First time stateside in a long while

FoxForce5

Couple of questions heading Orlando may.

1. Can u rock up to Walmart / mobile phone shop grab a SIM only prepaid plan without DhS knocking on the door( no esim phones in house)

2. Flying aer Lingus so I do we prove we are vaccinated and do we have to fill out attestation forms for kids and get them tested stateside?

3. Only ever travelled T1 so what's T2 like airside and pre clearence side for food.

4. What's America like for tapping cards I use revolut a lot. Is it still cash.

5. I had to fill out esta? Got approved, do I just bring a print out of it?

Any other tips welcomed.

Nigel Fairservice

Not sure about sim cards in Walmart. I just by one off Amazon before I go. I like to be ready to go with internet straight off the plane for maps etc.

Use the Verifly app when checking in for Aer Lingus. You upload your Covid docs there. Once all in order you get your eticket. Not sure what story is with kids though.

T1 and T2 are connected once past security (but not the US pre-clearance area). You can go anywhere back there for food.

Tapping cards is widely done in the US.

Probably don't need to bring print out of ESTA once it's approved but could be handy to have a copy close by. I just have a PDF copy of the approval on my phone.

endofrainbow

Esta is linked to your passport you don't need a print out.

lonestargirl

Attestation form is for everyone over two, children don’t have to be vaccinated but if they are not you are supposed to test 3-5 days after you arrive (same condition as other exempt categories). No idea how or if that is policed.

Verifly is the way to go, you can’t do online check in with AL without it. There’s a separate bag drop for US then where they do a quick passport check. Not sure if it will give the green tick for unvaccinated kids (mine child is a USC so it nots required for him to upload vaccine documents).

Tap is everywhere pretty much. You’ll get street vendors etc that are cash / Venmo only.

FoxForce5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120518083#Comment_120518083

Hoping they drop it before we travel but no t looking likely. Can I ask I tried to upload data to verify last night but won't do more than a week in advance? Thanks

slinky2000

I've ordered a travsim off of Amazon before I go usually, use this in a spare mobile phone and hot spot off of it on my day to day phone

Tapping is everywhere now apart from Walmart for some strange reason. There is still the receipt signing tipping system that goes on in restaurants and bars that annoys the hell out of me. I went to the states last week for 5 days and never brought or used any cash at all. Just Revolut.

deisemum

I got back from the US and Canada last week and was able to tap most places and there didn't seem to be a maximum like the €50 here.

Some places with automatically add a service charge then tick for you to tip as well. I was advised before travelling that the service charge is a tip.

I flew to Vegas via LAX then flew to San Diego, cruised from LA to Vancouver and the only place we had to show our covid certs was at Vancouver Airport when we were checking in for our connecting flight to Seattle.

FoxForce5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120520207#Comment_120520207

Wouldn't happen to hv a linky to that SIM ?

slinky2000

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120526021#Comment_120526021

Sorry just seeing this now, this is the one I got the last time: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0728M4HGC?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

stargazer 68

Covid certs dropped in the USA from next week. Luckily just before we go

Boxcar_Willie

Travelling to JFK with Aer Lingus , hand baggage only , can I check-in online and go straight to pre-clearance with a boarding pass on the app or to I need to have passport checked somewhere first ?

endofrainbow

You'll have to clear Security first. Passport will be checked at the gate.

Nigel Fairservice

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120551232#Comment_120551232

If you've checked in using verifly and have been issued your boarding pass you can just go straight through to security and then on to US preclearance.

FoxForce5

Any point in verify post may11th?

VG31

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120554962#Comment_120554962

No