Areas
Doctor Near San Juan Airport: Carolina ERs, Pharmacies and Video Visits
If you need a doctor near San Juan airport (SJU), which sits in Carolina, the ER we verified as open 24 hours in Carolina is Hospital UPR Dr. Federico Trilla on Route 3, with a separate pediatric ER. Ashford Presbyterian in Condado says it is the airport's designated emergency hospital. If it is not an emergency, Dr. Diana Nieves Castro, MD, sees patients of any age by video wherever you are staying.
Is it an emergency? Call 911.
Video only
We are a telehealth-only service: we have no office or clinic in this area or anywhere else in Puerto Rico. If you need to be seen in person, this guide shows where to go.
Is this an emergency?
This is not an emergency service. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you have:
- Chest pain, shortness of breath or stroke signs
- Pain and swelling in one leg after a long flight, especially with shortness of breath
- Very high or very low blood sugar with confusion, or very high blood pressure with a severe headache
- High fever with severe belly pain or bleeding
Help lines
Doctor near San Juan airport: landing sick or falling ill before your flight
Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) is in the municipality of Carolina. It has been run by Aerostar under a public-private partnership since 2013, and with 13.6 million passengers in 2025 it is the busiest airport in the insular Caribbean; concourses A to D are connected. For an emergency inside the terminal, alert airport staff and call 911.
If you land with a fever, UTI symptoms or an allergy flare, or get sick the night before you fly home, the doctor can see you by video at your hotel or rental, as long as you are still in Puerto Rico. See care for visitors. Staying at the beach hotels by the airport? See our Isla Verde page.
Before you leave home
Why a video visit
For anything that isn’t an emergency, compare what each option takes.
| Comparison | Video visit | Emergency room | CDT or doctor’s office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Getting there | From home: join from your phone, tablet or computer. | Drive and find parking. | Drive and find parking. |
| Waiting room | Skip the waiting room: join from wherever you are in Puerto Rico. | Yes, a waiting room. | Yes, a waiting room. |
| Hours and time | We do not publish a wait time. Request a visit online 24/7 — we confirm your time by email or text. | In Puerto Rico, a median of 4 h 52 min from arrival to departure for patients sent home (US: 2 h 42 min; Oct 2024–Sep 2025).1,2 | An in-person visit takes about 2 hours on average, including travel.3 |
| Price | US$79 visit · US$49 follow-up · US$35 forms. You see it before you pay; no insurance needed. | Depends on your insurance and on what is done. | Depends on your insurance and on what is done. |
| Language | Spanish or English, with the same doctor. | Depends on the place. | Depends on the place. |
| Prescriptions | If appropriate, the doctor prescribes and we send your prescription to your pharmacy. | Yes, if needed. | Yes, if needed. |
| When to go in person | If the doctor needs to examine you in person or run a test, she tells you and guides you. | In an emergency: chest pain, trouble breathing, weakness on one side or bleeding that won’t stop. Call 911. | If you need stitches, an X-ray or a test on the spot. |
For problems that are not emergencies. In an emergency, call 911.
Table sources
- 1. CMS Care Compare, “Timely and Effective Care – State”, measure OP-18b: median time in the emergency department, arrival to departure, for patients sent home (opens in a new tab), data for Oct 2024–Sep 2025 (accessed 2026-10-02)
- 2. CMS Care Compare, “Timely and Effective Care – National”, measure OP-18b (US figure) (opens in a new tab), data for Oct 2024–Sep 2025 (accessed 2026-10-02)
- 3. Ray KN et al., “Opportunity costs of ambulatory medical care in the United States,” Am J Manag Care 2015;21(8):567-74 (US data, 2003–2010) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
We found no published source for what a patient pays at an ER or a CDT in Puerto Rico, so we give no figure.
Carolina's 24-hour emergency room: Hospital UPR Federico Trilla
Hospital UPR Dr. Federico Trilla: Route 3 km 8.3, Ave. 65 de Infantería, Carolina, PR 00984. Phone 787-757-1800; appointments 787-276-3636.
