Anyone been to the USA recently?

[PattyPan]

Thinking about visiting Las Vegas, Grand Canyon and a couple of other NPs in that sort of area around April/May this year but a bit concerned about the testing requirements, length of the flight, possibility for restrictions over there, possibility for getting stuck there etc. For anyone who's been to the US recently did you have a good/bad experience? Any tips?

@KateADM

And when things were bad originally, they did limit interstate travel, but that was very early on. I feel like it was before the vaccines. Just always carry your proof of vaccination.

Yes, definitely carry your vaccine proof with you - the NHS Covid pass on your phone should do. I went to a hockey match at Boston University and we had to show proof of vaccination to get in, but didn’t have to in any other venues (besides boarding airplanes for international flights).

Verify sounds like BA’s version of FlyReady, which was Virgin’s portal to upload testing and vaccination proof before flying. Completely useless in my case as it wouldn’t verify my negative test pdf. Prenetics had no idea why following a panicked hourlong phone call on the morning of my flight but advised me to bring the pdf to the airport and get it checked there. I showed it to the check-in agent and she approved it immediately.

agree -- no tests required for domestic flights in USA.
Is neg covid test required for domestic flights in UK?

@bizzey A rapid antigen test is fine for entry to the U.S. - I flew here a couple of days ago.

This is from the CDC:

You must be tested with a viral test to look for current infection – these include an antigen test or a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT).

Phrases indicating a test is an antigen test could include, but not are not limited to:

Rapid antigen test
Viral antigen test
Also, could be noted as Antigen Chromatographic Digital Immunoassay, Antigen Chemiluminescence Immunoassay, or Antigen Lateral Flow Fluorescence

(www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html#anchor_1635127081)

My mum was here recently. The BA Verifly app was a nightmare for her. She’s not very good with technology and felt like she was being scolded like a naughty child by BA staff for not understanding what she had to do with the app.

Verifly is nothing more than a checklist and does not need to be used in order to board a flight.

Just popping back to say thank you for the Randox suggestion.

Found a clinic very close to us .
DS went , had PCR and results sent to him in less than 2 hours .
£40 for antigen or £80 for PCR .
He had the PCR ..as we both thought
so much has been spent so far ..an extra £40 is a drop in the ocean !
Plus uni might want the PCR.
Don't know anymore about how the testing went ..he just messaged to say he is negative !

Now to tackle the joys of packing with a take away pizza .

If anyone want to know , I will update on airport conditions tomorrow.

Thanks again everyone.

@PattyPan appologies again for the hi jack !

No worries @bizzey, and good to hear you had a good experience with Randox!

I hope there’s no red tape for interstate travel as that would be very inconvenient with us travelling between Nevada, Arizona and Utah. Although now DP is suggesting Iceland as an alternative option anyway!

I very much doubt you will have any trouble in any of those states @PattyPan. I can’t recall that any of them had any sort of interstate restrictions even at the height of the pandemic. It was more New York trying to keep plane loads of Floridians out and suchlike. The borders are just too porous to prevent interstate car travel.

Thanks. Just gone for it and booked for May. Hoping things don’t take a turn for the worse by then!

@PattyPan , hope your trip goes well !
I know this is not relevant to your post that I hi jacked !! and may not be relevant in May ..but.
DS and I got to Heathrow at 6am and by 6.30 am he was checked in and we were having our Cappuccino's !

He went through departures and I was sitting on the tube waiting for it to leave and he massaged me to say him and his friend were through and in 'spoons (whetherspoons) ordering breakfast !
(I made him go through at 8am , thinking it would take ages !)

Hope your trip goes well .

I forgot to ask him if there were any issues at arrival though .
If I find out more I will let you know .

@PattyPan

No worries *@bizzey*, and good to hear you had a good experience with Randox!

I hope there’s no red tape for interstate travel as that would be very inconvenient with us travelling between Nevada, Arizona and Utah. Although now DP is suggesting Iceland as an alternative option anyway!

Interstate travel is completely open now.

@MissConductUS that is good to know .
So if DS took the greyhound bus/coach , he could just go ? (NY )
Flights for a non US national it's okay as well ?

To be fair he is in the middle of Pennsylvania so a bus/coach might be his better way of traveling anyway as he would have to get a bus to airport ?

Bizzy, a bus is generally a better option for a short distance trip like that.