Recently, went on my first international trip since 2019, a time before Covid19 came to dominate the world situation.
In the Covid19 era for travel, be sure to check all the information (1) provided by the airline you are flying on and (2) from the government web pages of the nations you will be flying to and transiting through. What is below was the situation in August of 2021.
In our case, our final destination was Sweden and we had an airplane change in Germany.
At the time of the trip, the Covid19 case rates of the USA was about 10-times higher than Germany and 5-times higher than Sweden.
In order to board the plane at LAX, a negative Covid19 test was required. In this case, an antigen test was sufficient. I obtained the test at Clarity Mobile Labs. The test site was at Tom Bradley International Terminal and results were obtained in a little over 30 minutes in the form of an email with a link to a PDF which I screen captured on my phone. Their goal is to get the results by 1 hour. Be sure to check which test is accepted by the international authorities you will encounter on the trip. Both Germany and Sweden accept antigen test results. The Lufthansa check-in personal asked for it before issuing the boarding pass.
When we arrived in Frankfurt, Germany, the border authority there asked for proof of vaccination. I had on my phone the QR code provided by the LA County through Healthvana. I also had the QR code from the California Department of Public Health. And finally, I had a photograph of my CDC vaccine card and the actual card. I showed my LA County QR.
When we arrived in Stockholm, Sweden, the border officer asked to see the negative Covid19 test document. Sweden wants the test to be performed 48 hours or less prior to arrival.
For the return to the USA, the US requires a negative Covid19 test to be performed 72 hours or less prior to arrival in the US. We obtained the test on the morning of the flight through Genetika location at a hotel at the airport at 4AM! The test was again an antigen test as the US accepts them. We got the results while waiting in the check-in line about 15 minutes after the test. The Lufthansa personnel examined them and issued boarding passes when it was our turn.
When we arrived in Frankfurt, Germany, the border authority there asked for evidence of a negative Covid19 test. When we arrived at LAX, the border authorities did not ask to see these documents.
In terms of what it was like at LAX, face coverings were in evidence at a high percentage. The same was true at Frankfurt airport. The majority of people had them at the Stockholm airport but not to the same degree as LAX and Frankfurt.
The CDC guidance for international travelers and their return to US can be seen in this info graphic.
