It is well known that the US allows antigen tests to return… the Emirates website says you need a PCR - it used to say antigen and there is another blurb that says if you are going from Athens to USA that antigen is fine - I’m sure this is a mistake and matters a lot because we use the eMed take home antigen tests - any ideas on if these will be allowed - we leave tonight!!Last updated: January 1, 2022, 00:01 (GMT +4)

United States of America (travel to all cities)

Latest travel requirements

All air passengers above 2 years old, travelling on Emirates flights departing from Dubai, regardless of vaccination status, must show a negative PCR COVID‑19 test result for a test taken no more than 1 day before travel to the United States, or documentation of recovery if infected with COVID‑19 within the last 90 days. Passengers transiting via Dubai may present a COVID 19 PCR or Rapid Antigen test taken at their point of origin as per CDC guidelines. Rapid testing will not be permitted while in transit in Dubai.

Passengers on direct flights to the US from Athens or Milan can present a COVID 19 PCR or Rapid Antigen test as per CDC guidelines.

Website also says the following - I just don’t want issues at check in on the return

Departing from Dubai

Before you travel

Passengers travelling from Dubai will need to undergo COVID‑19 PCR testing only if it is required by the country you are travelling to.

Please check the requirements(Opens page in the same tab) of the country you are travelling to. The travel regulations change frequently.

Not to comment specific airline and it's procedures but my in the trenches experience during covid traveling is that the destination (and transit destination sometimes) requirements are the requirements which airlines are subject to. Great tool to find out the requirements is iatatravelcentre. Just google it if you haven't already. Tourist travel pages and airlines own websites are a mess and may contain outdated, wrong or misleading information.

double

I dont think it is possible to get an antigen test anywhere in Dubai with a certificate and QR code. Perhaps that is why they have removed this notice.
PCRs are readily available and cheap (aed150). The backlog at christmas which was delaying results has been cleared, and test results for most centres are now being issued in 8 hours.

I bring my own from the USA - and they are done over video chat - so you think this wouldn't be allowed? I've used them all over the world, including Australia - but always on Delta (once on Air Canada).

https://www.emed.com/products/covid-...pack?hsLang=en

I dont know if EK would accept this. I personally wouldnt risk it

There is a long thread on the eMed test in the Coronavirus forum. Issues re EMed/Abbot Binaxnow Navica Tests.

May be worth checking there if anyone has had a negative experience with EK accepting the test for travel to the U.S., but I don't think I've seen any instance of an airline rejecting it. EK flies lots of flights to the U.S. obviously, so they must have been presented with the eMed test quite a bit by now.

ETA: The language from EK does seem pretty clear. No idea why that's the policy.

No way they will accept it - got this important email (without asking them) - and after posting… weird…

Seems unfortunate, and I wonder how many U.S.-bound travelers are getting an unpleasant surprise at airport check-in. As someone said in other thread, maybe it's due to some local law?

To Emirates' credit they emailed us that within 24 hours of booking so props to them. Hopefully everyone gets that email with time to book PCR - fingers crossed. I don't know if this is reactive because so many people got caught by surprise or what.

Our backup plans, incidentally, are flying through YYZ (if we can't get a Covid test in 24 hours, though I don't think it will be an issue) - that way we have 72 hours from test collection to results; and then our portable antigen to get back from YYZ to USA if need be.

I don't think the website is clearr at all because of the other blurb re: "Passengers travelling from Dubai will need to undergo COVID‑19 PCR testing only if it is required by the country you are travelling to."

That is what confused me and led me to post here... I'm definitely clear now that I got the email though