An apparatus and method for guiding bypass reentry flow through contraction and filter in a hard disk drive. The method provides a bypass channel for directing airflow away from a first portion of a disk of the hard disk drive and toward a second portion of the disk of the hard disk drive. A contraction portion is coupled with the bypass channel at a location wherein the bypass channel directs the airflow back toward the second portion of the disk of the hard disk drive. The contraction portion accelerates a first portion of the airflow directed toward the second portion of the disk of the hard disk drive. A filter portion integral with the contraction portion is utilized for filtering a second portion of the airflow directed toward the second portion of the disk of the hard disk drive.