Dec 3, 2021, 7:22 am
Last edit by: l etoile
10 June 2022 - The Biden administration will on Sunday end a requirement that air travelers to the U.S. undergo Covid-19 tests before departure, according to federal officials.
The testing requirement is set to end June 12 at 12:01 a.m.
CDC Order and FAQ: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html
CDC Order updated 2 December 2021:
All air passengers 2 years or older with a flight departing to the US from a foreign country at or after 12:01am EST (5:01am GMT) on December 6, 2021, are required show a negative COVID-19 viral test result taken no more than 1 day before travel, or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 days, before they board their flight.
What types of SARS-CoV-2 test are acceptable under the Order?
You must be tested with a viral test that could be either an antigen test or a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT). Examples of available NAATs for SARS-CoV-2 include but are not restricted to reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), transcription-mediated amplification (TMA), nicking enzyme amplification reaction (NEAR), and helicase-dependent amplification (HDA). The test used must be authorized for use by the relevant national authority for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the country where the test is administered. A viral test conducted for U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) personnel, including DOD contractors, dependents, and other U.S. government employees, and tested by a DOD laboratory located in a foreign country also meets the requirements of the Order.
eMed (Abbot BinaxNOW, one of the approved methods) Thread on Flyertalk: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/coronavirus-travel/2048940-issues-re-emed-abbot-binaxnow-navica-tests.html
The testing requirement is set to end June 12 at 12:01 a.m.
CDC Order and FAQ: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html
CDC Order updated 2 December 2021:
- If you plan to travel internationally, you will need to get a COVID-19 viral test (regardless of vaccination status or citizenship) no more than 1 day before you travel by air into the United States. You must show your negative result to the airline before you board your flight.
- If you recently recovered from COVID-19, you may instead travel with documentation of recovery from COVID-19 (i.e., your positive COVID-19 viral test result on a sample taken no more than 90 days before the flights departure from a foreign country and a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you were cleared to travel).
All air passengers 2 years or older with a flight departing to the US from a foreign country at or after 12:01am EST (5:01am GMT) on December 6, 2021, are required show a negative COVID-19 viral test result taken no more than 1 day before travel, or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 days, before they board their flight.
What types of SARS-CoV-2 test are acceptable under the Order?
You must be tested with a viral test that could be either an antigen test or a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT). Examples of available NAATs for SARS-CoV-2 include but are not restricted to reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), transcription-mediated amplification (TMA), nicking enzyme amplification reaction (NEAR), and helicase-dependent amplification (HDA). The test used must be authorized for use by the relevant national authority for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the country where the test is administered. A viral test conducted for U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) personnel, including DOD contractors, dependents, and other U.S. government employees, and tested by a DOD laboratory located in a foreign country also meets the requirements of the Order.
eMed (Abbot BinaxNOW, one of the approved methods) Thread on Flyertalk: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/coronavirus-travel/2048940-issues-re-emed-abbot-binaxnow-navica-tests.html
US to require air travelers to provide a negative test within 1 day of departure
May 2, 2022, 8:22 am
#931
Join Date: Dec 2021
Posts: 8
Hi, I'm flying back to the USA from a Caribbean city and as far as I know, the U.S. government still hasn't dropped the testing requirement. I have a doctor in a third country who can issue an antigen COVID certificate for me - it is some sort of online testing that we do via Skype. The point is that the test issuer is neither in the USA nor in the country where I am now.
My question is, can I do it this way? Can I have a negative test certificate issued by a doctor in a third country? Is there any standard the test must adhere to? I know this one will arrive with a QR code the airline employees may not be familiar with or may not have a way to scan.
If it matters I also want to add that my flight is on American Airlines.
My question is, can I do it this way? Can I have a negative test certificate issued by a doctor in a third country? Is there any standard the test must adhere to? I know this one will arrive with a QR code the airline employees may not be familiar with or may not have a way to scan.
If it matters I also want to add that my flight is on American Airlines.
