[Cwyfan]

At last after 3 years away, I am due to travel to the USA a week on Thursday for my 20th wedding anniversary.

I obviously do not want to get this wrong.

I have a new passport and new ESTA.

I have my Covid pass on my phone and tablet, and for safety I will take a paper copy. Where and when do you have to show these?

What I am less sure of is the lateral flow rules.

When it says: required to show a negative COVID-19 test result taken no more than 1 day before travel.

For a 6 pm flight does that mean:

1. Any time only on the day of the departure.
2. After 6 pm on the day before departure.
Or
3. Any time on the day before departure.

I live in rural Wales, so my likely route is to get it at Heathrow, so I would be glad of advice on real experiences at getting it off site or in T5, and how much time before departure should I take it.

Grateful for any other advice too.

Thanking you in anticipation.

[Tom Otley]

I believe it is any time the day before, so that would be option 2 from your list there, except you could take the test first thing in the morning the day before if you liked

Having said that, if you want to get the test at Heathrow it would probably be better to get there early, take the test, and then join the queue for check-in !

We don’t recommend any particular testing company, but I’m sure others who have used them will do so.

You can see the on-site one here

https://www.heathrow.com/covid-19

A rapid antigen test is all that is required, though you could get a PCR if you wanted more peace of mind.

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Cwyfan

[AlanOrton1]

The 4 times I’ve travelled to the US since late Nov last year I’ve always taken the test early the day before departure. On all occasions over 24 hours before the scheduled flight time.

Unless it has very recently changed it has to be a supervised test. I’ve used Medicspot who charge around £20 for a supervised antigen and I’ve received the doctor signed letter within 30 mins after submitting the result.

You then need to complete Verifly, and the wait for the this can be a couple of hours. (I’ve not opted to pay for the expedited service they were punting last month).
You can then complete online check in.

It’s worth setting up your trip in Verifly ahead of taking the pre-departure test.

Take paper copies just to be on the safe side, though I’ve not been asked for these at LHR as Verifly has worked. Otherwise I suspect you’ll be asked for these at check in.

As for arrival into the US, it’s exactly as it was pre-Covid. All US requirements are handled before you leave UK / departure country.

Enjoy!!

(I thoroughly enjoyed returning after a 21 month hiatus).

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huey, Cwyfan, Tom Otley

[Gold-2K]

I’ve used Qured.com for a video monitored test and works really well. Booked a time 24hours before flight, test results delivered typically within 45 minutes (although they say allow 2 hours) and then upload to VeriFLY. Once the results are accepted you can checkin on line 👍🏼

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Cwyfan

[Stormin]

Defo at full day before – not 24 hours

Follow Gold 2K – that’s the easy way

[Tom Otley]

I am travelling next Friday to the US (Portland) and am using Qured as well. This is not a recommendation, since it’s been a long while since I did use Qured.
Here is a review of the antigen test.

Review: British Airways x Qured rapid antigen test

If you read the comments, you can see why we don’t make particular recommendations.

It’s like the thread here about Gatwick Airport

Gatwick airport

– some are finding it problem free, while others….

[Cwyfan]

As all tests have a slight possibility of a false positive, is there a fall back position for any of them if you text positive the day before?

[Bath_VIP]

My wife and I travelled to the States in November and I summarised my experience in this thread.

PCR / Fit for Travel Test – Help Required Please

As far as I can tell, the requirements haven’t changed. We’re due to fly out again and the same process applies.

[Tom Otley]

[postquote quote=1215669]

I suppose you could do another test to see if it is a false positive or not…

[Cwyfan]

I guess I would be best to do my own test first, and then if the official test shows positive when I was expecting negative, I would have something to go on, but would I then have time?

[AlanOrton1]

When I’ve booked with the company I used they offered a spare kit for an extra £5, I believe to cover this possibility.

I’d suggest if you are flying next Thursday, and wish to go the antigen route, to order a kit asap, given the two day bank holiday this week. Plus the ability to book a supervised slot may well decrease the closer to the departure date you leave it.

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Cwyfan

[JDTraveller]

Qured have been excellent on both times that I have used them for the US entry. No issues in getting an appointment and it can be any time the day before departure, so even for 1800 departures you can do it at 1000 the day before. VeriFLY is easy to use as well, they have reduced the number of steps that are needed.

False positives happen but they seem to be rare than false negatives. If you are worried do a practice test before, or buy a second test kit – they are only £15 including the on screen appointment. I have known people to fake the test, it’s actually quite easy to do even with them watching – they don’t really look at much, though wouldn’t recommend it!

On the two trips I’ve made in documents have been needed either at the airport in the UK (using VeriFLY) or on arrival in the US. I do know of someone that was asked for their covid pass, and the NHS app version, in GooglePay was accepted. I just kept all of my covid pass and negative test documents on my phone. In the US I was only asked for my pass in one restaurant in LA on my last trip and on a tour, and they all accept the digital pass – a big difference to the mangled pieces of card that most people in the States are carrying around with them.

Have a great trip and happy anniversary!

[McSFlyer]

I have just returned from the States and took a supervised antigen test (via Zoom) with Prenetics. This was very quick and painless on the day prior to departure (around 30 hours before the flight). We flew with Virgin and had the option to upload copies of our results and vaccine cert or just show these at the airport. We chose the latter and someone checked the docs as we waiting to check our bags in. Never once in the States was I asked to show my negative result and / or vaccine passport, and this included internal flights.

Have a great time

M

[Cwyfan]

Thank you everybody for your help.

I have gone with Medicspot in the end.

If anybody else is using them, the discount code CAMPAMERICA might be useful to you.

[_glbetrkkr_]

So sweet you all are compliant with testing. I just take my old Vault results and change the date via PDF.

[Author]

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