Flying home from the DR to Canada and using the land border option first hand experience

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Taylor

Taylor

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Jan 28, 2005
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Much has been said about how and what can be done. I'll give my experience.

Left POP to Miami. Flight was totally full. Had to show the negative Covid test, did the one at CMC for $4400 RD b/c it only took 30 min.

Overnight in Miami. Miami airport is busy. Not all the shops are open but most are and line ups for every one from the grab and go to the restaurant. - mostly because I know Miami and there is an easy place to get a US PCR test. $150, right across from the Holiday Inn.

Flight to Charlotte. Also full. Airport is totally slammed, barely room to walk around. Why Charlotte? because you can walk into many pharmacies and get a J&J Covid vaccine. One and done. No cost, no line up, out in 25 min.

Flight to Buffalo. Because it was last at night, it was full of snow birds connecting from all over. Annoyance - pre booked a cab to Canada, but the cab never showed. Ended up taking a normal taxi to the Rainbow Bridge then walking over. An hour long wait in the taxi line up. The walk over the bridge is beautiful at night. A few other straggles walking over with me.

Customs - Fairly relaxed. I already filled out the arrivecan app so they were expecting me. No test upon arrival, but they gave me 2 home tests to complete. Was supposed to verify that I made it too my place of quarantine, but the app already knew that I did, so I'm pretty sure it's tracking me. Daily have to check in on the app.

Not as bad as I had expected, but not exactly comfortable. Worth the upgrade with so many flights.
 
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ALLOR925

ALLOR925

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Taylor said:
Much has been said about how and what can be done. I'll give my experience.

Left POP to Miami. Flight was totally full. Had to show the negative Covid test, did the one at CMC for $4400 RD b/c it only took 30 min.

Overnight in Miami. Miami airport is busy. Not all the shops are open but most are and line ups for every one from the grab and go to the restaurant. - mostly because I know Miami and there is an easy place to get a US PCR test. $150, right across from the Holiday Inn.

Flight to Charlotte. Also full. Airport is totally slammed, barely room to walk around. Why Charlotte? because you can walk into many pharmacies and get a J&J Covid vaccine. One and done. No cost, no line up, out in 25 min.

Flight to Buffalo. Because it was last at night, it was full of snow birds connecting from all over. Annoyance - pre booked a cab to Canada, but the cab never showed. Ended up taking a normal taxi to the Rainbow Bridge then walking over. An hour long wait in the taxi line up. The walk over the bridge is beautiful at night. A few other straggles walking over with me.

Customs - Fairly relaxed. I already filled out the arrivecan app so they were expecting me. No test upon arrival, but they gave me 2 home tests to complete. Was supposed to verify that I made it too my place of quarantine, but the app already knew that I did, so I'm pretty sure it's tracking me. Daily have to check in on the app.

Not as bad as I had expected, but not exactly comfortable. Worth the upgrade with so many flights.
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Wow, sounds like an expensive journey. I'm hoping for air travel and ports of entries to allow for vaccinated persons to pass through without all this craziness. The only question will be how soon?
 
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johne

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ALLOR925 said:
Wow, sounds like an expensive journey. I'm hoping for air travel and ports of entries to allow for vaccinated persons to pass through without all this craziness. The only question will be how soon?
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Forgive me, I don't follow the question. What do you mean by "to pass through without..."?
 
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johne

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Big said:
Charlotte is a disgusting airport
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Yes.Far end of huge horseshoe shape is arrival and othhhhhher end is departure. When your connecting flight is tight best put on your Nike Air..
 
D

DR Solar

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Nov 21, 2016
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Taylor said:
Much has been said about how and what can be done. I'll give my experience.

Left POP to Miami. Flight was totally full. Had to show the negative Covid test, did the one at CMC for $4400 RD b/c it only took 30 min.

Overnight in Miami. Miami airport is busy. Not all the shops are open but most are and line ups for every one from the grab and go to the restaurant. - mostly because I know Miami and there is an easy place to get a US PCR test. $150, right across from the Holiday Inn.

Flight to Charlotte. Also full. Airport is totally slammed, barely room to walk around. Why Charlotte? because you can walk into many pharmacies and get a J&J Covid vaccine. One and done. No cost, no line up, out in 25 min.

Flight to Buffalo. Because it was last at night, it was full of snow birds connecting from all over. Annoyance - pre booked a cab to Canada, but the cab never showed. Ended up taking a normal taxi to the Rainbow Bridge then walking over. An hour long wait in the taxi line up. The walk over the bridge is beautiful at night. A few other straggles walking over with me.

Customs - Fairly relaxed. I already filled out the arrivecan app so they were expecting me. No test upon arrival, but they gave me 2 home tests to complete. Was supposed to verify that I made it too my place of quarantine, but the app already knew that I did, so I'm pretty sure it's tracking me. Daily have to check in on the app.