Last edited by NewbieRunner; May 11, 2022 at 9:29 am Reason: Merged consecutive posts by same member
May 2, 2022, 9:08 am
#932
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: PHX
Programs: AA ExPlat, United Gold, IHG Amb Plat, HHonors Diamond(Aspire), Bonvoy LT Plat, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 457
You might consider downloading and using the Verifly app. You can send them the results the day before and they will approve (or not) the test and issue an 'OK to Fly' certificate which allows you to check in and download your boarding passes on the AA app or get you through check-in at the airport with minimal problems. Also knowing of potential issues the day before gives a little extra time for rectifying problems.
Having said that, I typically use testing labs in Central America and Mexico and while there are some critical bits of info that need to be on the test results (passport number, date of birth etc) the formats don't always look the same and they are, of course, in Spanish.
Having said that, I typically use testing labs in Central America and Mexico and while there are some critical bits of info that need to be on the test results (passport number, date of birth etc) the formats don't always look the same and they are, of course, in Spanish.
May 2, 2022, 9:13 am
#933
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: United States (mostly), New Zealand (sometimes), Sweden (now and then)
Posts: 868
The CDC approves telehealth testing through certain providers. Having a random doctor in a third country issue a covid certificate based on a Skype call doesn't appear to fall into the category of approved remote-supervised testing.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...travelers.html
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...travelers.html
May 2, 2022, 9:24 am
#934
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: MKE
Programs: DL 2 MM
Posts: 908
The free test kits sent out in the US (iHealth) offer a proctored test for $25 (doesn't include the test kit). They say they are CDC-compliant for return/flights to US.
Will be testing it out next week.
https://ihealthlabs.com/products/ihe...d-test-service
Will be testing it out next week.
https://ihealthlabs.com/products/ihe...d-test-service
Took the proctored test in my room; you are on video, and once the sample is taken you have to angle your laptop camera down so that the test is in view for the 15-minute waiting period. But you don't have to sit there. There was a 15-minute countdown timer, and when the proctor (a different one) came on and viewed the test.
Overall it was pretty easy and relatively cheap.
p.s. In Begium everyone on the trains wore a mask and it was enforced. Not so much in Netherlands.
May 2, 2022, 9:42 am
#935
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: Top Tier with all 3 alliances
Posts: 11,734
Update: On Friday the 27th I took a train from middle-of-nowhere Belgium to AMS. I didn't know when I'd be leaving my meetings on Friday, so I waiting to book my iHealth test until I was on the train. I was able to book a test for that day (7PM local, about 3 hours after I booked it).
Took the proctored test in my room; you are on video, and once the sample is taken you have to angle your laptop camera down so that the test is in view for the 15-minute waiting period. But you don't have to sit there. There was a 15-minute countdown timer, and when the proctor (a different one) came on and viewed the test.
Overall it was pretty easy and relatively cheap.
p.s. In Begium everyone on the trains wore a mask and it was enforced. Not so much in Netherlands.
Took the proctored test in my room; you are on video, and once the sample is taken you have to angle your laptop camera down so that the test is in view for the 15-minute waiting period. But you don't have to sit there. There was a 15-minute countdown timer, and when the proctor (a different one) came on and viewed the test.
Overall it was pretty easy and relatively cheap.
p.s. In Begium everyone on the trains wore a mask and it was enforced. Not so much in Netherlands.
May 2, 2022, 9:48 am
#936
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,890
Update: On Friday the 27th I took a train from middle-of-nowhere Belgium to AMS. I didn't know when I'd be leaving my meetings on Friday, so I waiting to book my iHealth test until I was on the train. I was able to book a test for that day (7PM local, about 3 hours after I booked it).
Took the proctored test in my room; you are on video, and once the sample is taken you have to angle your laptop camera down so that the test is in view for the 15-minute waiting period. But you don't have to sit there. There was a 15-minute countdown timer, and when the proctor (a different one) came on and viewed the test.
Overall it was pretty easy and relatively cheap.
p.s. In Begium everyone on the trains wore a mask and it was enforced. Not so much in Netherlands.
