I’m thinking of buying the monitored tests for our return trip from Porto, Portugal, but we’re staying in an apartment without access to a printer. I’ve been reading and also experienced on our flights in the fall how the airlines often ask for hard copies, even though it will clearly be on our devices. We do fly nonstop on United, so no issues with transiting and it’ll be on an American airline that is familiar with the process.

Otherwise we will do it locally in a pharmacy. Any concerns for not having a hard copy?,

I don't know about coming in on United, as we came in on BA, but our digital certificates on our iPhones past muster with BA. We didn't bother with a print out, but we did our tests at the Madrid airport FlyCovid lab, then after receiving the results we went to check in at the BA counter without any issues.

We used the Abbott Binax proctored tests a few weeks ago, returning on United from Madrid. We only had the results on our phones in the Navica app - nothing printed. No problems at all. I always take a screenshot of things like that, though, just to have a back-up in my photos.

Thanks, Maribel,
When we were flying in the fall, I was surprised how many times we were asked for hard copies of documents. I normally have everything backed up that way but Myo Design house doesn’t have a printer. He could refer me to a printing center but that seems more than we really should have to do. I had planned to go to a pharmacy but I admit, it’s nice to have it done in the privacy of our room without the hassle of finding a place. I’m still not sure what I’ll do but it’s good to know that you didn’t have a problem with the results on a device.

I think that things are "looser' now than in the fall. In September we were panicked about every little item, sweated all the details and made sure we had hard copies for absolutely everthing having to do with the entry process to Europe and re-entry to the US, but now it seems less necessary for printed copies.

Hard copies are not necessary. I’ve not had hard copies of test certificates or anything else since the start of the pandemic. Airlines might ask for hard copies but that doesn’t mean you have to provide them, it’s just habit that they ask. I keep everything that’s needed on my iPhone. I’ll only print if the rules of the destination I’m going to specifically requires hard copies.

CDC guidelines state a digital copy of the test certificate is acceptable as long as it has all the required info.

Ms_go - thanks, that is reassuring!

balthy - good to know! Very helpful!