I have started visting Colombia now based on all the vets talk about CTG, MDE, and Cali.

One thing that has really stood out is the customs in Bogota (leaving) seems much more intense than the customs in Cali. Has anyone else found this to be true?

If there are other exit points has anyone been through them, I haven't really checked out anything other than Cali (average Latin experience) and MDE (one of the greatest Latin experiences) so far, although I am pretty sure you can't leave via MDE, as I have been there. How about CTG? How about BAQ?

Thanks ahead of time...

Because BOG is the most populous city in the country, and therefore has the most int'l flights, the lines can stretch long.....

So try to fly home from any other city but BOG. But, if you can't, I recommend you give yourself a good two or three hours to get to the gate! sf4dfish

Arrival in BOG immigrations is also a bitch. Try to fly directly to a smaller city

Gotcha, thanks guys. I think I will just avoid BOG like Sandman says.

LikeLatina

You can leave for the US from MDE as well as CTG and BAQ. From CTG the lines are not terribly long, but I do arrive 3 hours ahead of time as Avianca suggests. The lines are longer 1 1/2 to 2 hours before flight time.

Tomtom33, Thanks for the CTG and BAQ info, good to know, I want to visit those two cities on my next trip actually. Gotta go dig into the board on those. I seem to remember concarne and Merlin talking nice about CTG... but I don't remember any discussion on BAQ.

So much reading to do!

LikeLatina

Llatina, I've had usually good experiences leaving Colombia from CTG (COPA into Panama), the lines and security searches seem more efficient, less formal in CTG and there are less people as well. In fact, I often get to the airport with about 1.5 hours before the flight and still have plenty of time.

COPA also flies out of BAQ into Panama city. I've only layovered in Bogota but can tell that place will be a nightmare.

Cali was one of the stricter searches and less efficent cutoms/immigration lines I recall.

The best airport to enter-exit is CTG: very fast in both directions.

Medellin is great to enter. I made it from the plane through immigration AND picking up a checked bag in under 10 minutes.

Medellin sucks to leave internationally in the morning. There are three flights leaving at the same time and security is ridiculous. However, if you take the Avianca evening flight from MDE, its the only Intl flight leaving so security and immigration is fast.

IŽve entered/left through BOG three times in the past four weeks. Entering is terrible - minimum 30 minutes - and thereŽs no real possibility of making the last flight out of BOG to MDE now that we are on Daylight Savings >Time - CO gets in at 9pm and you will NOT make the 10pm flight to MDE, which leaves from another terminaL. During standard time, the flight gets in at 8pm, so yiou have a decent shot. But I like BOG and enjoy staying there overnight.

As far as leaving BOG, the immigration line is HUGE becasue there are 50 Colombianos accomanying their 3rd cousin whos off to Nueva York. The trick is to walk to the front of the line and youŽll see a break in the line when the people realize they cant go any further without a ticket. I go in right there.

Also in BOG there are THREE security/x-ray machines, but everyone always waits in one line. Walk to the right of the line and go to the machine furthest to the right - very fast that way.

Also, IŽm in the Avianca lounge past security in BOG right now and can tell you this was the fastest Ive ever made it through, leading me to belive Saturdays are the best day to exit and Monday is the worst.

Hope this helps

Good stuff, I really want to visit CTG anyway so now I will just make my flight via there anyway.

Thanks Merlin and Wallstreet, good stuff.

Leaving Medellin

1. Get forum in line to the left of entrance
2. Pay exit fee of 76,000 COP in line to right of entrance.
3. Get in check in line to be grilled and 1st x raying of your luggage.
4. Pass into immigration area to get the full screening by the military.
5. Before boarding, you get a third screening. The first time I was there this search was done by the military. This time around, it was done by airport security.