I flew to the UK for the primary time throughout the pandemic. It wasn’t straightforward or low cost.

• The UK is open to vaccinated Individuals however a number of checks are required for entry.

• Vacationers want a pre-departure check and post-arrival check whereas within the UK, whatever the size of keep.

• Exams are expensive and a weekend journey to the UK and France value me greater than $200 in testing.

• See extra tales on Insider’s enterprise web page.

The UK is lastly open to Individuals after greater than a 12 months of closed borders.

As of August 2, vaccinated Individuals are allowed to enter the UK for non-essential functions, together with tourism.

However coming into the UK is not as straightforward as flashing a vaccination card, as it’s elsewhere in Europe. Vacationers should take checks earlier than departure and after arriving within the nation.

I flew to the UK on JetBlue’s inaugural flight to London and noticed why it is not the best nation to enter, even whereas vaccinated and totally recovered from COVID-19.

Learn Extra: I flew on JetBlue’s historic first journey to London and noticed how low fares and nice service will give opponents a run for his or her cash

Like many nations, the UK requires a detrimental COVID-19 check earlier than arriving within the nation. Each polymerase chain response – or PCR, for brief – and antigen checks are acceptable.

Supply: UK authorities

My flight to London was on a Wednesday and that meant I may get examined as early as Sunday. So, I went to the airport.

The New York Metropolis Well being and Hospitals Company, which operates town’s public hospitals, has quite a few free testing websites all through the 5 boroughs. Its location at John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport, I’ve discovered, is at all times empty and dependable.

I set out on a wet Sunday to get the check and requested a PCR check simply to be protected.

A fast swab of the nostril and I used to be on my means. I’ve taken quite a few checks right here and have by no means billed been; although, I do see the insurance coverage claims.

With that check coming again detrimental in beneath 24 hours, I ought to’ve been good to enter the UK. Now, I needed to prepare a post-arrival check.

Story continues

American guests to the UK are required to take a “day two” check on or earlier than the second day from their arrival. I used to be touchdown on a Thursday so needed to take the check no later than Saturday.

Discovering a supplier was not straightforward. Tons of of corporations are listed on the UK authorities’s web site with no straightforward strategy to search primarily based on metropolis.

After hours of looking, I discovered a testing website from the UK authorities’s web site only a few stops on the London Underground from my resort in the neighborhood of Shepherd’s Bush. It value £79 or $110.48.

The worst half was, I had to do that course of twice since I used to be planning a day journey to France in the midst of my journey.

On prime of that, I wanted to e-book a speedy antigen check to get again into the US simply in case the PCR outcomes did not come again in time.

I resolved to e-book an “at-home” check for my second day two check and had the agency. ship it to my resort in London as I could not have it despatched to the US. That check value £60, or $83.90.

The irony, although, was that I used British Airways’ web site to get a reduction code regardless that I used to be flying JetBlue.

Lastly, I booked a speedy antigen check from a supplier that had a location inside London’s St. Pancras Worldwide Station. That solely value £32 or $44.75.

I spent a great eight hours over the course of every week planning these completely different checks and navigating the principles. As soon as I booked the checks, I used to be given a affirmation quantity to placed on my passenger locator type required to enter the UK.

I additionally wanted one other pre-departure check to get again into the UK after my facet journey to France. For that one, I went to CVS on a Tuesday earlier than my journey.

CVS equally gives free checks and although I had by no means used the service earlier than, I used to be hopeful the outcomes could be the identical. Three vehicles have been forward of me on the drive-thru and it took a great 20 minutes to get to the window.

This was a self-serve check so I needed to swap my very own nostril and put it within the offered tube and sealed bag. That check got here again in beneath 48 hours with the identical detrimental outcome.

Then, it was lastly time to fly to England. I printed a large stack of papers with my check outcomes and the principles for coming into the UK simply in case I used to be challenged.

I even bought two extra checks earlier than my journey on the airport and a pop-up website in Manhattan simply to make sure.

The JetBlue check-in agent verified my Sunday check and vaccination doc. And with that, I used to be all set to jet.

That was the final time anyone reviewed my checks. Officers usually at customs upon arrival into the UK however JetBlue had organized to make use of digital gates in London and I by no means spoke to a border agent.

It was quickly time for the primary check, simply in the future into my journey. This was the speedy antigen check to get again to the US.

Fast and painless, I left with an itchy nostril and eventual detrimental outcome.

The subsequent check was the UK government-mandated day two check. I hopped on the Underground and went to Shepherd’s Bush.

It wasn’t part of London I wished to see or essentially be in. However I needed to take the check.

Lo-and-behold, I discovered it behind an eyeglass store.

All in all, I used to be out and in in beneath 5 minutes. The outcome got here again the identical day: detrimental.

I may’ve used that outcome to fly dwelling however already booked the speedy antigen check. Again I went on my journey.

Getting back from France on the Eurostar, I used to be requested for my detrimental COVID-19 check by customs officers. My Tuesday check from the CVS bought me in simply tremendous.

The ultimate check was the at-home check that was delivered to my resort. I needed to take this check after getting back from France, regardless that I used to be leaving the UK in lower than 48 hours.

Identical to the CVS check, a packet was supplied with a check package to be despatched again.

It took a while to determine how what data to placed on the vial however there was a helpful information to help.

This check consisted of a tonsil and nostril swab.

It wasn’t very safe, although, as there was nothing verifying I used to be the individual taking the check.

In any case, all I needed to do was drop off the field in a mailbox. The outcomes got here on a Wednesday after dropping it off on a Sunday morning.

At no level was I required to tell the UK authorities of my outcomes, nor was there any effort to verify and see if I had truly taken the checks.

General, I spent $239.13 on three completely different checks with out together with journey bills and took numerous extra only for a weekend in London. I am going to persist with locations that do not require checks for future journeys.

Learn the unique article on Enterprise Insider