Took the proctored test in my room; you are on video, and once the sample is taken you have to angle your laptop camera down so that the test is in view for the 15-minute waiting period. But you don't have to sit there. There was a 15-minute countdown timer, and when the proctor (a different one) came on and viewed the test.
Overall it was pretty easy and relatively cheap.
p.s. In Begium everyone on the trains wore a mask and it was enforced. Not so much in Netherlands.
How does one schedule an iHealth appt with a free kit that was distributed by gov't and schools? I don't have a ticket number.
May 2, 2022, 9:52 am
#937
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: United States (mostly), New Zealand (sometimes), Sweden (now and then)
Posts: 868
But it's showing "sold out" for the moment.
May 2, 2022, 9:56 am
#938
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,890
I would be through here: https://ihealthlabs.com/products/ihe...d-test-service
But it's showing "sold out" for the moment.
But it's showing "sold out" for the moment.
May 2, 2022, 10:10 am
#939
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: United States (mostly), New Zealand (sometimes), Sweden (now and then)
Posts: 868
The test kits can be ordered here: https://ihealthlabs.com/
May 2, 2022, 10:44 am
#940
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Maine
Programs: UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Plat, National EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 706
At Oerlikon station (on the main line between ZRH Airport and ZRH Hauptbanhof) just off platform 8 on Max-Frisch-Platz 25A (it's a van).
This testing location is part of corona-testing.ch which has other locations in and around Zurich.
You get a certificate, but if you want your passport linked to it the fee is 10 SFr extra--Delta doesn't require a PP link.
PS: I just tried a GOOGLE search "free covid test Zurich" and didn't find the site--BUT "covid test zurich oerlikon max-frisch-platz" did.
PS(PS): I had an appointment, but in the 10 minutes between testing and getting the results I was the only person at their "doorstep"
This testing location is part of corona-testing.ch which has other locations in and around Zurich.
You get a certificate, but if you want your passport linked to it the fee is 10 SFr extra--Delta doesn't require a PP link.
PS: I just tried a GOOGLE search "free covid test Zurich" and didn't find the site--BUT "covid test zurich oerlikon max-frisch-platz" did.
PS(PS): I had an appointment, but in the 10 minutes between testing and getting the results I was the only person at their "doorstep"
May 2, 2022, 11:29 am
#941
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: jfk area
Programs: AA platinum; 2MM AA, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,291
Per the Hilton check-in agent there are sites that charge if you reserve a test, but free if you just show up, in particular Movenpick (near ZRH airport is one of them).
May 2, 2022, 2:38 pm
#942
Join Date: Dec 2021
Posts: 8
Many thanks to both of you! I am literally in a jungle right now and will be going directly to the airport with my foreign tele-test. I am just wondering:
How closely do airline employees really examine the test PDFs during the check-in process?
If they are really scrupulous and pedantic and might need to return from the jungle earlier and find some local testing facility (which I don't want to).
How closely do airline employees really examine the test PDFs during the check-in process?
If they are really scrupulous and pedantic and might need to return from the jungle earlier and find some local testing facility (which I don't want to).
May 2, 2022, 7:21 pm
#943
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP >3 Million miles,HH Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 2,890
Interesting on IHealth and not being able to buy the proctored service. Travel must be picking up. Did this "sold out" condition just appear?
May 2, 2022, 7:25 pm
#944
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: Top Tier with all 3 alliances
Posts: 11,734
What happens if you miss your appointment, would the next one be available a month later? They don't seem trustworthy if they are "sold out"...
May 3, 2022, 6:27 am
#945
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: jfk area
Programs: AA platinum; 2MM AA, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,291
I've found that hotel internet connections sometimes are "flaky" = stop working periodically, what happens if you are in the middle of an on-line covid test session?
[Real data point, using my iPad at various Las Vagas and/or Atlantic City casinos, in the middle of a browsing session, I've lost my internet connection, the system wants me to re-establish my "identity".
]
[Real data point, using my iPad at various Las Vagas and/or Atlantic City casinos, in the middle of a browsing session, I've lost my internet connection, the system wants me to re-establish my "identity".
]