Guatemalan air travel is dominated by the La Aurora International Airport in the capital of Guatemala City. Whether booking flights to Guatemala or flights within Guatemala, the Guatemala City airport is where you will likely find yourself at some point. Quite a few of the major airlines offer daily flights to Guatemala City, many of which are nonstop affairs. Considering Guatemala’s proximity to the United States, a nonstop US-Guatemala flight is typically a pretty short trip. Second busiest to the Guatemala City airport is the Mundo Maya International airport near Flores. Smaller airports in Quetzaltenango and San José can also be used for an intra-country Guatemala flight, should you desire to travel as such.
Among the major North American airline carriers, daily
nonstop Guatemala City flight options can be found departing
from Charlotte,
Fort
Lauderdale, Miami,
San
Francisco, Washington
D.C., New
Orleans, New
York, Dallas,
Boston,
Chicago
and Houston.
From Canada,
Europe and Australia,
various flights to Guatemala can be found leaving from
major cities, some of which are nonstop, others involving
one or more layovers. By evidence of just how many flights
service Guatemala each week, it is safe to say that the
country is well on its way to establishing itself as a
popular travel destination. If you are searching for a
discount on your Guatemala flight, be sure to compare
rates online with the various discount travel agencies.
Booking flights to Guatemala well in advance can translate
to big savings. You may see an increase in Guatemala flight
prices nearing the country’s celebration of Semana
Santa (Holy Week), or during the winter months when cold
northerners go seeking warmer climates. Prices may drop,
on the other hand, between the months of May and October,
when Guatemala experiences its rainy season.
The Guatemala City airport is located some four miles south of the capital, and only about 16 miles from beautiful Antigua. At the Guatemala City airport, you can get to the city using the airport shuttle bus, by taxi, regular bus or by rental car. Driving in Guatemala has gotten a pretty bad rap, with safety concerns and windy roads being the main culprits. However, as Guatemala continues to distance itself from its Civil War and the ensuing complications, driving for tourists is becoming more popular. At the Guatemala City airport you can find such notable rental car companies as Budget, Hertz, Avis and National. The airport shuttle bus meets many arriving flights and offers drop offs at some of the larger Guatemala City hotels. You can generally find a bus leaving for the city every half hour, with regular connection buses to Antigua. If those options do not suit you, you can always hail a cab.
If burning time at the Guatemala City airport is needed,
you will find an array of bars, restaurants and shops
catering to travelers. The shopping at the Guatemala City
airport can be quite good, offering plenty of local crafts
in case you are short on keepsakes or gifts. You may also
find it helpful to know that there is a post office and
bank at the airport, as well as a pharmacy, hotel reservation
desks, and kiosks offering all kinds of tourist information.
Generally, you are required to pay a departure tax when
leaving Guatemala, which is usually quite low. One thing
to note about Guatemalan air travel, is that you can now
find direct flights from Houston that arrive at the Flores
Mundo Maya International airport. This is something to
consider if you are hoping to spend a considerable amount
of time exploring the northern Petén region of
the country where you can find the impressive Mayan ruins
of Tikal and El
Mirador.
