Good idea. I’d be way too paranoid that there would be a delay, long lines or issues preventing me from testing at the airport. Smart to do it in the town where you wanted to stay.
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I was more paranoid that I’d test positive. Best case ironically is actually get covid in the 90 day time frame before coming back so you travel freely with a doctor’s note. Really? Oh well.
Honestly the airport and train stations are geared up for it and I don’t think it would have been a big hassle to do it at the airport. The airport is totally geared towards the requirements. There are signs that say “Covid testing this way”. Like I said my friends did it but got an appointment first.
Prefacing again that we had a great trip! But there are a lot of people traveling these days. Going was fine but coming back we ran into delays (weather, staffing) that put a kink in smooth travel. We got delayed, changed flights (new terminals, another separate security line), random security checks etc. And so did a bunch of other people. CDG (Charles De Gualle-Paris) is HUGE. Download a map on your phone so you’ve got a clue as to where you want to go if your initial gate is changed. Don’t just blithely go in the direction you THINK is right! Getting from one gate to another can involve trams, busses etc. if it’s required.
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We are going to Montreal for a wedding in August and then a European cruise in Sept. We plan to use this type of Covid tests before flying home.
https://www.emed.com/airline-travel
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I bought eMed proctored tests to get home from South America last year. Couldn’t get an internet connection even though we were supposed to have wifi and had cell service, so ended up using the testing center at the airport. That went fine. Used the tests as home tests later. Pricy because the proctor component added to the cost of the tests.
We used eMed last year, we bought 6 with us just in case, it’s working perfectly.
Perhaps the wifi connections in Montreal and Amsterdam (our departure cities) will be better and I will also have my own eSIM data plan. As you said, our last resort will be using the airport services. But it’s nice to know the results before going to the airport.
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Yes, you’ll likely have better wifi. Ours didn’t work on Verizon data, but it’s not an “apples to apples” comparison. Also, can you get reimbursed for your tests through insurance? It wasn’t an option last year, but now we can get 8 tests/mo per insured.
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I have Medicare and supplement, so I’m not sure whether I’ll be reimbursed.
I would assume eMed can answer that question, but Medicare does reimburse for tests. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/medicare-covers-over-counter-covid-19-tests
Medicare folks can also get the 8 tests per month at their pharmacy. This has been the case since the end of April.
Yeah but the question is whether eMed tests will be reimbursed or not.
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You can call to inquire. My insurer limits reimbursement to $12 + tax for OTC tests plus those performed at a pharmacy, I believe. To the extent one purchases tests that cost more, I believe they are reimbursed up to $12 plus tax.
Don’t know what it is for Medicare.
We are currently in Europe traveling back to US in a few days. Our original plan had us connecting through Amsterdam. With all of the reports of nightmare situations in Amsterdam, we called Delta and they quickly changed our flights to connect through JFK, no questions asked. No surcharge. This is the 3rd time we have had to change/cancel Delta flights in the last 2 years and Delta has been very flexible and easy to work with. I don’t know if it is because DH has just about 1mm miles on Delta, but if anyone has flights through AMS on Delta, it’s worth the call to try to change.
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DD works remotely and decided to spend the summer in Europe. We had several 500 euro notes from DWs dad (he lives in a country where it is common to not keep all money in the bank and not in the local currency). I gave DD two of the notes for her trip.
She just arrived in Spain and is really struggling to break the notes into smaller bills. She is in Valencia currently and I told her perhaps more luck in Madrid/Barcelona? I never really thought it would be difficult to break a large bill but apparently in Europe it can be.
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She may need to go to a bank.
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She did that today but since she does not have an account they would not change it. She also unwisely went to a bank with a seller that she wanted to buy shoes from (as he had an account) but they would not change it…I told her to go to Banco de Espana as I read they might do it…interesting issue to have.
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Maybe Deutsche Bank in Spain? I believe they are a Bank of America partner of some type. Or maybe it’s worth it for her to open an account somewhere, if the cost is low, and she’ll be traveling all summer.
If that doesn’t work, likely your bank at home will trade in all those Euros your husband has left for dollars. I had some left over at my last trip and they said they could deposit the Euros into my account, exchange rate at around $1.06 dollars/Euro. It may not be worth it for your daughter to chase this around.
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Talking of reimbursements, a friend told me that your insurance will reimburse you for any covid test you had to take in order to return to the US. She said they had to just file for reimbursement.
We took the test at a local lab in Valencia while we were there. Rapid antigen testing was 25 euros per person - results were emailed to us within the hour. Very easy. And the “one day” requirement is so much easier than 24 hours - our flight out was Saturday night, but we tested early Friday morning.
Add me to the list of people that want this testing requirement gone. Just adds so much stress.
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