Abu Dhabi airport to offer free COVID-19 tests with results in 90 minutes
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
Passengers arriving at Abu Dhabi International Airport will be offered a free COVID-19 test with results available in just 90 minutes, it has been reported.
The in-airport rapid testing facility is the first of its kind in the region and the Abu Dhabi government also claims the tests are among the fastest in the world.
The lab can handle up to 20,000 people a day, and all passengers arriving through terminals 1 and 3 will be tested before their results being sent to them via Whatsapp, text or on an app.
Sign up to receive the daily TPG newsletter for more airline news!
According to local news outlet the Khaleej Times, it will be a 24-hour operation with 190 staff working in rotation.
“The fact that this is the first airport in the region to contain its own dedicated PCR testing laboratory is testament to our commitment … to continuously innovate and look for new ways to deliver a safe, smooth and seamless travel experience for all our passengers.
Related: Abu Dhabi has reopened to tourism
“The new fast testing facility … will not only enable passengers to confidently travel to Abu Dhabi but significantly enhance the efficiency of our operations while supporting global efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19,” Shareef Hashim Al Hashmi, Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, said in a statement.
After testing, if passengers are from the Emirates’ “green list” — the U.S. is not currently on it — and test negative for coronavirus, they will not have to quarantine. Everyone else will have to self-isolate for 10 days while wearing a “quarantine wristband” obtained from the PCR testing tent attached to the airport.
Scores of British influencers and reality stars were recently blasted for jetting into Dubai and Abu Dhabi during lockdown claiming they were there or “work reasons”.
They were even criticised by Home Secretary Priti Patel in the U.K. Houses of Commons for “showing off in the sun”. Both Abu Dhabi and Dubai have since been taken off the U.K.’s travel corridor.
Meanwhile, if you’re looking for somewhere else to go, check out our constantly updated country-by-country guide for more on when your destination of choice plans to welcome guests.
Featured photo by ugurhan/Getty Images
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
WELCOME OFFER: 80,000 Points
TPG'S BONUS VALUATION*: $1,650
CARD HIGHLIGHTS: 2X points on all travel and dining, points transferrable to over a dozen travel partners
*Bonus value is an estimated value calculated by TPG and not the card issuer. View our latest valuations here.
- Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Plus earn up to $50 in statement credits towards grocery store purchases within your first year of account opening.
- Earn 2X points on dining including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out and travel. Plus, earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,000 toward travel.
- With Pay Yourself Back℠, your points are worth 25% more during the current offer when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories.
- Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on eligible orders over $12 for a minimum of one year with DashPass, DoorDash's subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get up to $60 back on an eligible Peloton Digital or All-Access Membership through 12/31/2021, and get full access to their workout library through the Peloton app, including cardio, running, strength, yoga, and more. Take classes using a phone, tablet, or TV. No fitness equipment is required.
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.