Flying to Belize

General Information

Belize has around twenty airfields and small airports, but only one—Belize City's Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport—serves international flights. Its traffic remains limited, with direct connections to just a few cities in Central America, Cancun, or the United States, which is where Europeans and Canadians often transit when flying to Belize. Each year, Philip S.W. Goldson welcomes over half a million passengers (542,833 in 2013), and Belize City could also add the figures from its other municipal airport, which specializes in domestic flights.

While international traffic is relatively limited, domestic flights within Belize are well-developed. The sometimes long or difficult access to inland cities, as well as the presence of popular tourist cayes offshore (Ambergris, Caye Caulker, etc.), ensure steady traffic, particularly through Belize City's airports.

Types of Flights

Local Airlines

Belize has two small airlines that operate national flights or routes to neighboring countries.

Maya Island Air: With a fleet of 12 aircraft, this airline serves around ten cities in Belize, as well as Guatemala and Honduras from Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport.

Tropic Air: This airline operates 14 aircraft, serving several cities in Belize as well as Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala.

Charters, Scheduled, and Low-Cost Flights

Apart from a few charters from North America, Belize remains a destination for scheduled airlines.

Promotions and Special Offers

Promotions for Belize are not unique to the destination but reflect specific offers from airlines, particularly American ones, on their networks that include Belize.

From France and Europe

There are no direct flights between Europe and Belize. All options include at least one stop, with U.S. airlines (American, Delta, United) being the most commonly offered to European travelers. Note that even for a simple transit through the U.S., you will need an ESTA to continue your journey.

Alternatively, you can transit through cities like Cancun or Guatemala City, though options are more limited. From France, expect at least a good fifteen hours of flight time with layovers, and round-trip fares ranging from 550 to 880 €.

From the Rest of the Americas

United States

Unsurprisingly, the U.S. is the best-connected country, thanks to its expatriate Belizean community and American visitors. Direct flights to/from Belize City are available from Atlanta (Delta), Chicago (United), Los Angeles (American, Delta), New York (United), Texas (American, Southwest, United), and Miami (American).

Central America

El Salvador: San Salvador (Avianca).

Guatemala: Guatemala City (Maya Island Air) and Flores (TAG + Tropic Air).

Honduras: Roatan (Tropic Air) and San Pedro Sula (Maya Island Air + Tropic Air).

Mexico: Cancun (Maya Island Air + Tropic Air) and Merida (Tropic Air).

Panama: Panama City (Copa Airlines).