Originally Posted by
Boraxo
More specifically I am wondering if it is feasible to fly to TIJ in the event you have a positive test and can't fly back to the US. I don't want the family to be stuck in Mexico for 2 weeks so it would seem one alternative would be to fly to TIJ and cross the land border to San Diego. My understanding is that US citizens are permitted to return to the USA by land as "essential travelers"
...Of course there are ethical issues...
Putting aside the ethical issues, there is a comment about this in a recent Google Maps review of CBX, which is a direct over-the-border land crossing bridge between USA and the air side of TIJ airport. The comment is that US Customs and Border officials do not require COVID test results from Americans flying into TIJ and using the direct crossing (toll fee is $30). Even aside from COVID issues, CBX is much easier than taking a Mexican taxi to the San Ysidro border crossing and dealing with that mess. I think you can call Uber or Lyft when you arrive at the US side of the CBX crossing.
Using CBX to go from US to the airport requires an airline boarding pass for same-day travel departing TIJ, and the normal documents for entering Mexico. In the MEX-USA direction, the CBX crossing can only be entered from TIJ air side. (Do not exit baggage out to the street!)
I will be returning to the US in mid-March flying Quito-MEX-TIJ, and would like to verify Covid testing requirements (if any) for flying Quito-MEX, and then walking the CBX bridge from TIJ. (FYI, I've had my 2nd Covid vaccine already.)