Belize Airport: Location And Accessibility

Belize has one international airport, Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport, located in the village of Ladyville, approximately nine to ten miles from Belize City. The airport is named after Hon. Philip Stanley Wilberforce Goldson, a popular Belizean activist and politician who died in 2001. It is the largest and busiest airport in the country, serving approximately 1.1 million passengers in 2018.

Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport

The airport, also known as PGIA, covers 457 acres of land and has one runway, which is 9,700 feet long and capable of receiving full-size aircraft. In 2018, the airport received over 5,000 international and 26,000 domestic flights, serving approximately 1.1 million passengers. Currently, 11 international and two domestic airlines operate from the PGIA, offering scheduled flights to the USA, Canada, Latin America, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe.

The Philip Goldson International Airport terminal building is approximately 110,000 sq ft. The building contains Terminals 1 and 2, International Arrival and Departure Halls, a Domestic Arrival Hall, restaurants, bars, snack outlets, gift/souvenir shops, duty-free shops, a bank, and various other services. Outside the terminal building, there are car parking lots, a Rental Services Center, and often a sea of Belize City taxis waiting to pick up passengers.

The airport has undergone a $60 million Airport Improvements Project, which includes airport infrastructure expansion, a new Eastern Taxiway, a new car park facility, personnel training, new services, and equipment upgrades.

Due to its low elevation and coastal location, the airport is at risk of serious flooding. This has also led to the relocation of Belize's capital to Belmopan. However, the Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport remains the largest and busiest airport in the country and is currently the fifth busiest airport in Central America.

Belize's busiest airport

The airport is served by several major airlines, including American Airlines, Copa Airlines, Delta, Southwest Airlines, United, and U.S. Airways. These airlines offer non-stop flights to various destinations in the United States, Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, and Panama.

Tropic Air and Maya Island Air are the two local aviation companies that operate within Belize, providing domestic connections to over a dozen airports within the country. Tropic Air is the largest airline in Belize in terms of fleet size and flight destinations, with a fleet of 17 aircraft and serving 17 domestic and international airports.

The Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport is a modern facility with all the necessary amenities for travellers. It features duty-free shops, souvenir shops, and restaurants in both the arrival and departure areas. The airport is open daily from 6 am to 6 pm, and ATMs and currency exchange services are available on-site.

In addition to the international airport, Belize also has several other airports that cater to domestic flights, including the Belize City Municipal Airport, Caye Caulker Airport, and Corozal Municipal Airport.

Belize City Municipal Airport

In 2012, a modernisation project was initiated, which included extending the runway, constructing a new access road, adding a taxiway, and installing a new lighting system. The project was completed in November 2016, with a total cost of BZ$17 million.

Domestic airports in Belize

Belize has one international airport and several domestic airports scattered across the country. The domestic airports are located in the most populous areas of each district and are primarily used by tourists during the high season.

The Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (PGIA) is the only international airport in Belize. It is located in Ladyville, a village that is 10 miles outside of Belize City. It has a long runway measuring 9,700 feet, capable of accommodating full-size aircraft.

The 5 most popular domestic airports in Belize are:

• Belize City Municipal Airport (also known as Sir Barry Bowen Municipal Airport)
• San Pedro Airport (also known as John Greif II Airport or San Pedro Airport, Ambergris Caye)
• Caye Caulker Airport
• Placencia Airport
• San Ignacio Airport (also known as Maya Flats Airstrip)

Other domestic airports in Belize include:

• Hector Silva Airstrip (also known as Belmopan Airport)
• Corozal Town Airport
• Punta Gorda Airport
• Dangriga Airport
• Orange Walk Airstrip
• Maya Island Air

International airlines flying to Belize

Belize's Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE) is served by a variety of international airlines, offering direct and connecting flights from North America, Europe, and Central America. Here is a list of airlines that operate flights to Belize:

North American Airlines

• American Airlines: Serves Belize from Charlotte, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Boston, Portland (OR), Milwaukee, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Atlanta, and many other US cities.
• United Airlines: Offers flights to Belize from Houston, Denver, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington D.C., Phoenix, and other US locations.
• Delta Airlines: Provides direct flights from Atlanta and seasonal flights from Minneapolis.
• Alaska Airlines: Operates direct flights from Los Angeles, Seattle/Tacoma, and, seasonally, from Portland (OR).
• Southwest Airlines: Flies directly to Belize from Denver, Houston, and, seasonally, Baltimore.
• JetBlue: Offers direct flights from New York City.
• Sun Country Airlines: Provides seasonal direct flights from Minneapolis.
• Frontier Airlines: Operates seasonal direct flights to Belize.
• Avianca Airlines: Connects Belize with flights from San Salvador, El Salvador.
• Copa Airlines: Offers flights from Panama City, Panama.

Central American Airlines

• Tropic Air: Provides connections to Belize from Cancun, Mexico, and several domestic locations within Belize, including San Pedro, Dangriga, Placencia, and Punta Gorda.
• Maya Island Air: Operates domestic flights within Belize, connecting Belize City with Caye Caulker, Caye Chapel, Dangriga, Independence, Placencia, and San Pedro.

European Airlines

British Airways: Offers flights from London, Heathrow, with a short connection in Miami.

Frequently asked questions