The real scoop on airport and travel COVID testing and why you need to prepare ahead of time or risk losing your flight!

This month, January, 2021, many governments announced restrictions for those who travel by air in order to control and contain the coronavirus / COVID and its variations and new strains popping up.

These governments have required airlines to enforce pre-flight testing.

All tests are not equal. There are viral tests and antibody tests. The CDC states that all passengers are required to get a viral test 3 days before travel. This is the nose or mouth swab test.

Many laboratories and even hotels or tourist operators offer rapid tests but they may not meet the airline or government guidelines and therefore will not be honored.

Not all countries and airlines follow the CDC guidelines. This means that some may require a test 7 days in advance, another 3 days in advance. If you have layovers in different countries and with different airlines you may have to research all their policies and make sure you comply with the strictest of the policies.

Here in Mexico you receive test results in Spanish. The United States and most of their national airlines will accept the results in Spanish. England will accept in English, Spanish or French. The Czech Republic will only accept in Czech or English and Korea only in Korean or English. You need to check with each country you will be in as well as the airline to see if they will accept the language your results are in. We can translate your results from Spanish to English as we are official translators on the Federal / State court lists as well as on the Consular / Municipal lists and besides quality work, we have the credentials to be accepted internationally while others may not.

How will you receive the results? Will the airline you fly on and countries you land in accept digital test results or do they want physical copies? Will the airline you fly on and countries you land in accept a digital translation or do they want physical copies?

Airports are offering tests for travelers but only after they check their baggage and pass through security so that allows no time for error to get any needed translations or to find out that you could get digital results and further on in your trip you may be asked for physical results.

Worksheet to not miss your flight

Airline 1_____________________ Test type_____ Test time before flight 3 days [ ] 5 days [ ] 7 days [ ]

Test results Digital [ ] Physical [ ] If results need to be translated, what language __________ Digital [ ] Physical [ ]

Airline 2_____________________ Test type_____ Test time before flight 3 days [ ] 5 days [ ] 7 days [ ]

Test results Digital [ ] Physical [ ] If results need to be translated, what language __________ Digital [ ] Physical [ ]

Airline 3_____________________ Test type_____ Test time before flight 3 days [ ] 5 days [ ] 7 days [ ]

Test results Digital [ ] Physical [ ] If results need to be translated, what language __________ Digital [ ] Physical [ ]

Country 1_______________ Test type_____ Test time before flight 3 days [ ] 5 days [ ] 7 days [ ]

Test results Digital [ ] Physical [ ] If results need to be translated, what language _________ Digital [ ] Physical [ ]

Country 2_______________ Test type_____ Test time before flight 3 days [ ] 5 days [ ] 7 days [ ]

Test results Digital [ ] Physical [ ] If results need to be translated, what language _________ Digital [ ] Physical [ ]

Country 3_______________ Test type_____ Test time before flight 3 days [ ] 5 days [ ] 7 days [ ]

Test results Digital [ ] Physical [ ] If results need to be translated, what language _________ Digital [ ] Physical [ ]

Even though I do not plan to travel in the near future I know that your post will be helpful to others. Thanks for such good information!

Has anyone heard about any testing needed before driving to the US?