South American Governments have kept the air industry grounded for almost six months. This has led some carriers, like LATAM and Avianca, to file for reorganization under Chapter 11 in the US and others to disappear altogether like TAME Ecuador. Nevertheless, there’s a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel, and we’re seeing some countries opening up their borders. Let’s check which countries are open for tourism, as IATA likes to say.
We are taking as the IATA’s Travel Centre as our primary source for the information provided here. In Latin America and the Caribbean, there are currently 15 countries that have opened up for tourists. Obviously, those countries have some restrictions. Let’s check them out.
Who’s open?
- Antigua and Barbuda: Passengers need a negative test result.
- Bahamas: Passengers must have a negative RT-PCR test and could be subject to quarantine at their own expense.
- Barbados: Passengers must complete a form on arrival.
- Bolivia: Passengers must have a medical certificate with a negative result.
- Brazil: It lifted entry regulations on 29 July 2020. Tourists must have medical insurance coverage, written in English or Portuguese, and minimum coverage of 30,000 reais (over US$5,600).
- Dominica: Passengers need a negative test result and clearance obtained before departure at an official Dominican website.
- Dominican Republic: Passengers must have a medical certificate and, if not, are subject to medical screening. From 15 September, this will not be required.
- Ecuador: Passengers must have a medical certificate with a negative result.
- Guadeloupe: Passengers must have a negative test result, could have a quarantine for seven days. People coming from Brazil, India, Israel, Russia, Turkmenistan, and the US are not allowed.
- Haiti: Flights to Haiti have restarted. They are subject to medical screening.
- Honduras: The country reopened, and passengers must have a medical certificate with a negative result.
- Jamaica: Passengers must have a travel authorization obtained at the Jamaican website. Also, residents of Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and the US must have a negative test result.
- Mexico: It has no restrictions whatsoever. It is the only country in the region that has remained open the whole year.
- Saint Lucia: Medical certificate with a negative result.
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Medical certificate unless you come from any country in the Caribbean.
Who’s partially open?
- Chile: International traveled is banned until 14 September.
- Colombia: Domestic flights have restarted. International flights have no official date so far.
- Costa Rica: Passengers from 44 countries are allowed in.
- Cuba: Passengers are not allowed to enter unless they have a reservation in an approved hotel in Cayo Coco, Cayo Largo, Cayo Santamaria, Cayo Guillermo, or Cayo Cruz.
- French Guiana: Passengers can enter but are subject to quarantine for 14 days.
- Grenada: People from 43 countries are allowed in, including the UK, Italy, Canada, France, Spain, and some others.
- Panama: Flights to the country are suspended until 22 September, but it allows transit passengers.
- Peru: Domestic flights are allowed. International flights could begin on 30 September.
Who’s still closed?
- Argentina: There’s no reopening date so far.
- Belize: Airports are closed until 30 September
- El Salvador: Airports are closed until 18 September
- Guatemala: Airports are closed until 17 September
- Guyana: Airports are closed until 30 September
- Nicaragua: Airports are closed; there’s no reopening date.
- Paraguay: Airports are closed; there’s no reopening date, although there could be a travel corridor with Uruguay.
- Saint Kitts and Nevis: No reopening date.
- Suriname: Airports are closed until 18 September.
- Trinidad and Tobago: Airports will open on 30 September.
- Uruguay: Airports are closed. It allows transit passengers from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
- Venezuela: Airports will open on 12 September.
Which countries are you planning to visit in Latin America? Did we miss any country? Let us know in the comments.