Rapid antigen test- lab or supervised at home ok?

Either but needs to be proctored and you need the certificate to upload to your airline carrier.

I haven't seen anything, anywhere about it being uploaded to your airline. Suppose it depends on who you are flying, but the other similar questions posed on this forum don't say that. Good luck!

I'd do a lab test to be safe.

Or a negative Laboratorial Rapid Antigen Test- 24h before boarding (according to the European Commission list)

The bold is actually on the website and not added by me.

https://www.visitportugal.com/en/content/covid-19-measures-implemented-portugal

Another option instead of Antigen, is a rapid NAAT test (72 hrs before). Walgreens offers those with a 2 hour turnaround time.

Do the rapid antigen at Walgreens. I’ve used them and have a couple of friends who have done the same. No problem with them being accepted.
And, you receive the test results via email. Simply show them the email (might be a bar code) when asked. Very easy.

We did rapid antigen at Walgreen’s and Air France accepted that for our Portugal flight last month. The home test with a proctor is not accepted by Portugal. But it’s funny - the only difference between the Binax proctored type test and the Walgreen’s test is that the Walgreen’s employee watched us live in the drive through vs. the Binax person watching via video. But I do think that the Walgreen’s test meets the requirements and the proctored via video does not.

We're heading to Porto out of Newark at 9:50 PM on a Monday later in June. I've read the requirements on the Visit Portugal website and read quite a bit of information on this forum re the necessary testing - thank you to all for your postings! Unless things change.....we plan to get the Walgreens rapid antigen test the morning of the day we fly. Too chancy to try for the 72 hour test on a weekend and wonder who works on the weekend and if we'll get the results on time for a Monday flight. My question to those who got the Walgreens rapid antigen test: did you have to pay for the test, was it covered by your insurance or did a government entity cover the cost?

The antigen test isn't offered for travel at the Walgreens in my area and can only be used for individuals who believe they may have covid. I have done the NAAT test (2 hour turnaround) and PCR test with them for a couple of trips. It was free.

Thanks for all of the feedback! Yes, I looked at walgreens and the rapid antigen isn't available within 100 miles of me. I think I'll do the Walgreens rapid NAAT, since that's readily available and results faster than the PCR if there's any delays.

I looked at the Walgreens webpage for our closest store (20 miles away) and saw the same response as chloe p - that there's no rapid antigen testing within 100 miles. Alas, the option listed on the visitportugal website is the PCR test (or NAAT) taken 72 hours in advance, NOT the rapid NAAT test. The 72 hour timeframe is not going to work for us due to a weekend before we fly. Our closest Walgreens DOES offer the rapid NAAT test but that is not on the list on the visitportugal webpage. Any comments? Thoughts?

The larger airports in the US all have testing facilities. I’ve done a test at O’hare twice in the last year and it worked well. The results are ready within 30 minutes and we’re readily accepted to board the plane. The downside is they are much more costly. If you Google Covid testing and the name of the airport, you can find specific info and schedule a test. At least, that’s what I did.

SEAsiatraveler,
The current Portuguese regulations mean you can get in with a NAAT test taken WITHIN 72 hours. That does not preclude getting one closer to takeoff than 72 hours.

Does that help you out?
Dennis

Thanks for the airport suggestion, Kathryn. I think waiting til we're at the airport would make me quite anxious. I'm already anxious about getting it the morning of the day we fly :) !
Dennis - I thought WITHIN 72 hours might be the case and am hoping it is even though I did not see the word!
I get the impression from other postings that the most critical stage is checking in at the airport when the airline determines if it's the correct test.

I'm not sure if you are confusing the Walgreens rapid NAAT test (72 hrs) with the rapid antigen test (24 hrs).

