Thirty-six point three nautical miles between the two large Bay Islands. It is a short hop, but unlike almost every short route on this site, here we are not going to tell you there is a better alternative. Quoted per aircraft on request.
Route facts
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | Juan Manuel Gálvez (RTB / MHRO), Roatán |
| Destination | Guanaja (GJA / MHNJ) |
| Distance | 36.3 NM · 67 km |
| Destination runway | 12/30, 1,220 × 18 m, asphalt |
| Destination elevation | 49 ft |
| Price | Quoted per aircraft on request |
Why this route does earn its place
On the Bay Islands dive page we say openly that for Roatán and Utila a private flight is often unnecessary: Roatán has direct scheduled flights and Utila has a ferry from La Ceiba.
Guanaja is the exception. It is the worst connected of the three, without Roatán's scheduled service and without a sea service equivalent to Utila's.
Here the charter competes with nothing. It makes the trip possible.
The specific aircraft is assigned on confirmation, based on passenger count, baggage and the destination field.
A runway narrow for its length
Guanaja has a single runway, 12/30, 1,220 metres long by 18 wide, in asphalt.
Twelve hundred and twenty metres is ample length for this category of flight. Eighteen metres of width, less so. That proportion — long and narrow — is what characterises the field and what decides the assigned aircraft.
It is not Punta Islita at eight metres, but it is a long way from Roatán's generosity. The specific aircraft is assigned on confirmation, based on passenger count, baggage and the destination field.
The navigation figure that confirms the distance
A note for anyone who wants to check: the Roatán VOR-DME lies 36.3 nautical miles west-southwest of Guanaja airport. It matches the calculated distance between the two fields to the decimal.
That is the kind of verification we run before publishing any figure on this site.
The interval between diving and flying
Almost all traffic between these islands is diving, and there a constraint governs that is not ours: there is a recommended interval between a last dive and flying, and it applies the same on private and scheduled flights.
On an itinerary combining Roatán and Guanaja, that means the transfer day is not a full diving day. Plan it backwards from the flight, not forwards from the morning. The interval between your last dive and the flight is the one your dive centre specifies.
We cover it in detail on dive charter to the Bay Islands.
Chaining the three islands
Roatán, Utila and Guanaja in one trip by scheduled air and sea is a timetable puzzle. By air they are hops of twenty-four, thirty-six and sixty nautical miles, and you set the hour.
It is where the charter returns most in Honduras: not on a single route, but on the whole itinerary.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Roatán to Guanaja?
The flight covers 36.3 nautical miles. Guanaja is about 12 kilometres from the island of Roatán and 70 from the north coast of Honduras.
Is there an alternative to the private flight?
Guanaja is the worst connected of the three islands, without Roatán's scheduled service or a sea service like Utila's. Here the charter enables the trip.
What is the Guanaja runway like?
Single, 12/30, 1,220 metres by 18 wide in asphalt. Ample length, but narrow for that length, and that decides the aircraft.
Can I dive and fly the same day?
There is a recommended interval between a last dive and flying. The transfer day is not a full diving day. The interval between your last dive and the flight is the one your dive centre specifies.
Can the three islands be chained?
Yes, and it is where the charter returns most in Honduras. By air they are hops of 24, 36 and 60 nautical miles against a timetable puzzle by scheduled air and sea.
How much does a charter from Roatán to Guanaja cost?
Quoted per aircraft on request, not per passenger. Send us the date and the group and we confirm in writing.