Guatemala’s international airport La Aurora officially reopened for business on September 15 2020 with new protocols in place for COVID-19. International travel has been restored with American Airlines, Spirit, United and Avianca resuming service with connections to the United States. In this article we provide COVID-19 Resources for travelers traveling to Guatemala including the latest updates on flights, and testing requirements for entry.
Requirements for Guatemala Airport Entry as of January 10, 2022
All non-Guatemalan citizens/legal residents entering Guatemala must show proof of full vaccination plus a negative test (PCR or antigen) taken within three days before arrival in the country. Note here, that it’s vaccination AND test, not “or” test. You need both. Guatemala is the first country in Central America to mandate vaccination for foreign tourists.
Guatemalan citizens, or foreigners with legal residency in Guatemala, can produce proof of vaccination OR a negative test.
Land borders are open.
Update 26 September 2020 – a rapid test is now acceptable form of entry
https://www.soy502.com/articulo/mspas-cambios-viajeros-quieran-ingresar-al-pais-100931
COVID-19 Testing Resources
Free COVID-19 Tests with search for location by state (United States)
https://www.hhs.gov/coronavirus/community-based-testing-sites/index.html
Recent Traveler Experiences Traveling to Guatemala
September 19, 2020
I arrived in Guatemala today from Fort Lauderdale. Everything went great, even traveling with a baby. We flew Spirit and as we checked our bags they requested our negative covid test. Some customers near by did not have the test and so they could not get a boarding pass.
Once we arrived in Guatemala, I was at the front of the line to give them my test results. They checked it quickly and compared it to my passport and then I was done!
For our rapid PCR test we used the Covid Consultants.
September 20, 2020
I am a US Citizen who lives in Guate. I’ve been visiting family in the states since mid-August. I flew into Guatemala from North Carolina on a tourist visa yesterday, 9/20.
I did two PCR tests (both through CVS) the week before my flight. One on 9/14, to see what the turnaround time would be. It was 2 days. I did another PCR test on 9/17. Again, received my results 2 days later, perfectly within the 72-hour window before arrival.
I printed my results to take with me. I also filled out the Formulario de Pase de Salud (https://sre.gt/) and printed out the final page with QR code that was given to me. These documents were verified both by the check-in clerk in Raleigh, NC and the check-in clerks at my layover in Miami, FL. It was made clear that individuals without the test results could not board.
My flight was with American Airlines and landed at 11:10am. I was literally out the front doors and in my fiancé’s car at 11:44am. Incredibly smooth, painless process!
Everything was very well organized. Excellent social distance markings and workers directing where to go at every turn. The first stop off the plane was the Verificación de Salud. They checked my COVID test (didn’t care about the Pase de Salud that I printed) and stamped my immigration form (that I had filled out on the plane ride), then sent me on to Immigration.
Zero lines at Immigration (I must’ve got lucky). Temperature was taken with a device that scans your palm. She checked my immigration form and stamped me through. Baggage claim and Customs were just as breezy.
September 21, 2020
Hi all,
Here is a recap of my family of three’s experience landing in Guatemala today (Monday, September 21st). We live and work in Guatemala and were returning after being stuck in the US for 3 months. We entered on tourist visas (AKA the regular stamp you get for 90 days). I was very stressed before and during the trip and hopefully, the information I can share will give someone peace of mind.
We flew United from MN via DC. We were able to get COVID tests in MN easily but ensuring they are PCR was the main challenge. We found that many places say online that results won’t be returned for 3-5 days but when you drive up they will tell you a shorter window (in our case 12-24 hours). We ended up getting 2 tests, one from a clinic drive up and the other through Walgreens. We got them for my husband, myself, and our 2-year-old son. We knew it wasn’t required for our son but we were just so worried about some sort of stipulation changing that we did it anyway.
Our gate in DC was quite a panicked mess. They were frantically having people fill out, email, and print the health forms which turned out to be unnecessary. We had already completed ours but a 3am departure and only being able to fill them out on the day of travel meant they weren’t printed. United was operating under the fact that they must be printed hence them helping us all to do so. They pre-checked everyone for test results (a relatively quick lookover of our documents, mainly searching for the “negative” or “not detected”) and didn’t let people board if they didn’t have the test. Bags removed from the plane and all.
The PCR indication wasn’t even looked at when landing in Guate, not that I would say to not worry about that. Our Walgreens test was antigen and we didn’t plan to use it but had it as a just in case. We only knew it was antigen because we asked when getting the test. The results did not indicate the type of test.
The protocols when landing were similar to previous reports but seemed to have changed locations in the airport. Not sure if that is because of our gate though. We traveled first class so we were first off and in the first group of 10 allowed to approach the health officials. They checked the test results with our immigration form (mainly looking for names and negative results indication), stamped us, and then on we went. The main running the line spoke English (though do speak Spanish) and even laughed when I was trying to pull out the health form United made us all print and said we didn’t need it.
All in all, despite the craziness at the DC gate, it was smooth. I find all of the experiences people are sharing are really helpful. My big take away is that the process is still being altered so be prepared and don’t trust absolutely everything you read here to be what you’ll experience too!
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