Helsinki has second highest price in the world for airport PCR tests
Helsinki-Vantaa airport is the second most expensive in the world to undergo a PCR test, and the most expensive to do an antigen test, now when a negative result has become an almost unavoidable requirement for travel.
According to a price ranking (in US dollars) elaborated by the international transport rating organization Skytrax, the Finnish capital stands out for its high prices when issuing the required certificates, which are mandatory for flying for example in the case of unvaccinated young people and adults.
The study covered the published fees of 77 airports in Europe, Asia, Africa and America that provide testing services for passengers.
At the top end of the PCR testing cost list is a Japanese airport, Kansai International Airport, followed by Finnish Helsinki-Vantaa airport.
In July, at the Helsinki-Vantaa airport a PCR test cost 265 euros and a rapid antigen test 179 euros. Recently, the Finnish flag carrier Finnair announced "affordable" antigen tests to Helsinki travelers, not at the airport but nearby.
The third place among the most expensive airports to undergo a PCR test is for the Stockholm airport, in Sweden.
The lowest cost has been registered at the Mumbai airport (India), for domestic travelers.
In Europe, the cheapest prices can be found at the Riga airport, in Latvia.
In the United States, where many airports do not offer testing services, the cheapest is Fort Lauderdale (Florida) and the most expensive is San Francisco International Airport, according to Skytrax.
Rapid antigen tests
As for rapid antigen tests, the most expensive are at Helsinki-Vantaa airport, where prices are even higher than those at New York's JFK airport, which is in second place.
The airports of Oslo (Norway), Chicago (US) and Stockholm (Sweden) complete the Top-5 of the most expensive to undergo an antigen test, according to Skytrax.
The cheapest airports to do a rapid antigen test are Mumbai (India), Jakarta (Indonesia), Seoul Incheon (South Korea), Cancun (Mexico) and Minsk (Belarus).