Per its official site, the ER runs 24/7 and there is a separate pediatric ER. The hospital also says it is the only ER on the island with board-certified emergency physicians around the clock; that is its own claim, which we have not compared. Some directories say it has no ER; the official site says it does. It is not part of our service.
Other emergency rooms near SJU airport
None of these is affiliated with us. If someone is seriously ill, call 911 rather than driving them.
Ashford Presbyterian Community Hospital, Condado: 1451 Ashford Ave, San Juan, PR 00907. Phone 787-721-2160, ER ext. 1095–1098. Open 24 hours, 7 days, with a round-the-clock pediatric ER. Its site says it is the designated emergency hospital for the airport, the cruise terminals, the Convention Center and major metro-area hotels.
Doctors' Center Hospital Carolina, Carolina town center: Edificio Jesús T. Piñeiro, Ave. Fernández Juncos, Bo. Pueblo, PR 00986. Phone 787-626-3322 (federal CMS data lists 787-725-6038). CMS lists an ER, but its official listing shows only visiting hours: ER hours unconfirmed, call first.
Centro Médico de Puerto Rico (ASEM), Barrio Monacillos, Río Piedras. Phone 787-777-3535. The island's top-level trauma center. For more ERs toward Río Piedras and Hato Rey, see our San Juan neighborhoods page.
Urgent care in Carolina that closes at night: Doctors' Center Barrazas
Doctors' Center Barrazas (urgent care, closes at 9 p.m.): Carr. 853 Km 11.4, Bo. Barrazas, Carolina, PR 00976. Phone 787-620-6122. Open Monday to Sunday, 7 a.m.–9 p.m. It is not a hospital ER: after 9 p.m., or for anything serious, go to an ER or call 911. For the next town inland, see our Trujillo Alto and Canóvanas page.
Is there a 24-hour pharmacy near the airport?
Two Carolina Walgreens stores are open 24 hours, but no pharmacy counter in Carolina is. Store hours versus counter hours, from each store's page and the Farmacias Caridad directory:
Walgreens, 200 Ave Fragoso, Carolina, PR 00983, 787-769-4122. Store: 24 hours. Pharmacy counter: daily 7 a.m.–11 p.m., closed 1:30–2 p.m.
Walgreens, 150 Route 857, at Route 3, Carolina, PR 00987, 787-701-0808. Store: 24 hours. Pharmacy counter: daily 7 a.m.–11 p.m.
Farmacia Caridad Plaza Escorial, 5720 Blvd. Media Luna, Carolina, 787-425-0150. Counter: Mon–Fri 7 a.m.–10 p.m., Sat 8 a.m.–9 p.m., Sun 9 a.m.–9 p.m.; it lists a drive-thru.
Farmacia Caridad Villa Carolina, 787-752-9644, and Caridad Campo Rico, 787-946-3588. Counter: Mon–Fri 7 a.m.–9 p.m. and Sat 8 a.m.–9 p.m.; on Sunday, Villa Carolina until 6 p.m. and Campo Rico until 8 p.m.
Farmacia Caridad Colobos, 830 Route 857, 787-701-2190. Store: until 10 p.m. Counter: Mon–Fri 7 a.m.–7 p.m., Sat 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sun 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
Nearest 24-hour pharmacy counters per the Walgreens locator: Walgreens, 2505 Carr 841, Guaynabo (787-287-0528) and Walgreens, 101 Carr 1, Caguas (787-744-2905), each with a 1:30–2 a.m. meal break.
If you need a prescription filled before an early flight, get it done by 11 p.m. the night before.
Sick at night near SJU
Around the airport, urgent care closes at 9 p.m. and pharmacy counters at 11 p.m. After that:
- Is it an emergency? Chest pain, shortness of breath, stroke signs, or a painful swollen leg after a long flight: call 911. Federico Trilla and Ashford are open 24 hours.
- Before 9 p.m. and not serious? Doctors' Center Barrazas urgent care is open until then.
- Need a prescription before 11 p.m.? The Walgreens counters on Ave Fragoso and Route 857 are open until then every day.
- After 11 p.m.? The nearest open counters are in Guaynabo and Caguas, closed 1:30–2 a.m. Call before you take a taxi.
