seigex

100% agree, I always bring 2 sets of physical copies of everything required when I travel overseas, one in my backpack and one in my carryon, just in case.

aj411

I should add that my last sentence about going straight through with AA online checkin (with Verifly complete), security and boarding without any checks was on my return flight to the US.
Going TO Korea, I had to check in at the airport since Verifly isn't set up for South Korea

seigex

I won't be on AA this time as trying to get workable and reasonably priced award space from LAX-SEL is not happening. But I tried Verifly to/from Greece last May and the response I got on both sides was: "What is that? We don't accept that, show me your physical copies." and no amount of explaining to them what it was helped. Ended up wasting more time than it saved. This time I'll be on a direct on Asiana J from LAX-ICN, and I don't think Asiana uses Verifly or an equivalent.

aj411

Kind of off topic but your experience is not surprising.
We have used Verifly since it first came out. It was initially pretty much new to any agent we came across. Now, for the places it has been used for more than a year, it is welcome and easy. This is the first time the process back to the US was completely integrated - no airport checkin required. In April, we still had to do airport checkin when returning to the US.
Honestly, no checking in for an international flight seemed really weird. I actually debated whether I should still go to the checkin desk and finally decided, not, why?
Verifly keeps adding new destinations so I would think anyplace fairly new to Verifly use would be potentially confusing to the local agents.

I did notice a few US airports that are gateways to international flights have set up a separate Verifly lane at checkin for express checkin. It certainly saves the agents a whole lot of headaches and screening of varied paperwork

seigex

I interestingly got my boarding pass on JAL back in December from LAX-NRT-BKK from OLCI on my phone. I still had to visit the counter agent to check my bags, and they did all of my docs/passport verification. But I'm assuming if they would have had to do it at the gate if I didn't at the ticket counter. Same on my way back from Thailand. But not having to do any of it, especially with carryon only, would be awesome.

aj411

Yep. I fully expected to be checked at the gate. I even asked. The gate agent checked her computer and said no I was good to go.

aj411

Yep. I fully expected to be checked at the gate. I even asked. The gate agent checked her computer and said no I was good to go.

travelinmanS

I entered Korea today, it was a pain and took over 2 hours from landing to getting finished with the on airport arrival covid test and leaving Incheon Airport. I can see it is entirely dependent on when your flight lands. Mine landed early morning right after a flight from Paris and a few from SE Asia had landed. It took about 30 minutes to get through the Q code line, the line for people without the codes was moving even slower. After the Q code check you go through normal immigration which was empty as the line for the Q code easily spaces out the immigration line. After picking up my bags and clearing customs I was not too disappointed that it took about 40 mins all in all from touchdown to going landside. The Covid test, however, was a disorganized mess with a weird line up procedure where you need to leave your luggage unattended for about an hour while you wait in line to get check in for the test, then another line to pay for the test and finally get tested. All in all that took over an hour. It also took a few minutes to find the testing place as the signage isn't that great. If it wasn't for the extra covid test I'd say the experience is pretty smooth for post covid travel. It's the extra arrival PCR test that really gums up the works.

Not as bad as entering China but definitely the worst arrival experience of any non covid-crazy country in my travels so far this year.

mikesaidyes

Welcome to Korea. They are holding on dearly to that arrival PCR test with no sign of dropping it and it's just a ridiculous pain in the butt....that we all must do because, well, its literally the law for quarantine exemption that you sign for when you enter.

BRITINJAPAN4

For me its a double pain, leaving Japan I need a PCR negative to be allowed on board, then a PCR on arrival then another to be allowed to board to come home and another at the airport on arrival !

seigex

My arrival into ICN on 7/4 is at 7:55pm in to T2, but the last available COVID test on safe2gopass is at 8:30pm. I'm carry-on only, not sure how long it will take me to deboard, but I'm assuming that's not enough time. So, is the only other option to go to a clinic in the morning after and get my test taken care of? Is there a way to prebook that test?

Chuvash

I’m doing two ~24h trips to Seoul at the end of the month and want to double check the testing situation. My understanding is that the arrival test has now been pushed back to 3 days and that quarantining until test result is not enforced (I’m also reading that quarantine is being dropped altogether for non vaccinated as of 6/8 so potentially no need to register vax card?)

Given the above do I really have to test on arrival? Do you need a PCR to board a flight out of ROK?

Separately, I’m reading that GMP is reopening on 6/8 to international travel but I:not seeing any flight scheduled until 7/1. Is there any further update on this (perhaps in Korean only)

yogibearla

I'm contemplating a trip to Korea since Japan isn't doing open tourism any time soon. I already have a pair of tickets between JFK and HND.

Assuming the HND-GMP route opens in July, I'm planning to do an overnight layover airside in HND and book a separate set of tickets for that.

The question I have is whether the 48hr testing requirement applies to the flight into Korea or the initial flight from JFK to HND. The former would be more difficult to time correctly than the latter, given the amount of time I'll be spending traveling.

Andrew Kim

I always look at the date of publication for these types of news because the ones from May have all been excessively optimistic, and when one news site prints something, all others and an infinite number of travel blogs just copy/paste. Gimpo *was* to reopen "early June" but got pushed to the second half of June. But as of now I only see four dates with availability in the Japan-->Korea direction while all Korea-->Japan flights have suddenly and worriesomely been removed for the entire month of June. They keep kicking the can further and further down the road and it makes me concerned for July when I have my own scheduled flight.

You do not need a pcr to leave Korea but whether you need any test at all (pcr/antigen) depends on the requirements of the next country you're off to. In the case of the United States they require everyone to test a day before boarding, but a supervised rapid antigen is accepted.

Stingyguy

How much are you guys paying for day 3 PCR test?