination for Australian travellers, here are five reasons to consider a visit to the country once considered COVID-central.

YOUR VACCINATION CARD WORKS HERE

In Europe, your international vaccination certificate isn't valid in many places. You'll need to access a Digital COVID Certificate on arrival, because Australia didn't join 28 non-European Union countries and territories who ensured their vaccination cards do work there (New Zealand did - c'mon Australia). Travellers have reported delays applying for their digital certificate and they can't enter restaurants, cafes, or attractions until they get it (TV watching in your hotel room probably wasn't high on your hit list, right?).

That's not the case in the US. Just get a copy of your international vaccination certificate (you'll need it to fly anyway) from your Medicare account on MyGov and you can get in anywhere you like. In fact, when I forgot mine, I used my Australian digital vaccine certificate on my phone and everyone accepted it.

ONCE YOU'RE IN, YOU'RE IN

Travelling in Europe right now is an exercise in pre-trip planning. You might be able to get into France today, but how about next week? And Portugal, for instance, requires travellers without a booster to show a negative COVID test or recovery certificate to get into restaurants. But will that change tomorrow? Once you're in the US, there's no more checks and measures. You'll just need a negative PCR test no more than 24 hours before you fly to get in, and you have a ticket to ride anywhere you want within its 50 states (and hey: why not try Alaska, or Hawaii). You'll have almost 10 million square kilometres to travel in. Compare that to Western Europe's largest country, France, at half a million square kilometres.

IF YOU TEST POSITIVE, YOU'LL ONLY HAVE TO ISOLATE FOR FIVE DAYS AND TESTING IS EASY

The US just shortened the recommended time for isolating for those with COVID. If you get COVID you're advised to isolate for five days. If after that time you're asymptomatic or your symptoms are resolving, you're told to follow this up with five days of wearing a mask. The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention in the US say the change is because the majority of transmission occurs early in the course of illness – that's one to two days prior to the onset of symptoms, and two to three days after.

Just as importantly, testing is easy here (as is getting a booster, if required). Free-of-charge COVID testing clinics are set up all across the country, many of which don't require you book ahead. Every major pharmacy also does testing (and booster shots). Results for rapid antigen tests generally come back within a few hours, while PCR tests will come back within 24 hours. If you choose to pay (anything from $US90 to $US450), PCR tests will come back within the hour.