CARICOM’s New APIS Portal: What the Transition Means for Your Next Flight

CARICOM IMPACS has announced that the current eAPIS Portal will be officially decommissioned on September 30, 2026, with the new CARICOM MDEX Portal taking over portal submissions from October 1.

For those accustomed to submitting CARICOM APIS through the existing portal, the move to MDEX requires some advance preparation. Existing credentials will not carry over; a new account, testing, and approval for live submissions are part of the transition—and should be completed before they become an immediate flight-planning concern.

At CST Flight Services, guidance from the MDEX support team helped us become familiar with MDEX portal and its submission requirements. We have found the platform straightforward to use, and we encourage those managing their own submissions to allow time to explore the system and complete account approval before their next flight.

MDEX allows aviation users to enter information directly through APIS Manual Submission or upload an Excel document using the new Aviation Excel Template (v7.1). These options accommodate different ways of preparing passenger and crew information. Users choosing Excel will need the new template, as templates from the previous eAPIS portal are not compatible.

One feature we particularly appreciate is the system’s validation of submitted information and identification of errors, an improvement over our experience with the previous portal. MDEX also generates automatic confirmation emails following successful submissions. Within My Submissions, users can review the information through Submission Details and download the uploaded Excel file. Together, these features make it easier to verify what was submitted and retain a record for the flight.

Alongside these improvements, two operational points deserve attention. It has been outlined that the APIS with  passenger and crew information must be submitted at least 40 minutes before departure. If a flight is cancelled after submission, MDEX currently offers no option to report the cancellation. Given the frequency of schedule changes in business and general aviation, this is a capability I would welcome in a future update.

CARICOM MDEX  also outlined the requirements for account approval: at least two valid test submissions, followed by contact with the MDEX support team for review and approval before live submissions can begin.

When creating a new account, users must select the category that reflects their role. Flight Operator is intended for aviation users submitting information for their own operation, including airlines, charter operators, and private aircraft owners. Voyage Operator serves maritime users while Agent applies to organizations submitting on behalf of others.

The transition timeline differs for organizations using integrated systems. The existing eAPIS Web Services are scheduled for retirement on December 31, 2026, while the September 30 deadline applies to the web portal. The applicable deadline depends on how an operation’s information is submitted.

The transition to MDEX reflects the work behind modernizing APIS reporting in the region. For those of us who used the previous portal for years, it naturally involves a period of adjustment. From my experience so far, the platform brings practical improvements to the way we submit and review passenger and crew information.