eng3

From what I can tell reading this thread, one can fly US-FRA-IST and back with no test and no quarantine requirement in turkey (or germany). I'm curious, what happens if your FRA-IST or FRA-US flight gets cancelled/delayed/mis-connect overnight while you are waiting. You have to sleep in the terminal or be subjected to german COVID entry requirements? I assume being on the same PNR is probably better in this case.

Often1

Much more than testing, also consider whether you are admissible at all. A good chance that if you are a US national with no exemption to enter Germany that the test itself is not the delimiter. All the more reason during the pandemic to fly nonstop between origin country and destination country and make any connections within -- in this case -- in the US.

Beyond that, it is also strongly adviseable -- even when not required -- to have a negative test before leaving your country of residence. While no test is perfect, if you are to contract coronavirus, do you really want to be sick and treated overseas, a long ways from your medical and other support network?

seanp7

Another data point: Flew IST-FRA-ORD today and no issues in transit through Germany; no COVID test. There was a passport/boarding pass check by Police in FRA after de-planing - they were friendly though.

9 Days prior I flew ORD-FRA-IST, but went through to FCL A on an Australian passport. No issues (and not test required).

Lutz

Another data point. Flew IST-FRA-IAH on Sunday. Had the exact same experience as seanp7. Did not need COVID-19 test.

rfrost

I'm a US resident/citizen, planning to go to Greece this summer if, as stated by their Minister of Tourism, they open the borders to fully vaccinated Americans. I do not qualify under any of the current exemptions for entry to Germany. Would I be able to fly to ATH on LH from the US via FRA?

oliver2002

You enter the schengen area in FRA, so you have to meet the transit requirements of Germany and the entry requirements of Greece. Greece and the southern European states dependent on tourism are pushing for an amendment to the entry rules which will be followed by Germany when passed.

rfrost

Thank you, Oliver. I spoke with Lufthansa, and according to them, I could do it with a negative COVID PNR test and a completed form. As I was given erroneous information by another airline (Delta), however, I was a bit wary about making plans based solely on that.

oliver2002

As things stand today you can transit Germany with a negative test if the final destination will let you in. But as things stand Greece & co has not formulated the final rules so all we can do is speculate. Currently US citizen cannot enter the EU/Schengen for leisure purposes alone and vice versa.

ISTFlyer

It's much better to be safe to purchase a direct flight from the USA to Greece.
For the Iceland example ( which did allow US citizens for a while in March ), the passengers needed to arrive at Iceland directly and could not transfer from another Schengen party state.

Although, it's possible that things might change multiple times until summer.

rfrost

ISTflyer, flying NS from the US was my original plan, but the flight I booked has been canceled, and the other NS options on that date were problematic. I'm now working on adjusting my travel dates.
I am aware that there are no guarantees, and I will be prepared to cancel the entire trip if Greece decides not to allow Americans entry. But I'd like to reduce some of the potential problems to the extent possible...

ISTFlyer

United would start flying direct from EWR to ATH on early-June and would codeshare with Lufthansa.
As you mean "summer", I assume that you're not planning to go on May. Also, there are UA ( LH codeshares ) from the USA to London & A3 flights from London to Greece ( although if you booked through LH, they might refuse you to rebook on this itinerary ).

Often1

Don't rely on anything any air carrier tells you over the phone. Do look at TIMATIC.

But, also understand that trying to figure out what the requirements will be more than 30 days out may not be fruitful. Absolutely no way to predict what will happen.

That circles back to the nonstop issue. Unless "problematic" means completely unworkable, it will always be better than any connection until we are in a post-pandemic time-frame.

pmarrsouth

Not quite correct as EU/Schengen Citizens can absolutely enter the US for leisure purposes alone (presuming this is the vice versa you are referring to)

futuramadramallama

I think part of the difficulty may be that there just aren't that many direct flights to Greece from the US, even in a regular year (much less now). IIRC, EK did their fifth freedom, and UA/AA/DL flew seasonally (all to Athens).

Actually, one of those latter three may have upgraded their service to year-round, but that's still a lot less bandwidth than say, a destination like London or Frankfurt. In a regular year, there would be daily (even twice- or thrice-daily) non-stop service to LHR from a dozen US cities via the US3, plus the secondary cities BA would fly to, and all year-round. Even at a dramatically-reduced pandemic schedule, OP would have plenty(?) of options to fly non-stop if that was the destination of choice.

SK AAR

Asking questions about German/EU entry rule for this summer is pointless; the same is any references to current rules; they will change during the next months for sure.