Not as bad as I had expected, but not exactly comfortable. Worth the upgrade with so many flights.
Click to expand...
Wow! That's a lot of research time, booking time, real $$$, travel time and delays, hotels, running around getting tests and vaccinated (that gave not taken effect) just to prove you can go around the law. I'm very impressed.
 
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Taylor

Taylor

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Jan 28, 2005
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Flight price was the same to YYZ or Buffalo.
The Charlotte stop provided a vaccine, which in Canada would take until August at this point in time.
The taxi was $200 more than a normal taxi from YYZ.
Hotel at YYZ (a gong show from what I've heard) is $1100 Savings of about $700 .
The decider was being locked in a room with only an hour outside time, vs being able to walk around outside as much as I like (in a private backyard) and the food.
 
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reilleyp

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Dec 12, 2006
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Big said:
Charlotte is a disgusting airport
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I had to scratch my head after that comment because I just flew there two years ago and nothing disgusting stood out in my mind. After reviewing some photos online I remembered that it is a large bright airy open airport with large live trees inside, rocking chairs, with a lot of clean shops and restaurants. What did you find disgusting?
 
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Big

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reilleyp said:
I had to scratch my head after that comment because I just flew there two years ago and nothing disgusting stood out in my mind. After reviewing some photos online I remembered that it is a large bright airy open airport with large live trees inside, rocking chairs, with a lot of clean shops and restaurants. What did you find disgusting?
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As a business traveler, I find it dirty, dated, no decent dining options, helter skelter layout, narrow terminal walkways and waiting lounges that crowd people flying to large cities with toothless morons flying to Martinsburg WVA and some gates that are carpeted so bubba's tabacco chew can't be cleaned creating a hazmat situation. I would rather fly in and out of Dar es Salaam's Julius Nyerere airport x 10
 
lifeisgreat

lifeisgreat

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ALLOR925 said:
Just meaning that proof of vaccination should exempt individuals from further testing and quarantining as well as flight restrictions, at arrival either in host or home country.
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Just because you have vaccine protection ,you can still be carrier to others that’s why.,
 
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johne

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lifeisgreat said:
Just because you have vaccine protection ,you can still be carrier to others that’s why.,
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And I might add: That little 3"x5" piece of paper that you so thoughtfully wrapped in Saran Wrap, lol, isn't exactly the gold standard for "proof". Perhaps some day we'll have something a little more substantial...like a hologram ?? At least that will stop a lot people from going to jail for counterfeiting.
 
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william webster

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Wasn't it posted here....?

O/S JFK is a vaccination center (free) for the Cdn jab ?

Then continue on to Buffalo or elsewhere.

Doesn't solve the J&J part..... but.....
 
ALLOR925

ALLOR925

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Feb 14, 2021
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johne said:
And I might add: That little 3"x5" piece of paper that you so thoughtfully wrapped in Saran Wrap, lol, isn't exactly the gold standard for "proof". Perhaps some day we'll have something a little more substantial...like a hologram ?? At least that will stop a lot people from going to jail for counterfeiting.
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Wrapped in Saran Wrap. Just too funny :) You mean people are actually printing fake cards? Great, medical holograms from the government makes me officially a possible vaccinated carrier of Covid.
 
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alke

Member
Apr 7, 2021
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Dominican Republic
Taylor said:
Much has been said about how and what can be done. I'll give my experience.

Left POP to Miami. Flight was totally full. Had to show the negative Covid test, did the one at CMC for $4400 RD b/c it only took 30 min.

Overnight in Miami. Miami airport is busy. Not all the shops are open but most are and line ups for every one from the grab and go to the restaurant. - mostly because I know Miami and there is an easy place to get a US PCR test. $150, right across from the Holiday Inn.

Flight to Charlotte. Also full. Airport is totally slammed, barely room to walk around. Why Charlotte? because you can walk into many pharmacies and get a J&J Covid vaccine. One and done. No cost, no line up, out in 25 min.

Flight to Buffalo. Because it was last at night, it was full of snow birds connecting from all over. Annoyance - pre booked a cab to Canada, but the cab never showed. Ended up taking a normal taxi to the Rainbow Bridge then walking over. An hour long wait in the taxi line up. The walk over the bridge is beautiful at night. A few other straggles walking over with me.

Customs - Fairly relaxed. I already filled out the arrivecan app so they were expecting me. No test upon arrival, but they gave me 2 home tests to complete. Was supposed to verify that I made it too my place of quarantine, but the app already knew that I did, so I'm pretty sure it's tracking me. Daily have to check in on the app.

Not as bad as I had expected, but not exactly comfortable. Worth the upgrade with so many flights.
Click to expand...
Interested in knowing more about getting the J & J shot. How did you go about that? Did you take a cab? Where to? Cost for cab?
 
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