At-home Zoom-proctored antigen test

American Airlines has links for a few brands.

About a third of the way through this article is a nice description that they are indeed testing for the N protein.
https://asm.org/Articles/2020/August/How-the-SARS-CoV-2-EUA-Antigen-Tests-Work

Without linking a whole bunch of articles - the answer appears to be yes they test for N-proteins. Maybe someone with a better science background will weigh in - I just did a little looking around.

I just landed From Paris today and did the Emed at home test while in Paris at my hotel this past Tuesday . Was super easy and got results in 15 minutes. I flew American and my Brother was on United and the same emed test worked for both airlines and I believe delta as well. Check it out at Emed.com.. if not there are literally pharmacies everywhere and even tents set up on street corners to get covid tests..

What about the Abbott Rapid ID? That test also turns around in 15 minutes.I know it’s not an antigen test. The article I read that at home tests were not accepted for travel.

Of course …..none of this is updated on the French Ministry’s site🙁

Chris, the Abbott, Binax NOW Covid-19 AG Card Home Test with the "RX only" designation in the lower left hand corner of the box (This means it is a proctored test) is the test that Emed sells. There are two versions of the Binax Now test. One has "OTC" in the lower left corner and it will not work for travel. The one with "RX only" does work for travel so be sure to double check for this designation when purchasing from a pharmacy.

Most people have had a very positive experience with this test. I have used it successfully for travel. I have only heard of two negative reports. One, related to the poster not downloading the Navica Ap in advance. The other negative report was that when the individual opened the vial of testing reagent it was empty. Fortunately, they had a "back up test kit" , opened it and proceeded with the test. My take away was to make sure you download the app in advance and to have a "back up test kit" available.

The OP is asking about using an at-home test to fly TO France, but some answers are about at-home tests to fly FROM France.
Before jumping to any conclusions, be aware that at-home tests are not common in France. In fact, I've never heard of anyone using one, only American tourists. Maybe Kim, balso, kerouac2, or Tocard will know if they are even for sale in France I've never seen one.

Therefore, the only reliable answers will come from the French government, eventually. Until you get the information from the government, it's best go to a test center for travel To France. As for airlines, some take time to catch up to new regulations, while others make mistakes sometimes. So it's best to check and check again and have the documentation ready to educate the airline personnel, if necessary.

Yes, thank you for re-clarifying. I specifically want to know about using the test to fly TO France.

Carol , Bets…. I’m asking about the Abbott ID Now … it is offered by pharmacy. It is a rapid molecular viral test as is lab based pcr test.

Both are NAAT tests… Nucleic Acid Amplification Test

This is my best option I have…. The other issue with turnaround times for lab based tests are holidays and school vacations…. I need a test on 12/23…fly on 12/24 5:15… I can’t use 12/22 either since my departure time is 5:15 pm so 12/22 would have to be at that time or later since we are now working with 48 hrs vs 2 days.

Haven’t checked if labs are open on Xmas eve But my airport is a good 2 hrs away.

Etmills… I believe the Binax Now Antigen test targets that however it’s not offered by Walgreens or cvs …. When I searched on Walgreens website with my location..,their locator map centered on West Virginia…. Of course you can purchase proctored Binax tests but France has not approved them

I’ve been out of the US too long to accurately tell you about US tests. However, ones done by the pharmacies should work. Someone who needed a 24 hour test to go home to Amsterdam in June used that one, the one where the swab is done in the pharmacy, it’s put in a machine right there and the results are recorded in a central office. Is that the one?

Bets….that’s how the Rapid Abbott ID Now works:

https://www.abbott.com/corpnewsroom/diagnostics-testing/how-id-now-tackles-covid-19.html

Reading all this has me so worried. We fly from JFK to France on the 26th and since France now requires the test to be taken within 24 hours of arrival, it looks like I will have to find an open pharmacy on Christmas Day or find one before I board a flight on December 26th if I am understanding this correctly. I was hoping I could use the proctored test but it appears that you are all saying that test isn’t recognized by the French government. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what to do as I’m afraid I won’t be able to get a test on Christmas Day.

24 hours before arrival? What I read this morning is 48 hours before departure. Don't tell me they changed it again that fast.
Another recent thread does have the link to the French government's requirements, so check that again. If it is still 48 hours, that would give you Christmas Eve to work with. I'm not having much luck finding a place in Colorado to do rapid tests on Christmas Eve (fortunately I fly on Christmas so have the 23rd to work with, though that wasn't easy to find a place to schedule with either.)
Have you checked if the airport has a testing station? You might try that. My local airport does (though it is not open at a time that helps me) and others may also offer that service.

I will double check. I could have sworn I heard on the news today that you need to get tested 24 hours prior to arrival but perhaps I misheard. Perhaps that is to get back into the U.S. Will double check this. Sorry if I've spread misinformation.