- Can it wait until morning, or until you reach your hotel? Request a visit online 24/7 — we confirm your time by email or text. If the doctor prescribes something, we send your prescription to your pharmacy.
Virtual urgent care: a doctor near San Juan airport for all ages
For anything that is not an emergency, we offer video urgent care in Puerto Rico from your hotel, rental or home: fever, flu or a cold, a sore throat, UTI symptoms, diarrhea after travel, allergies or a rash. Dr. Diana Nieves Castro is a general practice physician with several years of emergency-department experience, and she sees adults and children of all ages, in English or Spanish.
We evaluate, diagnose and treat; if needed, we give you a lab order for a lab near you. If appropriate, the doctor prescribes and we send your prescription to your pharmacy. We do not prescribe controlled substances. Patients under 21 have a parent or legal guardian on the video, showing ID.
We send you a secure video link that works on your phone, tablet or computer. We are a telehealth service with no office at the airport, so the visit happens wherever you are, as long as you are physically in Puerto Rico.
What it costs: three prices, no membership
You pay by card through secure checkout; you are charged when you request the visit, with a full refund if the visit can't happen. The same price for every age:
- Doctor visit, US$79: a new problem, urgent care (non-emergencies), primary care, children and visitors. A doctor's note is included if you need one.
- Follow-up visit, US$49: a refill of a medicine you already take (non-controlled), or a review of your lab results if you are an existing patient.
- School and work forms, US$35: school, university or job forms.
- If a US$49 or US$35 visit turns out to need a full visit, the doctor explains why and, with your consent, you pay the difference. Full details on our pricing page.
Telehealth for Carolina residents: chronic care and dengue
Carolina had 150,679 residents in July 2024, and 25.7% are 65 or older, per the Census Bureau. With stable high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol, the doctor can follow you up by video and review labs; see chronic care.
The Puerto Rico Department of Health's weekly report for week 37 (published September 23, 2026) counts 18 dengue cases in Carolina so far in 2026, about 11.9 per 100,000. See the warning signs in our dengue guide. Addresses, phone numbers and hours on this page were last verified on 2026-09-30.
How we care for you
We evaluate, diagnose and treat; if needed, we give you a lab order for a lab near you.
We see adults and children of all ages. Patients under 21: a parent with patria potestad (parental authority) or a legal guardian is on camera for the whole visit and shows photo ID.
Real-time video visit. We send you a secure video link. It works on your phone, tablet or computer.
If appropriate, the doctor prescribes and we send your prescription to your pharmacy. We do not prescribe controlled substances.
You must be physically in Puerto Rico during the visit (visitors, tourists and cruise passengers are welcome).
In an emergency, call 911.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a 24-hour pharmacy near San Juan airport?
Which is the nearest ER to San Juan airport?
Can a doctor see me at my hotel near the airport?
How much is a doctor visit without insurance in Puerto Rico?
Can I get a prescription online before my flight?
Can you give me a fit-to-fly letter?
About this page
Author: The Health Initiative
Medical care provided by Dr. Diana Nieves Castro, MD (PR license 24027)
Disclosure: Founding Executive Director of The Health Initiative
Published: 2026-09-30 · Updated: 2026-10-02
Sources (14)
- Hospital UPR Dr. Federico Trilla (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Ashford Presbyterian: emergency department (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Doctors' Center Hospital Carolina (location record) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- CMS Care Compare: Doctors' Center Hospital Carolina (400132) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Doctors' Center Barrazas urgent care (location record) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- ASEM: Centro Médico location (Spanish) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Walgreens, 200 Ave Fragoso: store and pharmacy hours (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Walgreens, 150 Route 857: store and pharmacy hours (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Walgreens: 24-hour pharmacies near Carolina (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Farmacias Caridad: store locator (floor and pharmacy hours) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Wikipedia: Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (secondary source) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- U.S. Census Bureau: municipio population estimates, 2020–2024 (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- PR Department of Health: arboviral surveillance, week 37 of 2026 (Spanish) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- CMS: good faith estimates for uninsured and self-pay patients (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)