Last week I flew to Mexico with a group of girlfriends for a bachelorette party in Tulum, Mexico. While we had the most amazing time in Mexico and took all the proper precautions, times are definitely weird right now amidst a global pandemic… so here’s a few things I took away from traveling to Mexico during Coronavirus.
What to Know for the Airport:
Like I’ve said before in previous articles, Covid is being taken very seriously at airports everywhere. Every airline has been cleaning the planes more than they ever have and most major airlines have HEPA filters to capture at least 99.97% of airborne microbes by circulating the cabin air once every 2 to 4 minutes (these are the same filters used in hospitals). On top of that, everyone is required to wear a mask at all times when they aren’t eating or drinking and asked to social distance when possible. When flying into Mexico here are a few things to note:
- Your flight will probably be full… Mexico is one of the few countries allowing U.S. citizens in right now, and Cancun, Mexico is the most searched destination for international travel from the United States right now for Fall 2020.
- Custom lines might be longer than usual, however it only took us 40 minutes or so when I went in October which isn’t too bad.
- You will receive a customs and immigration form on your flight that you’ll need to fill out before you get in line. This is normal procedure but just note that you will need to complete the bottom half for your return flight as well. AND DON’T LOSE THIS. You keep this paper with you and turn it in when you board your return flight home.
- Mexico can sometimes be weird about bringing too many electronics in, so if you don’t need to bring everything, don’t. They’ll try to tax you on it if you have more than one laptop, kindle, phone etc.
- Schedule a taxi before you get to Mexico to avoid being overcharged at the airport when you arrive. To go even 5 minutes away it will cost you almost $30, but they will start by trying to charge you $40 or $50…. Uber doesn’t exist even though you can download the app.
- When you leave Mexico you will have to fill out a Covid form. If you check a bag and get your ticket from an agent they will hand you a paper version, but if you don’t you’ll have to scan the QR code right before you get into the security line to enter the airport, or you can follow this link: http://afac.hostingerapp.com
How Mexico is taking precautions:
To prevent the spread of Coronavirus, almost every business I visited in Cancun or Tulum required face masks and a temperature check to enter. They also usually gave you a pump of hand sanitizer following the temperature check. To be honest this is more than I’ve seen for most places in the U.S. so I definitely felt like Mexico is taking Coronavirus very seriously.
CDC Warning – Level 3, COVID-19 risk in Mexico is high
Key Points
- CDC recommends travelers avoid all nonessential international travel to Mexico. Travelers at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 should consider postponing all travel, including essential travel, to Mexico.
- COVID-19 risk in Mexico is high.
- If you get sick in Mexico and need medical care, resources may be limited.
- Check with the Office of Foreign Affairs or Ministry of Health of Mexico or the US Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Country Information page for details about entry requirements and restrictions for arriving travelers, such as mandatory testing or quarantine.
- Local policies at your destination may require you to be tested for COVID-19 before you are allowed to enter the country. If you test positive on arrival, you may be required to isolate for a period of time. You may even be prevented from returning to the United States, as scheduled. You might consider getting tested before your trip. If so, see Testing for COVID-19 webpage for more information.
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