Covid tests - Rick Steves Travel Forum
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Covid tests

Can u carry Covid tests on your flight without putting them in your liquid pouch or do they have to be checked? Thank you, Robby

Posted by
1124 posts

I have flown to/from Europe twice this summer (Italy in June and London in August). Both times I had Covid test in my carry on luggage. Nothing got flagged through security.

Posted by
6642 posts

Hmmm, never thought of that. We've flown twice internationally and a few times domestically with them in my carry on. I would imagine if they are detected, they'd quickly be approved.

Posted by
2768 posts

You can carry them on. All 4 members of my family have done it on 2 round trip international flights. I believe these fall under TSA’s medical liquid rules anyway, but they’ve never even been flagged. The liquid in the tests Ive seen is less than half an eye dropper full.

The manufacturers actually say do not check them - I’d guess that the temperature variations are bad for the tests

Posted by
1258 posts

I searched the TSA and HSA sites, found nothing at that references Covid test kits. Odd. Should we infer they are treated as medical supplies or OTC meds? Was I looking in the wrong place?

Posted by
8260 posts

Hand raised here. ✋ Why do you all bring covid tests with you? I just mentioned this on another post, but I didn't bring a single test with me when I went to Germany for 30 days. There was one time I had some mild symptoms, but it was easy to find a test at the local apothecary (which turned out negative). Am I missing something?

Posted by
14882 posts

@Mardee, I take tests with me so if I have symptoms I don't have to go out and find a pharmacy right away. I did wind up buying some test kits in Paris in April and kind of was stressed trying to figure out the instructions. I found a youtube video that helped immensely.

I tested frequently over my month trip, partly due to really bad allergy symptoms and partly due to being on a non-Rick tour where some people tested positive and had not been wearing masks (I was masked).

And yes, to the OP...I took 3 kits of 2 each thru with no problem.

Posted by
3539 posts

I’m bringing a few,just because if I felt unwell in the middle of the night, I could do a test there and then.
Same reason I bring a few OTC meds for pain, allergies and sinus and colds.
I got to Paris a few years ago, and came down with real flu as soon as I had bought groceries and checked into my apartment.
I was bed bound and feverish for two whole days and couldn’t move.
I had my meds with me though!

Posted by
8260 posts

Pam and sj, thanks! That makes sense. I do always bring OTC meds in case I get sick, but they're a lot less bulky than the Covid tests. :)

Posted by
6642 posts

We took 2 trips to Europe during the time frame that we needed a negative COVID test to return to the U.S. We brought along the free tests from the U.S. government for 2 reasons. First, if we had symptoms we wanted to test to make sure we would not be contagious to others should we have COVID. Second, we didn't want any surprises the day before the end of the trip. We tested a few times during our last 5 or so days to make sure we weren't asymptomatic COVID positive since the quarantine starts upon a positive test.

No difficulties getting them thru TSA. We even took the home tests out of the boxes and into a padded envelope to reduce the bulk.

Posted by
13 posts

Thanks everyone for the replies! We will bringing tests with us in the carry on and on the tour!!