After a 38-hour delay thanks to a snowstorm in Toronto—and an entirely unplanned detour to Curaçao—I finally made it to Bogotá. Here’s what you might want to know if you’re planning to fly into Colombia yourself.
CheckMig Registration
CheckMig is an online pre-registration system run by Migración Colombia that travelers may complete before flying into the country. Despite often being described as mandatory, it is not strictly required to enter Colombia. Its main purpose is to streamline the immigration process by collecting passport, flight, and accommodation details in advance.
I had it ready, but neither the airline nor the immigration officer at Bogotá’s airport asked for it. I actually offered it voluntarily after the officer asked me his first question. He accepted it with an approving smile and didn’t ask me anything else after that. Judging by how long other travelers were taking at the immigration booth, it was worth filling it out in advance—it took me less than a minute.
If you decide to fill it out in advance, make sure you use the official Colombian immigration form. When I Googled it, the top results included sponsored links to visa-assistance websites that try to charge you just to input the same information—only on their own site instead of the one you’re actually supposed to use.
Proof of Onward Travel
Proof of onward travel—usually a return or onward flight ticket—is officially required to enter Colombia. If you travel like I do, without a plan and no clue when or where you’ll be leaving the country, you can book a temporary ticket from any onward ticket site for around $10–15. Sure, you could just book a real flight and cancel it afterward, but personally, I’d rather spend a few bucks and skip the hassle of reading cancellation policies or dealing with refund processes.
Like always in these cases, it’s not a fact that you will be asked for it at all. It really depends on the airline—and if they do ask, it’s usually at check-in, not at immigration. In my case, I wasn’t asked for it on my original flight because I had already checked in online. I was only asked during the rebooking process after I missed my last flight. I used the same onward ticket I already had, even though it had expired and been canceled by that point. Luckily, they didn’t check any of the passenger details.
Next time, I wouldn’t bother at all. I’d only book a temporary onward ticket at the check-in counter if it was absolutely necessary.
Immigration at El Dorado Airport in Bogotá
That was absolute chaos—easily one of the busiest I’ve ever experienced. It started with a half-hour shuffle down a corridor-sized queue, only to arrive in a massive hall the size of a basketball pitch, jam-packed with passengers zigzagging between ropes toward a handful of overwhelmed immigration officers. The air was heavy with impatience, and the vibe? Somewhere between low-key panic and resigned misery.
People were trying to cut ahead in line, waving their boarding passes and insisting they were about to miss their onward domestic flights. Others attempted to stop them, complaining that they were on the same boat. All in all, it took me over two hours to get through. So if you’re flying into Bogotá, bring your patience—and maybe a snack. You’re going to need both.
Taxi from Bogotá Airport to Downtown
I finally made it past immigration just before midnight, only to be swarmed by taxi touts the moment I stepped out. They came at me from every direction like I was the last fare on earth. At the official taxi booth, they quoted a flat $23 night rate for my destination in Las Aguas, which felt a bit steep for a solo ride at that hour. So I did what any sleep-deprived traveler with vague street smarts would do—I walked out and started bargaining.
After chatting with a few guys hanging around the curb, I struck a deal with a lad for $15. Turned out to be a solid choice—not only did he get me downtown without any drama, but he was good company and an aspiring rapper. The guy spent the whole ride freestyling in Spanish, cracking jokes, and turning the car into his personal stage. Unexpected entertainment and a cheaper ride? Not a bad welcome to Bogotá at all.
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Accommodation & Activities in Bogotá
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