American Airlines offering pre-flight coronavirus testing for Costa Rica travelers

American Airlines will offer coronavirus testing for travelers visiting Costa Rica, the airline announced Friday.

Starting October 15, passengers flying American Airlines to Costa Rica from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) can choose one of three options to get tested:

• Take a sample from home during a virtual visit with a medical professional.
• Get an in-person PCR test at a CareNow urgent care location.
• Take an on-site PCR test at DFW, administered by CareNow.

Passengers flying American Airlines to Costa Rica from Miami (MIA) can also participate in the program, though for the time being, only the at-home test is being offered.

The at-home option is a PCR test, which meets Costa Rica’s requirements. It costs $129 and is conducted by LetsGetChecked.

American Airlines is among several U.S. carriers that have begun offering coronavirus testing to encourage travel and help passengers fulfill entry requirements. The Fort Worth-based airline becomes the first to announce such a programs for its Costa Rica routes.

Costa Rican authorities on Friday said that residents of the entire United States, regardless of their state of residence, will be allowed to visit the country starting November 1.

Among Costa Rica’s requirements for tourists is showing proof of a negative PCR test for the coronavirus. The sample for the test must have been taken no more than 72 hours before departure.

“We applaud American’s efforts to develop a COVID-19 testing program for international travel, and we are proud to have worked with the airline to include Costa Rica in its initial launch,” said Gustavo Segura, Costa Rica’s Tourism Minister. “Initiatives like these are key to the recovery of tourism in Costa Rica, an important economic engine for our country, and at the same time help to guarantee the health and safety of passengers.”