Thanks, my question was intended for @GratefulKae, as I realize you were in Paris and see she went to Dublin. I’m not sure if the CDC or specific airline determines which tests are eligible. Would love to plan ahead if possible

@Amanda – good question! The overlapping and sometimes contradictory rules sometimes seem like they are designed to be confusing…

I’m headed to Dublin soon and curious if you can offer any insight. U.S. guidelines indicate we can return with the Abbott’s BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Ag At-Home, but Aer Lingus (airline) page offers two in-person options. I’m wanting to confirm that all U.S. accepted tests are eligible with all airlines. Let me know if you’re aware from your own experience. Thank you!

https://www.aerlingus.com/support/covid19-information/covid19-testing/#/tab-0-flying-from-ireland

Laura-

Yes, it came as a surprise! She was a little winded when walking the hills of Lisbon, but so were plenty of people 30 years younger than her, so we didn’t think anything of it!

We actually had to get a certificate of recovery from her doctor, because she continued to test positive (you can for months). Words of wisdom, won the hard way:
– CDC guidance states that you can fly with a recent positive test (under 90 days) and a certificate of recovery.x
– CDC does not state a minimum number of days prior the first positive test needed to be.
– CDC does not state that symptoms must have abated at any particular point to fly with a certificate of recovery, but some airlines (at least United) require that the symptoms abated 11 days before the flight date. Unfortunately their website never states this and has 3 separate and contradictory sets of guidelines. And United chatbot agents don’t resolve the problem. It was only by going to the airport and talking to the agents that I was able to get the 11 day language made clear.
– Just because your airline accepts your positive test and certificate of recovery does not mean your local authorities will. We had a VERY harrowing moment when moments before boarding the local Portuguese authorities insisted on checking tests — even through the airline had cleared things, and even though we were leaving their country — and they gave us the stink eye about her letter, talked to their supervisors, etc.

But we survived! And hopefully someone will run across this and have better knowledge than I had going into this nightmare scenario!

@Chelsey – oh dear, that does sound like no fun. To me, one of the worst parts of all of this was what you were saying about having a bad feeling about it all week — same with me and needing the test the morning of. I kept worrying about what could go wrong, which made it hard to relax and enjoy the trip. I’m sure all sorts of international trips are happening under a cloud because of this. While I think it would be great for the testing requirement to go for vaccinated travelers, if that’s not going to happen, even just extending the window (to 48-72 hours) would dial down the pressure a lot.

@Kathleen – wow, that really does sound like no fun whatsoever! Yes, it’s unclear what you do once you have a positive – I know it’s possible to do a certificate of recovery but that sounds like it would be challenging when you’re not around your regular medical care providers (and I’m glad your mother wasn’t really sick – I assume she wasn’t if it came as a surprise?).

I’m sure there are so many stories about the covid test to re-enter the US, it’s really a nightmare. Last December, we flew to Scotland to visit my husband’s family for the first time in 2 years, the first time they would meet our youngest daughter, so we were determined to make it work despite the horrible timing of the Omicron surge coinciding with Christmas. We were able to get tests in the US no problem before we left, to be able to enter the UK. We brought at-home tests with the option to video chat and have a person watch you take it to verify the results. So in theory, this should have worked great for the requirement for the 24 hour test to fly back to the US. I had a bad feeling about it all week, and when we called in right at the 24 hour mark to take the tests and opened the package on screen, I saw that the tests were expired (which we couldn’t see until you opened it on the call). So we had to scramble to get tests at the airport 45 minutes away (thank goodness that was an option) for my husband, me, and our 4 year old. The operation at the airport was actually super efficient, but it was so much stress and uncertainty. So disappointing that we missed out on half of our last day with family because we were
dealing with it. Could have been worse, at least we had negative tests and were able to fly back, but it really throws a wrench in international travel.

Oh my goodness- this sounds awful

It’s not fun.
Zero stars.
Do not recommend!

@Shelley- Alaska and Hawaii are still certainly adventurous! But yes, it lowers the degree of stress to travel within the same country…