dgreen12

Heading off to a meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico with the journey starting tomorrow night on an AS-issued ticket for travel on AS and AA.

The Alaska Airlines app won't let me check-in without entering my international travel documents information (passport).

I then check the following:

• Puerto Rico still is a US territory and passports are not required for US visitors (yes), and
• My destination is properly shown as San Juan, Puerto Rico and not a different San Juan that is actually located in a foreign country (also yes).

A quick call to AS and I learn that the AS employee agrees that Puerto Rico is part of the United States and that no passport is needed. But that I'll still need to see an agent at check-in as the only override capability on international documents is airport-based.

So I enter my passport info anyway to discover I'll still need an agent to verify my travel documents at the airport.

An IT bug ticket has been created for the benefit of future travelers starting their air travel to Puerto Rico with Alaska Airlines.

And I guess I should bring my passport to the airport tomorrow just in case the check-in counter employee doesn't know that Puerto Rico is a part of the US.

Any similar experiences with "international documents" purportedly needed for domestic travel?

AKLifetimeFlyer

I would bring your passport just in case but refuse to show it if asked, and bring documentation showing no passport is required. But I highly doubt you�ll need to show it.

danielonn

Show up without it! Its a great geography lesson. If they deny you boarding you can show them the TIMATIC page. When I was 6 I knew that San Juan is a US Territory and that no passports are required

My Father and I took a cruise from San Juan to Barcelona and no passports were required to enter San Juan

danielonn

From Travel.State.GovPlease Note: If you were born in Puerto Rico, or are a naturalized U.S. citizen, you do not need a U.S. Passport Book or U.S. Passport Card to travel anywhere that is considered under U.S. jurisdiction.

nomiiiii

Trying to enter Alaska Lounge as mvp-gold on Seattle-Belize route. Lounge agent "sir, entry is only if you're flying international". I had to clarify that Belize is outside the united states, and the agent had to ask their supervisor to confirm and let me in.

ezak

I could only imagine someone going to SJO, and this lounge agent insists the flight is California bound.

guv1976

I have to wonder whether this "bug" also exists for travelers whose ticketed destination is STT or STX.

sfozrhfco

Note: If you are connecting in Florida to get to SJU, that state has rightly been returned to Spain in exchange for granting Puerto Rico its independence

dgreen12

Bag is tagged to the correct San Juan.

Paper boarding pass issued for only the first two segments (both on AS). No AA boarding pass for the third and final flight segment.

App boarding pass is saying my international travel documents need to be shown when the bag is tagged. (No boarding pass has been generated via the AS app).

olouie

Its funny but actually saw related mishap on a flight a few years ago. Was flying to San Jose, CA and there was a party at the gate who were freaking out since they just realized the flight was going to SJC and not SJO. SJC weather is nice but not tropic weather haha.

M60_to_LGA

It's infuriating how US companies seem to have absolutely no concept of what Puerto Rico is. I've even had US credit card issuers tell me I'd have to pay a foreign transaction fee because their systems code Puerto Rico differently than the "real" US. Whether that was actually the case or just a call center agent who had no clue, I have no idea - I ended up just using my no-foreign-fee cards while I was there to avoid hassle.

But then again, this is a country where New Mexico had to add "USA" to their license plates because people in other states thought they were foreigners...

sfosuw

Per 22CFR�53.2(a), U.S. citizens are not required to bear U.S. passports when traveling directly between parts of the United States.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2...3/section-53.2

DLASflyer

I recall having to go through customs leaving STT. Passports/Global Entry maybe not required but they certainly sped up the process.

SNAnghbr

I might give the CC companies a pass. Puerto Rico is a bit of an odd duck. It is true that you don't need a passport, but goods going to PR need a international export declaration for duty and tax purposes. Trust the government to make it as confusing as possible.

UAPremierExec

I hope some of you now know how we Alaskans feel when we're told companies won't ship to Alaska, or mobile providers tell us that Alaska isn't part of the US...