American Airlines introduced at-home coronavirus testing for all flights to U.S. destinations with COVID-19 restrictions in a bid to help travelers avoid quarantines.
The airline announced its testing expansion on Tuesday, making it the first in the industry, which has been hard hit by the pandemic, to offer pre-flight testing within the United States. Several states, as well as the city of Chicago, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, are allowing travelers to avoid quarantines up to 14 days upon entry if they can provide a recent negative COVID-19 test.
The program, part of a partnership with LetsGetChecked, will begin on Wednesday for any customer traveling to one of the select locations on or after Saturday. But the tests don’t come cheap. The Arizona Republic reports that the test kits will cost $129.
In exchange, passengers will be sent a nasal swab kit prior to their departure, which will be sent to a lab. Travelers can expect their results within about 48 hours of their test’s arrival at the lab.
As of now, the service will be provided for the following destinations: Alaska, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Chicago, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
Some states, such as California, appear not to be on the list because they require a 14-day quarantine regardless of a test result.
“We are extremely proud of our partnership with American Airlines and the opportunity to support their proactive safety measures,” Peter Foley, the CEO and founder of LetsGetChecked, said in a statement. “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.”
