Is Puerto Rico a Domestic or International Flight?
As a U.S. commonwealth territory, Puerto Rico provides ease of domestic travel for U.S. citizens, as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) states. Puerto Rico is not an international flight for U.S. citizens departing from the U.S. mainland. Despite the island’s somewhat ambiguous political status as an unincorporated commonwealth territory of the U.S., travel to this Island of Enchantment remains straightforward for U.S. citizens.
Traveling by air from the U.S. mainland to Puerto Rico requires the same documentation as domestic flights within the continental U.S. United Airlines affirms that a valid state or federally-issued ID, such as a driver’s license, passport, or resident card, will suffice.
However, travel to Puerto Rico has a distinctive element compared to most domestic U.S. mainland trips: the CDC recommends certain vaccines for this destination. Although these immunizations aren’t mandatory for U.S. citizens, the CDC highly recommends them.
It’s also important to review your health insurance coverage in Puerto Rico. As PRelocate notes, some insurance policies may not extend their coverage to this region despite Puerto Rico being a U.S. territory. Yet, individuals covered by Medicare can be reassured, as its coverage does extend to Puerto Rico.
On a practical level, most mainland U.S. cell phone plans, including Verizon and AT&T, work in Puerto Rico, eliminating the necessity for a new SIM card.
