A private charter from Roatan (RTB) to La Ceiba (LCE) covers 39 nautical miles in roughly 21 minutes. It is the island-to-mainland departure leg, and its booking logic differs from the inbound. Quoted per aircraft on request.
Route facts
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | Juan Manuel Gálvez (RTB / MHRO) |
| Destination | Golosón International (LCE / MHLC) |
| Great-circle distance | 39.4 NM · 45 miles · 73 km |
| Estimated flight time | 21 min |
| Aircraft | Aircraft assigned on confirmation · 4–12 seats |
| Origin elevation | 20 ft (6 m) |
| Destination runway | 2,950 × 45 m, asphalt |
| Price | Quoted per aircraft on request |
The return is not planned like the outbound
The distance is identical to La Ceiba to Roatan, but the direction changes entirely what has to be accounted for.
On the way out, the passenger arrives at the island and starts a holiday: if the flight slips an hour, they lose an hour of beach. On the way back there is almost always a connection waiting — an international departure out of La Ceiba, San Pedro Sula or Tegucigalpa — and a delay stops being an inconvenience and becomes a problem.
So in this direction the planning is different: we time the Roatan departure with margin against your onward flight, not against whatever hour is most convenient on the island.
Share your onward flight number when booking. It is the figure that sets the departure time.
Timed against your onward connection
The dive-to-fly interval matters here
On the way out, diving is a future activity. On the way back it is a recent one, and the order of events becomes relevant.
Dive safety practice calls for a surface interval between the last dive and flying. We do not give a figure, because that is a recommendation from your certifying agency or dive centre rather than from us, but we do insist on one practical point: that interval has to be planned before you book the flight, not after.
On Roatan it is common to dive until the last day. If your departure is first thing the following morning, the conflict is predictable. Check with your centre and set the departure time accordingly.
The two airports
Juan Manuel Gálvez (RTB): an international airport on Roatan, operated by EHISA, at 20 feet above sea level. It handled 550,422 passengers in 2023.
Golosón (LCE): a military and public airport operated by EHISA, on the western side of La Ceiba in Atlántida Department, with an asphalt runway of 2,950 by 45 metres at 49 feet elevation.
Both have full infrastructure, which makes this one of the more predictable legs in the network.
On confirmed weather-related closures: Several fields in the network operate in daylight and visual conditions, and close when the weather does not allow it.
Onward connections from the mainland
From La Ceiba we link to Tegucigalpa and, within the archipelago, to Utila and Guanaja for travellers wanting to chain islands before leaving the country.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the flight from Roatan to La Ceiba?
Roughly 21 minutes across 39.4 nautical miles.
How much does a private charter from Roatan to La Ceiba cost?
Quoted per aircraft on request, not per passenger. Send us the date and the group and we confirm in writing.
Why is the return planned differently from the outbound?
Because on the return there is almost always a connection waiting. We time the Roatan departure with margin against your onward flight rather than against the most convenient hour on the island.
What do you need to book?
Your onward flight number from the mainland. That is what sets the departure time from Roatan.
Can I dive the day before flying?
Dive safety practice calls for a surface interval between the last dive and flying. Check with your dive centre and plan it before booking the flight, not after.
Is this a reliable leg?
Both ends are airports with full infrastructure and long runways, which makes it one of the more predictable legs in the network.
Book this route
Related routes: La Ceiba to Roatan · Roatan to Utila · Roatan to Guanaja · How much does a private charter to La Ceiba cost · All routes from Roatan
See also: The per-seat math