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Sorry travelers, Puerto Rico has postponed its reopening plans

July 21, 2020
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3 min read
Old San Juan, the City Walls
Sorry travelers, Puerto Rico has postponed its reopening plans
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Puerto Rico officially began welcoming back tourists on July 15, but amid rising cases of the novel coronavirus in the mainland U.S., it has postponed some of those plans. Puerto Rico is now encouraging “essential travel” only.

“Puerto Rico is encouraging only essential travel at this time and has postponed its official inbound tourism reopening to safeguard visitors and residents,” according to Discover Puerto Rico.

The island will conduct a “continuous assessment” of cases in the United States and Puerto Rico, according to the tourism board. Puerto Rico has reported over 12,000 positive cases of the virus, with 180 deaths.

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If you do travel to the island, don’t expect a typical trip. Non-essential businesses, like theaters, casinos, bars, clubs, attractions, and gyms are closed. Restaurants and museums are operating at 50% percent capacity and malls remain open, according to Discover Puerto Rico. Alcohol sales are also banned after 7 PM and on Sundays.

Travelers are required to fill out a Travel Declaration Form, get a molecular COVID-19 test no more than 72 hours before arrival and show proof of a negative result. Beaches are only open to those doing solo sports or exercise. A curfew on the island is in effect through the end of the month between 10 – 5 AM. Finally, mask-wearing is mandatory when in public, or you could face a fine.

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Castillo San Felipe del Morro in Old San Juan (Discover Puerto Rico)

Puerto Rico isn’t the only place rolling up the welcome mat, either. Just yesterday, the Bahamas announced that it would ban U.S. travelers from entering its borders by plane or vessel effective July 22. This is a reversal from a July 1 policy that lifted an international travel ban from March and officially reopened to tourists.

Minnis said there were 41 new cases of the virus since the country reopened its borders.

“Regrettably, the situation here at home has already deteriorated since we began the reopening of our domestic economy,” Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said on Sunday. “It has deteriorated at an exponential rate since we reopened our international borders.”

Related: American tourists are officially banned from the Bahamas

Commercial flights and vessels from Canada, the United Kingdom, and European Union countries will still be welcome, according to the Ministry of Tourism. Additionally, U.S. citizens with their own private jets or vessels will still be allowed to enter the country.

The Bahamas also confirmed on Tuesday that it would bar entry to U.S. citizens seeking to circumvent the rules by attempting to connect in another country, like Canada.

Featured image by Getty Images

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Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
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  • Intro Offer

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  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

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  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.