Is It Safe to Fly Without a Mask Requirement?

Following a federal court decision in Florida last week that ended the national mask mandate for transportation, mask use is now optional on domestic flights, trains, and most public transport. With uncertainty about how many passengers will wear masks, what should travelers consider regarding the risks of COVID-19 transmission while traveling?

“Given the rising case numbers across the nation and the fact that children under five are still unable to get vaccinated, I believe the federal transportation mask mandate was lifted too soon,” states Dr. Shira Shafir, associate professor of epidemiology and community health sciences at UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.

Many Americans share this concern, with 56 percent of respondents in a recent survey supporting continued mask requirements while traveling. In contrast, 24 percent opposed the transportation mask mandate, and 20 percent had no preference, based on a nationwide poll of 1,085 adults conducted from April 14–18 by the Associated Press–NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Dr. John Swartzberg, professor emeritus of public health at UC Berkeley, also believes that the federal mask requirement for transportation was lifted too early, noting that “we still lack a clear understanding of the trajectory of the current [COVID] wave.”

In response to the Florida ruling, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that although the transportation mask order has been lifted, the agency “still recommends that individuals wear masks in indoor public transportation environments at this time.”

However, following this decision, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which had been enforcing the mask mandate, released a statement indicating it will no longer enforce mask usage on public transport and at transportation hubs. This led to a wave of lifted mask requirements nationwide, affecting planes, trains, and even rideshare services like Uber and Lyft, which have also relaxed their mask policies.

With COVID cases rising once more, some travelers express concern about flying now that masks are not mandatory for others. In a poll conducted from April 19–20 (shortly after the ruling) by the research firm Ipsos, 53 percent of nearly 1,000 participants indicated that they believe ending the mask mandate will lead to more COVID cases. Almost half of those surveyed (49 percent) reported that the mask mandate’s end doesn’t influence their likelihood of flying, while 27 percent feel more inclined to travel, and 23 percent feel less so. Additionally, 46 percent plan to continue wearing masks in airports, 47 percent on planes, 46 percent on public transit, and 45 percent on trains.

Airlines are providing options—including refunds in some cases—for travelers who no longer wish to fly. For those who want to proceed with their travel plans, what measures can they take to protect themselves effectively?

How effective is a mask if you’re the only person wearing one?

For individuals worried about infection and transmission who prefer to keep wearing a mask while flying, at the airport, on a bus, or in any public space, they might wonder about their level of protection if they are the only ones masked on a crowded flight.

“There is clear evidence that masks do provide protection to the wearer, even if they are the only one using one. The extent of that protection hinges on the quality and fit of the mask, so I recommend N-95, KN-95, or KF-94 masks while traveling,” advises Dr. Shafir.

Pia MacDonald, an epidemiologist and senior director of applied public health research at RTI International, mentions that she flew last week both before and after the ruling, but she only feels secure flying when wearing “a well-fitting N95 or KN95 mask throughout the flight. It's essential to wear the mask.” She expresses that she feels “much safer” with a high-quality mask, largely to avoid contracting COVID, especially since “there is very little known about long COVID.”

Another strategy for masked travelers to boost their safety is “to minimize eating and drinking as much as possible,” says MacDonald, explaining that the risk increases when the mask is removed for food and drinks.

Dr. Swartzberg from UC Berkeley points out that if everyone on the flight wears a mask, the risk of transmission is lower than if you are the only one masked. However, “if you stay up to date with vaccinations and wear a KN95, you significantly reduce your risk,” he states.

Despite last week’s ruling, Dr. Swartzberg is postponing a planned trip to Washington, D.C. with his wife to visit their daughter, hoping to reschedule for June when the current surge of cases subsides. “We’re going to wait until we see the trajectory of this wave of infections,” he states.

Dr. Thomas Russo, head of infectious diseases at the University of Buffalo’s Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, emphasizes that certain groups should continue to wear masks while traveling, even though it is no longer mandated:

• Those who are unvaccinated
• Individuals who are immunocompromised
• People over 50, those with serious underlying health conditions, or pregnant individuals who are not up to date on their COVID vaccine boosters
• Anyone living with those in the above categories

For those opting to wear a mask, Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease expert and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, asserts that using a high-quality mask, even when others are unmasked, can still offer substantial protection. “One-way masking, particularly with today’s quality masks, is effective,” Dr. Adalja tells Dinogo.

When asked how the risk of flying stacks up against being in a grocery store, Saskia Popescu, senior infection prevention epidemiologist at George Mason University, explains that “many factors influence risk—duration of exposure, ventilation, number of people, etc. Generally, we spend longer periods in transit spaces, like planes and buses, which are often more confined with greater crowds.”

Popescu notes that a typical grocery store visit is usually shorter than the duration of a flight, and the spaces are more spacious. She travels for work and states that “wearing a mask continues to protect me even if those around me aren’t wearing one.”

Which masks offer the best protection?

What qualifies as a “high-quality” mask? N95s are regarded as the gold standard for protection, but experts also advocate for well-fitted KN95 and KF-94 masks.

According to the CDC's latest mask guidance, “loosely woven cloth masks provide the least protection, finely woven layered masks offer more, well-fitting disposable surgical masks and KN95s provide even greater protection, while well-fitting NIOSH-approved respirators (including N95s) deliver the highest level of safety.” (NIOSH stands for National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.)

While KN95 and N95 masks (often referred to as respirators) can offer comparable levels of protection, N95s are considered superior due to NIOSH approval, which guarantees their quality. The CDC reported that around 60 percent of KN95 respirators assessed by NIOSH during the pandemic were of inadequate quality, making it essential to research and purchase high-quality KN95s, typically produced overseas, from reliable vendors.

Is it possible for a federal mask mandate to be reinstated in the future?

The Justice Department has filed an appeal to overturn Judge Mizelle’s ruling that invalidated the federal mask mandate on airplanes, trains, and in transportation hubs. The appeal notice was submitted to federal court in Tampa, following a request from the CDC to contest the decision.

The CDC indicated that it will keep monitoring public health conditions to assess whether a mask mandate remains necessary. The agency maintains that the mandate is “a lawful order, well within CDC’s legal authority to safeguard public health.”

The Department of Justice concurs, stating that it “continues to believe that the order requiring masks in the transportation corridor is a valid exercise of the authority Congress has granted to the CDC to protect public health.”

On April 19, White House spokesperson Jen Psaki informed reporters that “public health decisions should not be dictated by the courts. They should be guided by public health experts.”

Psaki emphasized that the Biden administration is “following the CDC recommendations . . . and we encourage all Americans to do the same.”

Reporting contributed by the Associated Press.