pcr test for usa - now 24 hours before .

alfmurph

december 22nd .
booked british airways - edinburgh - heathrow - miami .
Depart edinburgh - 7am .
Depart heathrow - 2pm
Now that the pcr test must be done within 24 hours of departure is that for my edinburgh time or heathrow time .
Was planning to get test at around 10am on the 21st giving them all day to give me the result  but 24 hours later i am still in heathrow .
The alternative is to get test at 6 pm on 21st dec  but is that enough time for result to get back to me before i depart edinburgh at 7am .
I could get the guaranteed 3 hour turn around test but the cost even with british airways discount is £159 compared to the 24 hour turn around test which is £59 .
Two of us going so there is another £200 add on even before day 2 and maybe day 8 tests and maybe a reuturn lateral flow test as well .
Don't tell me not to go as my wife and i ain't seen our son and his family for 2 years .
Bit of a dilemma .

alfmurph

Just looked again .
I can get a lateral flow test with result in 40 minutes for £35 .
I do not like them but usa will accept them .
Actually there is very little chance of a lateral flow test proofing positive while a pcr test might bar me from going .
So taking the cheap test solves my problem i think .
My wife hates them as they are so unreliable but if joe biden says yes .
I have a day 2 test unused from october as well so things are looking up .

Caz3121

I would wait until the CDC site is updated and check it closer to your departure date (may change again)
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html

Sandtree

alfmurph said:

Now that the pcr test must be done within 24 hours of departure is that for my edinburgh time or heathrow time .
Was planning to get test at around 10am on the 21st giving them all day to give me the result  but 24 hours later i am still in heathrow .
The alternative is to get test at 6 pm on 21st dec  but is that enough time for result to get back to me before i depart edinburgh at 7am .
I could get the guaranteed 3 hour turn around test but the cost even with british airways discount is £159 compared to the 24 hour turn around test which is £59 .

Need to wait for the guidance to be updated but are you on a straight through ticket from Edinburgh to Miami or have separate tickets for each leg? This may make a difference to the answer.

I'd be cautious about any "guaranteed" service and double check what the guarantee actually is... I know with out "same day" ones that same day was actually defined as up to 3am the following day and the guarantee was only that they refunded the price of the test if they fail to give the results in time - no liability for any knock on losses of the late results.

alfmurph

One ticket for connecting flight .

alfmurph

Found this .

The 1-day period is 1 day before the flight’s departure. The Order uses a 1-day time frame instead of 24 hours to provide more flexibility to the air passenger and aircraft operator. By using a 1-day window, test acceptability does not depend on the time of the flight or the time of day that the test sample was taken.

For example, if your flight is at 1pm on a Friday, you could board with a negative test that was taken any time on the prior Thursday.

stephen2555

alfmurph said:

Just looked again .
I can get a lateral flow test with result in 40 minutes for £35 .
I do not like them but usa will accept them .
Actually there is very little chance of a lateral flow test proofing positive while a pcr test might bar me from going .
So taking the cheap test solves my problem i think .
My wife hates them as they are so unreliable but if joe biden says yes .
I have a day 2 test unused from october as well so things are looking up .

Hi mate, can I ask where your getting lateral  flow test or which provider your using for entry to USA , we leave this Friday and was going to use the in clinic lateral flow test through Randox in Glasgow, results and certificate in 60mins…. I’m hoping that’s suitable to do in the Thursday before we fly on the Friday…. All a bit confusing 

flyingbug

Can I ask alfmurph where your getting lateral  flow test or which provider your using for entry to USA ,
The more I look at different sites the more confused I am getting.
This will be the third time I have had to change my booking for test to enter USA .

CKhalvashi

flyingbug said:

Can I ask alfmurph where your getting lateral  flow test or which provider your using for entry to USA ,
The more I look at different sites the more confused I am getting.
This will be the third time I have had to change my booking for test to enter USA .

Please only use government websites as you are risking your ticket if not.

I had a LFD test with Collinson at Stansted on the 25th on my way home from Luton, the result was back before I had left the airport premises.

I cannot recommend any other company as I haven't used them, but this should be available landside at Heathrow if required.

alfmurph

Cignpost ExpressTest

is best for me at edinburgh airport with BA discount . But breaking news is that we now need a LFT to come back to uk . Going to have to wait a couple of days now to see what is best offer now . Cignpost wanted £35 FOR LFT . £59 for 24 hour pcr test and £130 for pcr 3 hour turn around .

LondonSouth556

I used Randox PCR 24 hour had no issues although prior to change to one day. I would only use PCR, I don't trust these cheaper lateral flow tests will be accepted?