If you want to get away, most of the Caribbean is open again for tourism, and US-based airlines including American, Delta,Jet Blue and United resuming service to several island destinations.
Be aware of new travel rules.
Most Caribbean destinations are requiring visitors to fill out a pre-arrival Travel Form and show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of arrival.
If a negative test isn’t available, arriving tourists will be tested on-site and required to stay in quarantine until their results come back negative. If the test is positive, you could will be required to quarantine for 14 days.
Here’s what to expect, alphabetically:
Aruba
According to the Caribbean Journal, American has resumed nonstop flights to Aruba from both Miami and Charlotte, operating the once-daily routes from Florida on a Boeing 737-800 and Charlotte on an Airbus A321.
Bahamas
The island nation had planned to reopen to tourism, but shortly after that announcement, the the Bahamas prime minister said the country would once again not permit visitors from the United States to enter, because of the spike in COVID-19 cases in certain U.S. states, such as Florida, Georgia, Texas and others.
Atlantis Paradise Island had planned to reopen to tourists, with restrictions, but has decided to remain closed indefinitely
Belize
Belize opens with no travel bans on July 31.
Reopening of the Phillip Goldson International Airport (BZE) for leisure travel and limited reopening of hotels using a “Tourism Safe Corridor” approach .
A list of the Gold Standard approved hotels is available at www.travelbelize.org
Flight Connections:
- American Airlines – Miami – 18 August – daily
- Delta – Atlanta – – 3 September – Three times per week
- United Airlines – Houston – Five times per week – 15 August
Find more information on the reopening of Belize here: https://belizetourismboard.org/news-and-gallery/belize-covid-19-update/
Jamaica
All visitors are required to complete an online Travel Authorization. Travelers from areas declared by the Ministry of Health and Wellness as high risk at this time, including Arizona, Florida, New York, and Texas, will be required to upload negative COVID-19 PCR test results provided by a CAP-accredited lab.
These tests should be no more than 10 days old measured from the day the sample was taken to the day of arrival in Jamaica, and must also be presented upon arrival in Jamaica.
All visitors will still be screened upon arrival in Jamaica via thermal temperature checks, symptom observation and a brief interview with a health officer.
Puerto Rico
JetBlue is flying to San Juan, as well as to Santo Domingo and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. Flights to San Juan from JFK and Newark International (EWR) are as low as $107 each way.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
American also has relaunched service to St Vincent and the Grenadines, with one daily flight on a Boeing 737-800. The Caribbean islands reopened their borders to tourists from the United States last week.
Saint Lucia
American Airlines is already flying to Hewanorra International Airport from Miami International Airport. Additional flights from Delta from Atlanta and JetBlue from New York City are scheduled by September.
“As our Government and health officials work together on protocols that provide the safest experience possible for visitors and local residents, the arrival of the American Airlines flight from Miami is a symbolic step for the successful safe reopening of Saint Lucia’s tourism industry,” Saint Lucia Minister of Tourism Dominic Fedee said.
Turks & Caicos
In advance of the reopening of borders on July 22, 2020, the Turks and Caicos Islands is now requiring a negative COVID-19 PCR test result from a test taken within five days of travel, rather than the previous requirement of a test to be taken within three days of travel. Children under the age of 10 years old are not required to be tested.
Additionally, travelers must have medical / travel insurance that covers medevac (insurance companies providing the prerequisite insurance will also be available on the portal), a completed health screening questionnaire, and certification that they have read and agreed to the privacy policy document.
These requirements must be complete and uploaded to the TCI Assured portal, which will be available on the Turk and Caicos Islands Tourist Board website (www.turksandcaicostourism), in advance of their arrival.
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