The Lisbon airport lists out some of the different types of NAAT accepted with etc. at the end. I added the link in case helpful.

https://www.aeroportolisboa.pt/en/lis/passenger-guide/what-you-need-to-know/covid-19

• Proof of Antigen Test (TRAg) performed within 24 hours prior to shipment with a negative result for COVID-19 (only rapid antigen tests on this list are accepted)

OR

• NAAT - Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (RT-PCR, NEAR, TMA, LAMP, HDA, CRISPR, SDA, etc), carried out the last 72 hours prior to boarding;

But if you are not comfortable with a rapid NAAT test (since rapid NAAT is not specifically listed), you could get the PCR test they offer and as plan b, if the results are not back in time, get an antigen test done at the airport.

Hello Gail - I do think I fully understand the various tests that meet the requirements. Thanks for the airport link. I did go ahead and check on the Porto airport website as we'll be flying in to Porto. For the NAAT test, the site does say "carried out the last 72 hours prior to boarding." Thus, again, as I previously mentioned it's not clear if WITHIN 72 hours fits that requirement. If so, we're OK to get the rapid NAAT test which we intend to do at this point. If that is unacceptable when we are at the airport, we will need to take the test at the airport as you mentioned - we hope not as it's $250 per person and insurance is not accepted.

OMG - I just checked the CVS website (which is much closer to where we live) and they have a rapid antigen test with results provided during the visit. It looks like that's the very best option!

Just returned from 3 weeks in Portugal today. Leaving, we took PCR test at Walgreens on Sunday morning for Tuesday night flight. Results did not come in time. British Airways website would not let us check in without it (to pick seats). At SFO, BA counter agent said we could not check in without it, so took again at airport ($300 each with one hour result). Went back to BA to check in and diff agent said it was not needed and locator forms not needed. She didn’t even look at test. Just asked to see our vax. card. On arrival in Portugal, no one asked us for test, just a vax card. Met some who flew United who said site advised-no test needed.

On return, took rapid test at airport ( €30). Results in 30 minutes. Could NOT check in with Verifly. BA agents wanted the paper printed results. At SFO they held up disembarking to check test results. Some folks used the proctored rapid test. Don’t know how that worked for them. Note they also have testing around downtown Lisbon. Didn’t see any in Porto.

Incredible hassle. BUT Portugal was wonderful, so all worth it.

Thank you all recent visitors in and out of Portugal for taking the time to provide reports on recent Covid test requirement experiences. In September I had to show my negative test result from CVS/lab at US Air France departure counter before a boarding pass was issued. I'm heading back in 4 weeks, landing Lisbon again, this time on Iberia. The Delta/Air France and Iberia web site links still all show that a negative test is required. As does the VisitPortugal site. I plan to use CVS for PCR test within 72 hours of departure.

I'd like to also add my thanks to all, especially to the recent posting from papaliak, for taking the time to share your experiences upon your return.

I just read somewhere else on this forum that United is only looking at CDC vaccination cards (photos of), and not the test results. I'm not taking a chance though, and we're getting rapid antigen tests at our doctor's the morning of our departure. And it's possible they will want to see it on the other end, in order to enter Portugal.

The saga continues - no CVS within 35 miles from me does a rapid test. If anyone is making plans to have a rapid test at CVS or Walgreen's, make sure and go directly to the store in advance to make sure they do the test you want. I was surprised to find out that the rapid test was not available at a CVS near me when I thought I understood from the internet site that it was available. It's not until you select a date on the website that it becomes clear that no rapid test is available.

I've concluded my "research" and we will be going to an urgent care facility about a half hour from where we live for the rapid antigen test the day that we fly. I visited two CVS stores. It was only the CVS with the Minute Clinic in the store that could do the rapid antigen test. That store was more than an hour away.
I checked with Medicare (my insurance) re coverage: yes, if it's medically necessary. Well, I feel like, and probably, I'm in close contact with people who have covid since the rate is so high where we live. That said, it is medically necessary.

We are in Portugal now, and flew in yesterday from Paris. We too found Portugal’s website confusing on what the requirements would be. We heard from friends that Portugal was no longer requiring a test and we found that to be true - they only checked for proof of our vaccination status. We have the MyColorado app which shows our verification of being duly vaccinated & boosted, and that sufficed both at check in and upon landing in Portugal.