Green Means Go: UK Travel Traffic Lights Explained

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Last Updated: 20 Feb 2024

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The new traffic light system is out. Basically, all the countries that you can travel to from England have been divided into 3 colour categories - green, amber and red.  Whilst Wales has asked its residents not to travel abroad, for now, the four nations of the UK have taken a united approach to the first lists issued on May 17th. That could change in the future, however, it's in their interest to align as far as possible.


The green, amber, and red lists put countries in order based on key COVID related criteria, such as rates of illness and vaccination. Green list countries have the fewest rules when it comes to travelling, with amber and red having more. In fact, only green-listed countries are quarantine free for leisure travel. The traffic light colour-coded lists are revised every three weeks, with the next revision happening on the 7th of June.


It is important to note that there is a UK Government green "watchlist" available that will offer updates on whether a country will be added to or removed from the green list in the future. With the expectation of an ever-changing list, airlines' face a difficult challenge. 

 

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Flight demand is expected to increase as soon as a nation is added to the green list and when a destination is removed, demand is likely to fall. Ticket prices will reflect demand, making green list destinations potentially pricey.


Thankfully reward flight fares are unlikely to change, unlike cash ticket prices, which means that flying on points could result in a green-light getaway bargain.


Find the latest Avios prices and availability at rewardflightfinder.com

 

Green List

Holidaymakers can go to green list countries without having to quarantine upon their return. 

  • The first list only includes a small number of places but the list will be reviewed by the government every 3 weeks.
  • Even if you are leaving for a green-listed country, you need to check the country you are flying to accept tourists and comply with their rules for entry if they do. Your airline might refuse to take you if you can’t prove that you will be accepted for entry at your destination.

On returning from a green-list country, you must:

 

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Amber List

Most countries are on the amber list. The UK Government has said residents should only fly to these countries in exceptional circumstances.

  • You must check that you are compliant with the entry requirements of the country that you are visiting, many won’t allow UK nationals to enter, except in a limited number of cases.

If returning from an amber list country, you must:

 

It may be possible to end your quarantine early if you use the Government's test-to-release scheme.

 

Red List

Red list countries are those the UK government says are at the highest risk from Covid-19, and should not be visited "except in the most extreme of circumstances".

  • If you have been in one in the last 10 days, you can only enter the UK if you are a UK or Irish national, or UK, resident.

 

If you're returning from a red list country, you must:

 

How are airlines' dealing with the situation?

Currently, Portugal, Israel, and Gibraltar are among the countries on the green list, and UK travellers will not be required to isolate themselves if they test negative for the virus upon arrival.

 

 

British Airways - Gibraltar & *Portugal

As a British Overseas Territory, Gibraltar also benefits from having many direct BA  flights from the UK. Gibraltar is the first nation in the world to vaccinate 100% of its adult population, making it an interesting choice.

Portugal and Gibraltar are British Airways Reward Flight Saver destinations, which means you can book a reward flight with points and only have to pay a low, flat fee, to cover taxes and surcharges. Because BA subsidises taxes, these can offer very attractive deals, typically lower than the cash price to fly on a low-cost airline.

BA Chairman and CEO Sean Doyle said: "We're pleased that our customers are able to start travelling again to some countries, including *Portugal, and we've put on additional flights from London, Manchester, Newcastle and Edinburgh to Faro to help people get moving.

BA’s “book with confidence commitment” ensures customers will have flexibility when required to change flight dates, destinations and even cancel their bookings completely.

 

 

Virgin Atlantic - Israel

Virgin Atlantic confirmed two regular flights to Tel Aviv, Israel (TLV) this summer, just days after the first green list was released. An increase from four weekly flights previous to the announcement. With the surge in demand, flight bookings to Israel via Virgin Atlantic increased a whopping 250%. Furthermore, VA recorded higher-than-normal demand in its luxury cabins, implying that passengers are looking to spoil themselves after months of being unable to leave the UK.

Virgin Atlantic has also introduced its own booking strategy for eager travellers. 

"Our flexible booking policy gives you the freedom to book with confidence, knowing you can make changes if you need to, without any admin charges,"

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Members can also redeem points for reward flights to Israel, making a visit to the Middle East even more affordable. 

 

Wizz Air - Israel, Iceland, Gibraltar and Portugal

Wizz Air announced it will resume four flights to green list countries to Tel Aviv, Reykjavik, Gibraltar, Faro and Lisbon.

Wizz Air U.K. Managing Director Owain Jones said. “The team welcomes the announcement from the UK Government on the green list countries for the restart of international travel...We are prepared to ramp up operations quickly when restrictions ease, with the recent delivery of four brand new A321neo aircraft and the expansion of our U.K. network...”

 

Ryanair - *Portugal

Ryanair has doubled down on Portugal, with lots of new flights to Lisbon, Faro and Porto, with attractive deals starting at £19.99. (However, there are limited seats at that price and add-ons can take it far higher).

Ryanair CEO Michel O’Leary has called for the abolition of expensive PCR tests, saying:

“The UK Government must scrap the nonsensical requirement of PCR tests for those returning from low-risk (green) countries. There is no point in setting up a traffic light system if ‘green’ still requires additional measures that significantly add to the cost of a family trip.“

 

 

 

EasyJet - Iceland, Gibraltar, Israel and *Portugal

easyJet claims to be offering more seats to green-list destinations than any other airline. It has also introduced the “Protection Promise'' allowing flight changes up to 2 hours before departure.

easyJet boss Johan Lundgren has however criticised the traffic light system.  He has pointed out that travel to amber list countries is not illegal and says that by discouraging leisure travel to amber list countries, the government is undermining its own policy.  He says passengers are confused and asks what the point is of the amber traffic list if the government is saying people shouldn’t visit those countries at all. 

 

Jet2 - Portugal

Jet2 says demand for its flights to Portugal has surged 600% above normal levels and it has put on extra flights to both the Portuguese mainland and Madeira to meet the surge in reservations. 

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said: “We know that there is extraordinary demand out there for holidays to the sunshine, which is no surprise given the past year or so. As things open up again, combined with positive vaccination and infection rates, one of the very first things people want to do is get away to relax in the sunshine. We are pleased to see Governments reopening travel so that holidaymakers can do this, and the response to Portugal going on the green list from customers in England and Scotland has been exceptional. In response to that, we are delighted to be giving customers even more choice when it comes to booking and enjoying some sunshine in the Algarve and Madeira. We look forward to more positive news in the coming weeks, and we know that our customers feel the same.”

 

*Portugal (including the Azores and Madeira) Moved to the amber list 4am, Tuesday 8 June. 

 

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