Coronavirus Travel Information

This page sets out our most up-to-date policies and information regarding Coronavirus / COVID-19 pandemic and it’s affect on our tours.

Latest Travel Information

Updated 10 July 2020

• URGENT UPDATE: All Tours Recommenced on 6th July 2020 after Bahamas Prime Minister’s office announcement on 5th July.
• Bahamas borders re-opened on 1st July 2020. Charter flights operating as normal.
• For international travel entry into the Bahamas:
  1. All Travellers must submit a travel health form online at travel.gov.bs
  2. COVID-19 PCR Swab Test with a Negative Result, must be presented upon arrival, no older than 10 days old: The test needs to be taken within 10 days of your departure date (day 1 being the day you took the test), therefore you are not able to fly on the 10th day because it will be expired.
  3. Scroll to the bottom of this page for Official Bahamas Government Travel Information.
• For customers booked on tours:
  • Miami to Bahamas Day Trip: you will need on the day of travel: copies of your COVID-19 test, Bahamas Travel Health Form, and Passport.
  • Nassau to Exuma Day Trip: you will need a completed Bahamas Domestic Travel Health Form at travel.gov.bs
• All Customers must wear a face mask on the flights and when social distancing not possible (ie. indoors, whilst on the boat or plane, in the proximity of others etc.).

Bookings & Reservation Information

All tours, bookings and reservations remain subject to our Booking Terms and Conditions. See sections 3 (Cancellations), 6 (Force Majeure) and 10 (Fitness to Travel).
We encourage all customers to have Travel Insurance to cover irrecoverable cancellation costs.
Each Customer and Passenger will have a Waiver to sign, this includes notice that Bahamas Air Tours or any of our Partners cannot be held responsible or liable for catching Coronavirus/COVID-19 on any of our Tours or Services. Customers accept there is a high risk of catching the virus despite all mitigating procedures that we put in place such as increased cleaning.

Fitness to Travel on our Tours

Any Customer with symptoms of COVID-19, or has been requested by authorities to self-isolate due to exposure with an infected person, must not travel on our tours.
There are Temperature checks for Customers. Should you have a high temperature you maybe denied boarding.

Health & Safety on our Tours

All tourism entities within the Bahamas must have in place Government approved health and safety guidelines to receive Clean & Pristine certification.

Please ensure everyone in your group brings their face mask or face covering for the day trip. These must be worn when social distancing is not possible.

Our partners and operators have in place the following protocols and guidelines:

• • Temperature checks for Customers and Staff.
  • Face masks are required to be worn when social distancing is not possible (i.e. on the aircraft and indoors).
  • Aircraft and boats to be sanitised daily.
  • Hand sanitiser provided onboard boat tours.
  • Snorkel gear and other communal use equipment are soaked, sanitized and disinfected after each use.

Official Bahamas Government Travel Information (updated 10th July)

For all official government information please visit:  Bahamas Government information page.  Below is a short synopsis:

Re-Opening of Borders & Recommencement of Tours:

• Tours & Excursions to Family Islands (includes Exuma & Staniel Cay) recommence from 6th July as per Bahamas Prime Minister’s office announcement on 5th July.
• On 28th June Bahamas Prime Minister previously announced that tours & excursions recommencement would be postponed from 1st July unto 13th July. The 13th July restriction only applies to activities on New Providence and Grand Bahama islands. The full transcript of his 28th June announcement is here.

COVID Swab Test Requirements & Validity:

• Due to the recent increase of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., and in an abundance of caution for the health and safety of both travellers and residents, all incoming visitors must present a COVID-19 RT-PCR Negative (Swab) Test upon arrival.
  • Results must be no more than ten (10) days old . The test needs to be taken within 10 days of your departure date (day 1 being the day you took the test), therefore you are not able to fly on the 10th day because it will be expired.
  • On 8th July Bahamas Government relaxed COVID Swab Test validity requirement from 7 Days to 10 Days. 8th July Press Release here.
• Select individuals will be exempt from testing, which includes children under the age of two, private pilots who do not deplane, and Bahamian citizens, residents and homeowners returning from English speaking CARICOM countries.

Health Form Requirements:

• All travellers will be required to complete an electronic Health Visa at travel.gov.bs
• No quarantine will be required upon arrival, however, travellers who show symptoms of COVID-19 may be transferred to an area away from other passengers for further testing and evaluation.
• All inter-island travellers must complete an electronic Domestic Travel form at travel.gov.bs prior to departure and for any inter-island travel within The Bahamas. An automated response will be provided upon completion. All travellers must have their confirmation on hand upon arrival to their destination. This is a crucial step for contact tracing purposes.

Temperature Screening & Face Mask Requirements:

• At airports and seaports, healthcare personnel will conduct temperature screenings for all incoming visitors. Travellers will be required to wear a face mask in any situation where it is necessary to enforce physical distancing guidelines, such as when entering and transiting air and sea terminals, while navigating security and customs screenings, and at baggage claim.
• New fines for all persons, including Bahamians, residents and visitors, not wearing face mask of $200 or a period of one month imprisonment or both.
• Face Masks required on entry and exit of beaches, for all Bahamians, residents and visitors

Link to Bahamas Government Guideline PDF