How to get affordable covid tests for your hols

Ahoy Pirates. So you want to holiday this summer but don't want to pay hundreds of pounds in Covid tests? We hear ya!

If high test prices have been keeping you from booking that much needed vacation abroad, we're here to help. We've researched how to find the most affordable covid tests for your holiday. Read on to learn more.

Details

First things first, what tests do you actually need to go on holiday? It can get a little confusing based on which country you are going to and whether or not you're fully-jabbed, so we created the handy-dandy infographic for you below.

You can read more about the current traffic light regulations here. To see which countries are currently on the green, amber and red lists, please check here.

How to find affordable tests

Luckily, many airlines have teamed up with testing companies to help travellers find affordable tests. We've found the best deals and discount codes for you.

Collinson

Collinson offers pre-departure ‘fit to fly’ tests which include PCR, Lateral Flow, LAMP and Antigen tests.

EasyJet and British Airways customers can use the discount codes EASYHOLS20OFF or BA20OFF to save. With these codes, prices start at £33 for a lateral flow antigen, £66 for PCR;and £68 for LAMP tests.

Test centers are located at various UK airports including London's Luton, Stansted and Gatwick and Manchester. There is also a testing site as at the O2 Arena in central London.

Qured

Qured has teamed up with British Airways to provide discounts on portable rapid antigen test kits. The kits are self-administered with a supervised video call for guidance.

Customers can use the kits to travel to foreign destinations that accept antigen tests and can also carry the kits abroad in preparation for their return journey to the UK. The results are available within 20 minutes of collecting the sample. The pre-departure rapid antigen test costs £33 with code BATRAVEL15.

Randox

Another affordable option is Randox, which offers testing for both pre-departure and post-departure as well as packages for green and amber-coloured countries.

Their green travel pack (which includes everything you need for a holiday to a green-list country), for example, is from £86 with discount code, while their amber travel packs start from £86 (for full-jabbed brits) and £129 for those who are not fully-vaccinated with discount code.

The home tests are delivered by mail and can be mailed or dropped off at various locations across the country. You will receive your results within 1-2 days of it arriving at the lab.

• Pre departure, test-to-release, test kit code: easyJet2021

• Day 2 and day 8 home sample kit code: easyJet2021d2d8 (for single Day 2 or day 8 only kits - easyJet2021)

• Green Travel Pack code: easyjetgreen

• Amber Travel Pack code: easyjetamber

Not flying with EasyJet? British Airways (BritishAirways50), Ryanair (RYANHTK21 or RYAND2821), Iberia (IBERIA25), Tui (TUIDEC20) and Wizz Air (WIZZ90) also offer their own discounts with Randox.

Other testing options

Nationwide Pathology offers pre-travel tests as well as return travel tests. "Fit to Fly" PCR tests, as well as Green and amber list day 2 tests start from £40. You can see an overview of tests offered as well as pricing here.

Similarly, Eurofins offers at home testing kits for both departing and return travellers. Their PCR tests start from £40 per test. Find out more here.

Boots also offers at-home testing kits that are suitable for general use and international travel, where a "Fit to Fly" certificate is required. Home PCR test kits start from £65. You can find more information regarding how to order and what the tests can be used for here.