'COVID passport' may be required for some travelers

(NBC) – As more and more Americans start to dream about finally taking that summer vacation, airlines are working to make it easier and safer for travelers to navigate the complex and ever-changing requirements. One solution a so-called “COVID passport”.

This week, as air travel hits new records since the pandemic began, passengers are struggling to make sense of the ever-changing requirements. But now, the first travelers are taking off, testing a new “Travel Pass” app created by the International Air Transport Association that could make the process much smoother.

Here’s how it works: you download the travel pass app on your smartphone, snap a selfie and scan your passport to verify your identity. If you’re vaccinated, you can upload a copy of your certificate. If your destination requires a COVID test, you can book in at a participating lab. The results will automatically upload in the app. A green check means clear to travel.

Travel Pass is currently being trialed by more than a dozen airlines with plans to expand.

US-based companies American and United have recently signed on too.

The airline industry is in crisis: last year, demand was down 65 percent.

To be clear it’s not the airlines that are requiring this, it’s the individual countries that set the standards for what papers you need to enter. The airlines themselves are actually quite hesitant to create any barriers to travel. That’s part of the reason we don’t expect to see COVID passports become required domestically within the United States, but if you are headed overseas this summer Travel Pass or something like it could be in your future.