The US government has confirmed it will lift restrictions on citizens of the EU and UK entering the country from 8 November, meaning fully vaccinated travellers will be able to cross the border.

White House assistant press secretary Kevin Munoz confirmed the change on Twitter, saying the US¡¯s new travel policy is ¡°guided by public health, stringent and consistent¡±. The change applies to both land and air travel.

The US announced in September that it was looking to a November date to begin allowing EU and UK citizens into the country following more than 18 months of borders being closed for non-US citizens due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Travellers will need to show proof of their vaccination status, as well as a negative Covid-19 test result received within the 72 hours prior to departure. However, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has suggested British citizens "may wish to wait" to book travel to the US until further details about how vaccine status will be checked are released.

Reacting to the announcement, Shai Weiss, CEO of Virgin Atlantic, which operates a number of flights between the UK and US, said it is ¡°welcome news and finally allows consumers and businesses to book travel with confidence. The US has been our heartland for more than 37 years and we are simply not Virgin without the Atlantic. We¡¯ve been steadily ramping up flying to destinations such as New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, and we can¡¯t wait to fly our customers safely to their favourite US cities on holiday or to reconnect with friends, loved ones and colleagues.

¡°As the UK forges its recovery from the pandemic, the reopening of the transatlantic corridor and the lifting of Presidential Order 212F acknowledges the great progress both nations have made in rolling out successful vaccine programmes. The UK will now be able to strengthen ties with our most important economic partner, the US, boosting trade and tourism as well as reuniting friends, families and business colleagues. We are thankful to Prime Minister Johnson and the UK Government, the Biden administration and our industry partners for their support in removing these barriers and allowing free travel between our countries to resume.¡±

Sean Doyle, CEO and chairman of British Airways, commented: ¡°Nearly 600 days since the introduction of the US travel ban, this is a pivotal moment for the entire travel industry and finally provides the certainty we have so desperately needed.

¡°We can¡¯t wait to welcome our customers back on board and reconnect friends and families across the Atlantic, re-build US-UK business relationships and reclaim Britain¡¯s position as a leader on the global stage.¡±

A spokesperson for United Airlines said: "In the days immediately after the US announced it would reopen to international travel, United¡¯s trans-Atlantic bookings for November and beyond exceeded 2019 levels for the first time since the start of the pandemic. We¡¯re ready and eager to welcome international customers back... Our mobile app and website have what customers need to get ready, including details about destination-specific requirements, the ability to find and schedule COVID-19 tests and upload vaccination records, as well as order BinaxNOW Home Tests that can be packed in a carry-on and administered overseas."

Clive Wratten, CEO of the Business Travel Association, said: ¡°With over ?200 billion in annual trade between our two countries, the US has been an integral part of so many UK business travel itineraries.

¡°The restart of this vital corridor will pay huge dividends for both economies and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic and is another important step on the road to recovery for the business travel sector.

¡°We now urge both governments to work together to simplify the testing procedures currently required for UK-US travel to ensure it is as frictionless as possible.¡±

Jason Oshiokpekhai, managing director of Global Travel Collection, commented: ¡°Christmas has come early with the news of the US reopening to vaccinated UK travellers. This is a critical travel route for each division of our business ¨C corporate, entertainment and leisure ¨C not to mention what it will mean for families and friends who can finally reunite.

¡°While the announcement comes too late for many, it is a move that will accelerate our course of recovery and gives wind to the progress we are eventually making as an industry. We can now begin to recover from the economic suppression this has held with rewarding business projects now able to complete which will benefit businesses, industries, jobs and the economy on each side of the pond.

¡°With more and more countries opening for travel, the need for an aligned global travel strategy has never been more crucial. The G7 and health minister¡¯s plans must come to fruition as a matter of urgency, to ensure this long-awaited recovery period is facilitated comprehensively and sustainably to conjure and hold customer confidence.¡±

Scott Davies, CEO of the ITM, added: ¡°The reopening of arguably the UK and Ireland¡¯s most important trade and travel corridors is excellent and long anticipated news. We will now see the pent-up demand for business travel between our nations released.

¡°Consistency and simplicity of the testing protocols will now be essential.¡±

¡°I am delighted that the US will reopen its borders to the many countries shut out for so many months ¨C and in our most recent GBTA pandemic recovery poll, nearly 75 per cent of respondents wholeheartedly agree with this particular action. International travel is critical to promoting global trade and growing worldwide understanding. It¡¯s a much-needed milestone of support for the business travel sector worth $1.4 trillion to the global economy," said Suzanne Neufang, CEO of the GBTA.?

TripActions CEO Ariel Cohen said: ¡°TripActions has already seen domestic US and domestic EU flight bookings reach near pre-COVID booking levels, while volume from Europe to the US has only reached 30 per cent compared to January 2020. This announcement, which provides a consistent approach to health and safety policies, will remove the most significant barrier to full business recovery.¡±?

This article will be updated as the industry reacts to the news.