I think that is for getting back. I had heard that might be changing from 72 to 24.

So I just did a google translate of the decree and I believe you are right that Americans have 48 hours in which to get the test. For some other countries, I believe there is a 24-hour window.

The decree reads "Any person aged twelve or over wishing to travel to the national territory from a foreign country other than those mentioned in 1 ° and 2 ° must be provided with the result of a screening test or examination mentioned in 1 ° of article 2-2 produced less than 48 hours before the trip;
"4 ° Any person of twelve years or more wishing to travel to the national territory from a foreign country must also be provided with a declaration on their honor attesting that they accept a test or a biological examination virological screening for detection of SARS-CoV-2 can be performed upon arrival.
“For the application of this IV, the only antigenic tests that can be carried out are those allowing the detection of the N protein of SARS-CoV-2. "

Our flight leaves at 4:30 p.m. so I still don't know whether I will be able to find a pharmacy open on Christmas Eve that will give us a test that late in the day. That said, based on this translation, I'm wondering whether airport officials may accept a test that is, say, 40, 50, 51 etc. hours prior to departure (given that drug stores will all close at a certain time on Christmas Eve) if we get tested again upon arrival. I know ours is a unique, and particularly, unfortunate date to travel.

Hopefully the airport has testing available. Also, someone on another thread said they managed to get last-minute testing done this week at the local hospital, which they had not previously known was an option. So you might check that possibility as well.

Etmills, Thank you SOOOOOO much for your suggestion! I just googled COVID-19 testing at JFK and they do in fact have sites in three different terminals. One site does has an advanced form of PCR testing which, in most cases, provides results in 2-3 hours.

In a worst-case scenario, even if the test took 24 hours, I assume that even if your results are not ready upon landing, customs officials would shuffle you off to a hotel to quarantine until you receive the results. I don't know but I am assuming.

Perhaps in the not-too-distant future, travelers will comment on this.

Thank you again. I'll be able to sleep tonight,

pjmun— there is no wiggle room in an international test requirement. Either you have the result in hand within the required time, or you won’t be allowed to check in for the flight at the airport.

When I flew to France in September 2020, I paid for very expensive tests that had to be sent to the lab overnight by FedEx as this was the only place that could guarantee me the 48 hours. Others who didn’t have tests in hand were denied check. It has to be timed for the transatlantic leg.

It has to be timed for the transatlantic leg.

During the last period of required PCR testing for France travel, this was a very hot topic. Both timing possibilities were written in guidance available to air carriers, test was timed from the transatlantic leg, as well as, test was timed from original departure (critical for those on multi-leg itineraries).

The original French states: réalisé moins de 48 heures avant le déplacement

I interpret, and the last official French interpretation that I read, le déplacement means the time you started your journey to France. This might be the transatlantic leg, but it might not be. For example, someone traveling from MSY to ATL to CDG, begins le déplacement from New Orleans. He is not penalized because he does not have the possibility of a MSY to CDG non-stop.

I have seen nothing from the French government that clearly states le déplacement begins only with the final leg of a multi-leg itinerary. Le déplacement logically corresponds with a traveler's PNR.

Excellent points Tocard
Last time we flew during French test requirements, we had a direct flight from the east coast.

I know when I flew from Oklahoma via Atlanta in May, I clearly understood the number of hours to count back from my (first) Tulsa flight, not just from the Atlanta departure for Paris. And I went to some trouble to make sure that was right. I would bet a thousand dollars they have maintained the same philosophy.

In a worst-case scenario, even if the test took 24 hours, I assume that even if your results are not ready upon landing, customs officials would shuffle you off to a hotel to quarantine

Nope, no way, no how. If you don’t have your negative result with you when you go to check in, you will not be allowed to board the plane.

They are certainly NOT flying you internationally on the mere hope that you will have some results by the time you land.

Bumping this thread now that some time has passed. Has anyone successfully used the Abbot BinaxNow at home (proctored/Zoom) test to ENTER France? It does test for the N protein, but it sounds like some believe the French government won't accept it (although not sure why, since it meets all the requirements). Anyone have any luck? Like others, I am traveling on the 26th and having a very hard time finding an appointment on Christmas Day.

If you don't have the eMed or other test kit in hand at this point it won't matter if France accepts them, you won't be using this test.

I just tried to order, they are basically "out" and are not shipping right now.

Has anyone successfully flown with the Walgreens IDNow test?

I do have the eMed tests in hand and am planning on using them to fly back to the US (since I know they are accepted for re-entry into US), but need to confirm if they will be accepted to enter France

Following up on this thread a bit later… has anyone flown TO France from the US (ideally on Delta) using a proctored home test kit?

I'm in a Facebook Paris travel forum and people have posted about successfully using Binax (proctored) at home test to enter France via Delta. We plan on using such a test to enter France and then return home to the US in March.
Good luck and happy travels.