Belize is a small country with a dense air network, and that means half our routes from here are ones you do not need. This page says which ones you do. On request per aircraft.
The destinations, by distance
| Destination | Distance | Worth a private flight? |
|---|---|---|
| Caye Caulker | 16.0 NM from TZA · 19.6 from BZE | Rarely: there is a water taxi |
| San Pedro / Ambergris | 29.6 NM | Seldom: there is a water taxi |
| Placencia | 60.2 NM | Yes: it replaces half a day of driving |
| Flores / Tikal | 96.9 NM | Yes, but it is international |
Two airports that are not interchangeable
The city has two fields and, unlike other origins in the catalogue, here the difference does show on the short routes.
Goldson (BZE) is the international, outside the city. Belize Municipal (TZA) is inside it.
Towards Caye Caulker the difference is 3.6 nautical miles — 16.0 from the municipal against 19.6 from the international — which on a sixteen-mile sector is a fifth of the journey. Towards Placencia it drops to six tenths: irrelevant.
Which we use and when: The aircraft may need to reposition to the departure aerodrome, and that leg forms part of the quote.
The specific aircraft is assigned on confirmation, based on passenger count, baggage and the destination field.
The country rule: sea against land
It is the simplest way to decide, and it works almost every time.
To the cayes, take the boat. Caye Caulker and Ambergris have regular, frequent, cheap water taxis. On sectors of sixteen to thirty nautical miles, the transfers to each aerodrome run longer than the air. Flying earns its place only in rough seas, with awkward baggage, or when chaining a long flight the same day.
To the south and the Petén, take the aeroplane. Placencia is on the mainland and its alternative is half a day of driving. Flores is on the far side of a border and of the jungle. Here the flight wins comfortably.
Placencia is not improvised
A warning worth having before you ask for a time: the Placencia field requires apron coordination with Tropic Air or Maya Island Air, which operate the scheduled traffic.
It is not a formality of ours. It takes its own time and it is not a same-day destination. We confirm prior apron coordination with the field in the quote, because it changes with the date and the operation.
An out-of-date fact still in circulation
Caye Caulker suspended service in 2017 because of the dangerous condition of its runway, and has since been rebuilt with asphalt and runway lighting.
References still describing it as a dangerous strip are out of date. If you have read that somewhere, it is old information.
Towards Flores the border governs
Belize City is 96.9 nautical miles from Flores. Guatemala City is 145.1: fifty more, and yet that route is considerably simpler because it is domestic.
If your trip already passes through Guatemala, that is the comfortable way to Tikal. From here, the border is part of the plan.
Frequently asked questions
How many destinations do you serve from Belize City?
Four, from 16.0 to 96.9 nautical miles. At two of them we will recommend the water taxi.
Goldson or Belize Municipal?
Towards Caye Caulker the difference is 3.6 nautical miles on a sixteen-mile sector: a fifth. Towards Placencia it drops to six tenths. The aircraft may need to reposition to the departure aerodrome, and that leg forms part of the quote.
Is flying to the cayes worth it?
Rarely. There is a regular, cheap water taxi and the transfers to each aerodrome run longer than the flight. It is worth it in rough seas or with awkward baggage.
And to Placencia?
Yes. It is on the mainland and replaces half a day of driving. But it requires apron coordination and is not a same-day destination. We confirm prior apron coordination with the field in the quote, because it changes with the date and the operation.
Is the Caye Caulker runway dangerous?
No. It was rebuilt after the 2017 suspension, with asphalt and lighting. References saying otherwise are out of date.
What is the best way to Tikal?
From here it is 96.9 nautical miles but crosses a border. From Guatemala City it is 145.1 and domestic: further and simpler.
Enquire
See also: San Pedro to Caye Caulker · Guatemala City to Flores · Belize reef dive charter · Tikal day trip · All destinations · Private Charter from Belize City to Utila · Private Charter from Caye Caulker to Flores · Private Charter from Caye Caulker to Punta Gorda · Private Charter from Flores to Belize Municipal · Private Charter from Placencia to Roatán · Private Charter from Punta Gorda to La Ceiba · Charter or drive to Flores and Tikal · Charter or scheduled flight in Belize · The fastest way to get to Ambergris Caye · Getting around Belize