Flying to Belize

How to Get to Slickrock Adventures' Private Island Retreats

 

Choosing an Airline

Although it is not required, we strongly recommend you fly in a day early if you have the time. By adding an extra day to your itinerary, almost any SNAFU can be dealt with and you can still arrive on time for your trip. Please visit our Other Things to Do in Belize page and our Belize page for activities and lodging we recommend that you may add to either end of your trip with us.

 

When you begin planning to join us, if you find a good deal on a flight, don’t hesitate! We have heard many horror stories about a fantastic deal missed due to procrastination. Also, before you make the final purchase, make sure you have the days correct. We have also seen those who don’t fully read our material and book themselves flying in too late to meet us, or back to the U.S. before the trip is over. 

 

There are several options for flying to Belize. The technique to get the best rates is to book as early as possible. You may fly to Belize on one of five carriers: Continental, American, U.S. Airways, Delta, or Grupo Taca (El Salvador). We no longer recommend Grupo Taca because of problems with their non-existent customer service.

 

There is enough variety between flights to warrant comparison-shopping; please see the chart below for all of your options. Last season we saw an increase in cancelled and delayed flights, which meant that many of our guests were very glad they purchased a travel insurance policy. A large percentage of our guests are able to take our advice and fly in a day early, which accounts for the small percentage of our guests who experience problems.

 

When you make your reservations, try to arrange for as few connecting flights as possible. If you have several connections, small delays can add up to missing your final flight from your gateway city to Belize. If at all possible, do not accept reservations with less than two hours between connections; very tight connections increase the possibility that you will miss one of your connecting flights. If you are flying in a day early you don’t have to be as concerned about multiple and tight connections.

 

What do we do? From Utah we fly to Houston or Dallas on whichever airline gives us the best deal, or with which we have frequent flyer points, and we often overnight in that US city if the connections would be too tight to get to Belize in one day. We then switch to Continental or American to fly to Belize. This way we get the best price, and if staying in the US overnight, our luggage can catch up (it may be still behind).

 

When staying overnight in Houston, we recommend three hotels that are near the airport: Country Inn & Suites (281) 987-2400; Comfort Suites (281) 442-0600; Sleep Inn (281)442-7770; all on JFK Blvd. You want to stay on JFK because this cluster of motels is located near restaurants you can walk to. There is another cluster near the airport where you will starve without a vehicle. If you stay at one of these (all in the $120/night range) but eat at the Double Tree Inn you get the best of both worlds... the Double Tree is about $225/night. The airport shuttles runs 18 hours/day; if you arrive after 11:00 p.m. you will probably have to catch a cab. We don't have recommendations like this for any other city because we don't use any other route.

 

The following is provided to help you make your plans, but all information could change without notice (it changes often). Please check with the airline for up-to-date information.

Airline Flights to Belize

Updated 9May08

 

Airline	Gateway City	US Departure	BZE Arrival	BZE Departure	US Arrival
Continental-daily	Houston	9:00 a.m.	10:23 a.m.	11:16 a.m.	2:53 p.m.
Continental-daily	Houston	1:28 p.m.	3:01 p.m.	3:51 p.m.	7:30 p.m.
Continental-Saturday only	Houston	11:10 a.m.	12:33 p.m.	1:23 p.m.	5:00 p.m.
American-daily	Miami	10:20 a.m.	11:30 a.m.	12:35 p.m.	3:30 p.m.
American-daily	Miami	2:05 p.m.	3:15 p.m.	4:20 p.m.	7:15 p.m.
American-daily	Dallas/Ft Worth	1:05 p.m.	3:55 p.m.	4:20 p.m.	7:25 p.m.
US Airways-Sat and Sun only	Charlotte	9:35 a.m.	11:56 a.m.	12:55 p.m.	5:08 p.m.
Delta - Sat and Sun + other days	Atlanta	11:30 a.m.	1:31 p.m.	2:25 p.m.	6:27 p.m.

 

Reconfirm Your Flights

You should reconfirm your flights the week prior to departure for international flights on any airline. This may save you from unexpected problems at the airport on the days you are flying. Airline phone numbers: American: (800) 433-7300; Continental: (800) 231-0856; U.S. Airways: (800) 622-1015; Delta: (800) 241-4141. No matter how you purchase your ticket, be sure to scrutinize the dates and arrival times as soon as your ticket arrives. Occasionally mistakes are made due to miscommunication. If your ticket is not correct, you need to discover the mistake immediately rather than in line at the airport on the day of your departure!

Packing

It is a good idea to carry-on one bag that has everything that you cannot do without (i.e. change of clothes, medications, and necessary toiletries). Occasionally, airlines will mark one of your two bags "Priority," so that if unavoidable, they will bump only one of your bags. This is yet another reason to purchase trip insurance; with trip insurance replacement cost for items may be recovered. (Please call TravelEx (800) 228-9792 for a travel insurance policy or visit their website; Slickrock’s location number is 44-0013.) Some items lost or delayed can be replaced in Belize City, but if arriving right before your trip meeting, many stores are already closed.

Once You Arrive in Belize

Visas are handed out to U.S., British, and Canadian citizens on the plane; citizens of other countries should check with their consulate about acquiring visas. At the airport you pass through immigration and customs. Take a cab to the Biltmore Plaza Hotel. Cab drivers at Belize International are sometimes guilty of overcharging even though prices are posted on the wall in the arrival area (currently $35 U.S. per cab, but prices are in flux due to rising gasoline costs). By wearing your Slickrock T-shirt to the airport, it is easy to identify other guests to share a cab with. Please remember that we meet at the published time on Day 1 of our itinerary. If for any reason you cannot make the meeting it is important that you let us know by calling the Utah office. See "If Late or Delayed" in the itinerary sheet for your trip. (You can request this document.) If you are only a half hour late and your guide knows this in advance, he/she will wait for you as long as possible.

 

Belize, Central America and Belize City Tourism Information: Country of Belize Facts | Flying to Belize, departures from Belize City, Belize Belize City Flights-Cheap Flights to Belize | Belize Map, Map of Belize City | Purchase Detailed Road Map of Belize

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