JetBlue Opens First COVID-19 Testing Partnership with Aruba

Flyers who are yearning for a holiday season in the sun may get their wish, thanks to JetBlue, Vault Health and the nation of Aruba. The airline has entered a partnership with the island to offer seamless entry with the provided at-home COVID-19 exam.

JetBlue is offering flyers a seamless way to enter Aruba: With a negative COVID-19 test from their partners at Vault Health. The New York-based carrier announced they are the first to work with the Caribbean nation to offer entry if they take the at-home exam.

JetBlue-Vault Test First Allowed to Bypass COVID-19 Quarantine in Aruba

Since reopening their borders to visitors, the nation of Aruba requires everyone to either submit a valid negative COVID-19 test, or submit to one upon arrival. Only seven test providers are allowed, including the popular Abbott ID NOW and Xpert Xpress exams.

JetBlue is the first airline to work directly with Aruba to offer an at-home alternative. Using their saliva-based PCR test from Vault Health, flyers have the option to collect their own specimen at home and ship it directly to the lab. Tests must be taken 72 hours prior to departing for Aruba, and the results must be submitted electronically no more than 12 hours before departure.

“Reliable, accurate, and convenient testing is a vital key to safely resuming leisure travel and invigorating the economy,” Joanna Geraghty, president and chief operating officer of JetBlue, said in a statement. “With a long history of promoting seamless travel, we are grateful to the Aruban Tourism Authority and the Aruban government for recognizing our partner, Vault, as an easy way for JetBlue customers to meet Aruba’s testing requirements.”

Although the at-home test is a first for both JetBlue and Aruba, travelers must still agree to all other entry requirements. This includes submitting the online embarkation/disembarkation card and purchasing Aruba Visitors Insurance direct from the government.

FlyerTalk took the Vault Health exam when it was first offered by JetBlue, and found it to be an easy experience. Guided by a nurse over a Zoom call, users must collect enough spit to fill a vial, seal it with a preservative, and return it to the lab immediately.

More COVID-19 Exam Options Become Available as Airlines Attempt to Coax Flyers Back to the Skies

The new partnership between Aruba and JetBlue is one of many different ways airlines are adapting to COVID-19 testing requirements for flyers. American Airlines is offering an at-home COVID-19 exam for flyers and says they are working with several nations to allow flyers with negative test results to enter nations. For those bound to Hawaii from San Francisco International Airport (SFO), United Airlines is offering exams at the airport to allow flyers to bypass the 14-day quarantine requirement upon arrival.