Air ambulance for expats and retirees in Mexico and Central America

Reviewed by the AirAmbulance.org editorial team · Updated 6 November 2026 · Editorial policy

Large communities of US and Canadian retirees live around Lake Chapala, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, San Miguel de Allende, the Yucatán, Costa Rica and Panama. Good private hospitals exist in the big cities, but for some conditions, or to be near family, patients need to get back to the US or Canada.

What Medicare does and doesn't cover

• Original Medicare generally doesn't pay for health care outside the United States, apart from a few narrow exceptions.
• Some Medicare Advantage and Medigap plans include limited emergency cover abroad. Check the plan documents: an air ambulance flight back to the US is often excluded.

Ways people cover the cost

• Expat or travel medical insurance with evacuation or repatriation cover.
• Air ambulance membership programs, which cover flights to a hospital or home under their own rules. Read what counts as medically necessary.
• Self-pay, using published ranges and written all-inclusive quotes to compare.

Near the border? Ask about ground options

• For stable patients close to the US border, a ground ambulance across the border can sometimes be arranged instead of a flight. Ask when you request a quote.

Paperwork

• Valid passports for the patient and any companion.
• A US hospital or doctor must accept the patient before take-off.
• A medical summary from the Mexican or Central American hospital, ideally in English or with a translation.

Routes

Distance, flying time and a free quote for each:

• Belize City → Houston 1,560 km · 2 h 25 min
• Bogotá → Miami 2,440 km · 3 h 35 min
• Cancún → Atlanta 1,420 km · 2 h 15 min
• Cancún → Chicago 2,330 km · 3 h 25 min
• Cancún → Dallas 1,660 km · 2 h 35 min
• Cancún → Houston 1,310 km · 2 h 10 min
• Cancún → Miami 860 km · 1 h 35 min
• Cancún → Toronto 2,610 km · 3 h 45 min
• Cartagena → Miami 1,780 km · 2 h 45 min
• Cozumel → Miami 900 km · 1 h 35 min
• Guadalajara → Los Angeles 2,110 km · 3 h 10 min
• Guatemala City → Houston 1,780 km · 2 h 45 min
• Liberia (Guanacaste) → Miami 1,780 km · 2 h 45 min
• Lima → Miami 4,220 km · 5 h 45 min
• Los Cabos → Dallas 1,650 km · 2 h 35 min
• Los Cabos → Denver 1,920 km · 2 h 55 min
• Los Cabos → Los Angeles 1,470 km · 2 h 20 min
• Los Cabos → Phoenix 1,170 km · 1 h 55 min
• Los Cabos → San Francisco 2,010 km · 3 h
• Managua → Miami 1,640 km · 2 h 35 min
• Mazatlán → Phoenix 1,270 km · 2 h 05 min
• Medellín → Miami 2,240 km · 3 h 20 min
• Mexico City → Houston 1,230 km · 2 h
• Mexico City → Los Angeles 2,500 km · 3 h 35 min
• Monterrey → Houston 660 km · 1 h 20 min
• Mérida → Houston 1,160 km · 1 h 55 min
• Panama City → Miami 1,860 km · 2 h 50 min
• Puerto Vallarta → Dallas 1,580 km · 2 h 30 min
• Puerto Vallarta → Los Angeles 1,960 km · 2 h 55 min
• Puerto Vallarta → Phoenix 1,570 km · 2 h 30 min
• Puerto Vallarta → Vancouver 3,550 km · 4 h 55 min
• Quito → Miami 2,890 km · 4 h 05 min
• Roatán → Houston 1,770 km · 2 h 40 min
• San José → Houston 2,510 km · 3 h 40 min
• San José → Miami 1,810 km · 2 h 45 min
• San Pedro Sula → Miami 1,400 km · 2 h 15 min
• San Salvador → Houston 1,950 km · 2 h 55 min

General information only, not medical, legal or insurance advice. Coverage rules change; confirm with your insurer.