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Nicaragua reopened for tourism near the end of summer 2020, with most commercial flights returning to Managua by the start of October.
One interesting detail about Nicaragua reopening for tourism is the fact that they never truly closed in the first place. During the height of the pandemic when many other nations sealed their borders, the government of Nicaragua never issued a decree to fully close, very similar to the route Mexico took.
However, airports closed, and flight availability vanished, consequently closing Nicaragua as tourists virtually had no access to the nation.
Now, throughout September and October airlines are looking to resume their regular flight schedules to Nicaragua, effectively reopening the country for tourism once again.
There is some key information to know about travel to Nicaragua during these unsure times, which we will outline in detail below. This includes which airlines are returning, covid-related entry requirements like testing and quarantines, and everything else you need to know before you go.
Flights Returning to Nicaragua
Most airlines are planning to restart routes to Managua in October, but Spirit Airlines has their daily Miami-Managua route scheduled to resume as of September 18th.
Come October, there should be more availability as additional airlines plan to resume these routes:
- Mexico City on Aeromexico, resuming Oct 1
- Miami on American & Avianca, resuming Oct 7
- Houston on United, resuming Oct 1
- San Salvador on Avianca, resuming Oct 1
- Panama on Copa, resuming Oct 2
Avianca told La Jornada they are also considering launching the following routes this fall: Managua-Guatemala City, Managua-San Francisco, Managua-Los Angeles and Managua-Washington
One of the main reasons flights have not been available in and out of Nicaragua, despite the country being ‘open’ for tourism, is the tough requirements the government has put on incoming commercial flights and the flight crew themselves. They have been demanding all flight crew have a negative PCR test no older than 72 hours, which is something no other Latin American nation is asking for.
Many airlines have already tried to resume flights to Nicaragua, but have not been able to comply with the regulations the government has been asking for, causing delays after delays.
Testing Requirements for Nicaragua
All passengers arriving into Nicaragua must bring a negative PCR test, taken no longer than 72 hours before arrival. This includes transits.
Quarantine Requirements for Nicaragua
None. There are no quarantines as long as the above testing requirement is fulfilled.
Countries Allowed To Travel to Nicaragua
All.
Nicaragua does not have any covid-related country bans or restrictions. All nations that could enter Nicaragua before covid are once again permitted to enter under regular visa requirements.
Most nations visiting Nicaragua do not need to apply for a visa beforehand, as 92 countries can visit visa-free for 90 days, and another 73 countries are eligible for a visa-on-arrival.
Visa-free countries include: USA, Canada, UK, Mexico, Australia, and many more.
Credit: Wikipedia. Creative Commons ‘Visa-NIC’
Other Entry Requirements and Arrival Protocols in Nicaragua
- All arrivals will be required to show customs a copy of their negative PCR test in order to enter the country
- Passengers will have their temperatures taken and are subject to a health screening
- Arrivals may be subject to contact tracing
- While not a mandatory requirement, all visitors to Nicaragua should have valid travel health insurance that also covers covid
Read More: See which countries in Latin America are open for tourism, and which nations are now allowing American and Canadian tourists.
See updates for related Central American nations:
Sources: ni.usembassy.gov / gov.uk / minsa.gob.ni /IATA
Disclaimer: Nicaragua’s reopening news is ever-changing and being updated constantly. We do our best to keep this article up to date with all the latest information, but the decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before traveling.
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This article was originally published on September 9, 2020 with updates
Susannah
Friday 23rd of July 2021
What is the latest covid update on Nicaragua? Is it safe to travel from the US fully vaccinated?
JC
Saturday 9th of January 2021
Pls is Ghana Nicaragua visa free ? Is there a flight from Accra to Nicaragua? I really wanna have a cold time with my family at Nicaragua.
mark
Friday 11th of December 2020
Spirit is not flying there now. Not in January either. Above you stated they were.
Kashlee Kucheran
Saturday 12th of December 2020
Yes, flights right now change very quickly! We have over 5000 thousand news articles, so we can't stay on top of every small airline change, as much as we would like to :) This article says at the top it was updated 3 months ago, so a few details may have changed since then
Mohammed naziru
Tuesday 1st of December 2020
What is preventing copa airlines and avianca from flyiing from sao paulo to Managua.
kiawa
Monday 30th of November 2020
So actually there's any airlines flying from Canada to Nicaragua? Any information will be helpful
Kashlee Kucheran
Monday 30th of November 2020
No, you will have to transit in the USA