Spirit to resume direct flights to Colombia starting Monday

Spirit will be the first airline to enter Colombia on an international commercial flight since borders were closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

On Saturday, the Miramar-based airline restarts direct travel from Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport with a flight to Cartagena.

Spirit Airlines will restart flights from Bogota, Medellin and Cali to Fort Lauderdale on Sept. 21.

“Being the first airline arriving to Colombia from abroad is a reminder of how strong our commitment to the country continues to be,” Ted Christie, president and CEO of Spirit Airlines, said in a prepared statement. “Reuniting guests with their loved ones, now that the borders are reopening, is the best gift we can give them.”

Since the close of Colombia’s borders due to COVID-19, Spirit Airlines has made nearly 200 flights since April that repatriated more than 25,000 people between the

United States and nine countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, Colombia being the main contributor to this mission, the airline said.

“Spirit’s return to our skies is great news for the country, confirming that we are moving firmly towards the recovery of the tourism industry under strict biosecurity protocols,” said Flavia Santoro, president of ProColombia, the country’s tourism promotion group. Passengers traveling to Colombia must:

■ Present a negative result of a COVID test no more than 96 hours before the stipulated travel time.

■ Register on Colombia’s official immigration page. The process can be done 24 hours in advance and up to one hour before the trip.

■ Wear masks. A requirement for 14-day quarantines for travelers ended on Aug. 30.

JOE CAVARETTA/SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL Spirit airliners are parked at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in April.