As of July 1, 2024, the Bahamas Customs & Excise Department has imposed substantial and egregious fees on pilots flying General Aviation aircraft on recreational flights. Pilots should be mindful of these new and additional fees before considering flying to the Bahamas. Read More
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Bahamas takes additional steps to ease entry

Editor's note: This story was updated June 17 after the Bahamian government announced further relaxation of COVID-19-related entry requirements.

The Bahamian government announced the latest in a series of welcome changes to entry requirements on June 17, with COVID-19 test and health visa requirements to be dropped effective June 19. 

Photo by Chris Rose.

The island nation announced discontinuation of the health visa requirement June 15, and that welcome news was followed on June 17 by an announcement that documentation of a negative COVID-19 test will no longer be required of vaccinated travelers in advance of entry. Both of these changes are effective June 19. 

“This is further good news for those looking to visit the beautiful islands of the Bahamas,” said AOPA President Mark Baker. “I am pleased that the cabinet is reducing barriers for travelers, including many general aviation pilots.”

Valid proof of vaccination must still be presented before boarding a flight to the Bahamas on and after June 19. Travelers ages 2 and older who remain unvaccinated will be required to obtain a negative COVID-19 test — either a negative RT-PCR test or a rapid antigen test — taken no more than 72 hours prior to travel, and present the negative test results at check-in before travel to the Bahamas.

These positive developments for aviators flying to the Bahamas come after the country’s indefinite postponement of its new Click2Clear customs entry and departure program for private pilots and passengers. That decision came on the heels of a letter that Baker sent to Bahamas officials requesting a delay in the rollout of the program.

Pilots are reminded that the best way to experience the Bahamas by air is with the AOPA Pilot Guide: Bahamas Edition, which has been the go-to resource for private pilots flying to the Bahamas for many years. The guide includes information for 57 airports in the country, and features maps with airport data and the layout of each island, customs and immigration information, and much more.

Alyssa J. Miller
Eric Blinderman
Senior Director of Communications
Eric Blinderman is AOPA’s Senior Director of Communications. Eric joined AOPA in 2020 after several years at leading marketing/communications agencies in New York and is looking forward to putting his newly minted private pilot certificate to work.
Topics: COVID19, Bahamas, Travel

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