Here’s how to get an at-home coronavirus test before flying American Airlines

Getting a COVID-19 test before flying will soon get even easier for American Airlines’ U.S. passengers.

The airline — the dominant carrier at Charlotte Douglas International Airport — already offers at-home testing through LetsGetChecked for passengers flying to international destinations like Belize, Grenada and St. Lucia, among others.

Now, American will expand its preflight testing program to domestic destinations that have COVID-19 restrictions.

Right now, that includes Alaska, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Chicago, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island and Vermont, according to American.

Starting Wednesday, any passenger flying to a U.S. city, state or territory with coronavirus restrictions can access LetsGetChecked at-home testing for flights on or after Dec. 12.

LetsGetChecked recommends American Airlines passengers order their at-home test kits five or more days before traveling.

The at-home testing business has a 48-hour turnaround time on testing on average, according to American.

The tests cost $129 for Amercian Airlines passengers, according to LetsGetChecked. Passengers can order the tests through the LetsGetChecked website.

And American Airlines offers another online tool that lets passengers quickly find COVID-19 restrictions by location.

Passengers return

In recent weeks, more passengers have returned to air travel than any other point during the pandemic, according to Charlotte airport officials.

The airport expected to see its busiest days of travel since March and April during the Thanksgiving holiday period.

And in August, the number of passengers leaving the Charlotte airport surpassed 1 million for the first time since March. In October, the most recently available monthly report, nearly 1.4 million people boarded planes leaving CLT.

That’s the highest number of departing passenger since the airport reported nearly 2 million in February.

This story was originally published December 8, 2020 at 8:56 AM.

Hannah Smoot

The Charlotte Observer

704-358-5349

Hannah Smoot covers business in Charlotte, focusing on health care and transportation. She has been covering COVID-19 in North Carolina since March 2020. She previously covered money and power at The Rock Hill Herald in South Carolina and is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.