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After a year of being in and out of lockdown, we’re all feeling optimistic about the future and starting to plan those trips abroad. We’ve been lucky enough in the UK to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and many countries are now allowing UK travellers through their borders, provided they have a Fit to Fly certificate. You can get a Fit to Fly certificate after having a rapid antigen test. So, what is a Fit to Fly antigen test, and do you need one?

A rapid antigen test is a test for COVID-19 that gives fast results, sometimes in minutes, but always in less than an hour. A rapid antigen test is one you do yourself by using a nasal swab to collect a sample from the back of your nose. A certificate will be issued within 6 hours. If you need your certificate quicker, we can do the tests for you and generate a certificate through another provider. If you want the premium rapid service, please call us (due to the alternate provider's charge, and our time, there may be an additional charge for this).


You may decide to get a PCR test. A PCR test (polymerase chain reaction test) is a more in-depth test and gives more reliable results than a lateral flow test because it looks at the RNA in your cells. This test can produce results in as little as 1 hour, depending on the laboratory where you are tested.

A Fit to Fly certificate includes your details along with the credentials for where you were tested, your passport number, when your test was taken, and the time and date of the report.

You need to have your test within 3 days of the date you travel internationally, though again, you should check the requirements of the country you’re travelling to. You should get your results in less than 6 hours. When you have your test at Totley Pharmacy in Sheffield, you will have your results in as little as 1 hour.

Rapid antigen tests cost around £40-£100, depending on where you get it and whether or not you get a Fit to Fly certificate with your test.