Heading home for the holidays via American Airlines? Expect to pony up some extra cash to take an at-home COVID-19 test first.
In partnership with direct-to-consumer home testing firm LetsGetChecked, the airline is offering self-assessment kits to folks flying on or after Dec. 12 to any US city, state, or territory with travel restrictions.
Tests cost an additional $129 on top of your ticket price, and cover one of the most common travel restrictions: a negative result before departure or upon arrival. That doesn’t mean, however, that you won’t contract the virus on your way to the airport or at any point during your trip. Or that your test reported a false negative because you were assessed too close to the infection date.
“We’ve made great strides to help open international travel with our testing partners, and we recognize the need for similar domestic travel solutions,” Alison Taylor, chief customer officer for American Airlines, said in a statement. “As travel requirements continue to quickly evolve, we’re simplifying the research and COVID-19 testing fulfillment process for an overall more seamless travel experience.”
Travelers are encouraged to order a kit at least five days before their flight, allowing plenty of time to swab their nose, return the sample via UPS, and await the results. LetsGetChecked uses a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test to look for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19; customers can expect a verdict within 24 to 72 hours of receipt at the laboratory.
“We are extremely proud of our partnership with American Airlines and the opportunity to support their proactive safety measures,” according to LetsGetChecked CEO Peter Foley. “Our at-home COVID-19 test exemplifies our mission to empower people to take an active role in their health whilst also allowing for a safe return to travel during this challenging time.”
You can also use your own local testing provider: Folks in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area of Texas may want to visit a select CareNow urgent care location for an in-person swab, or consider onsite rapid testing at the DFW airport.
Current cities, states, and territories with COVID-19 travel restrictions include:
- Alaska
- Connecticut
- Chicago
- Hawaii
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Washington, D.C.
The list will be updated as local requirements evolve.
