The first thing you notice on the way down to Belize City is the color: a flat green coast, brown river mouths and, farther out, the pale shallows that mark the reef. For travelers leaving Atlanta, that view comes courtesy of Delta, which flies the route all year. The flight ends at Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport in Ladyville, just outside Belize City, the gateway to the cayes, the rainforest and the Maya sites.
Which airlines fly from Atlanta to Belize?
Delta Airlines is the airline that flies from Atlanta to Belize, and it does so year-round, so the route does not depend on a winter or summer schedule. Atlanta is one of Delta’s home bases, which means the Belize flight leaves from an airport where the airline has a large presence and where many travelers from the Southeast begin their trip.
On the Belize side, Delta checks in and arrives through Terminal 2, the same terminal used by American, Southwest, United, Air Canada, Alaska Air and Westjet. Knowing that in advance helps when a friend or a driver is meeting you, since the airport has two terminals and each handles different airlines.
Delta from Atlanta
Because the Delta flight runs year-round, you can plan around the things that really change in Belize: the sea, the light, the festivals and the rain, rather than around whether the airline is flying. A trip in the dry winter months and a trip in the green season both begin at the same Atlanta gate area and end at the same Belize terminal.
Once you are in the air, the arrival is part of the pleasure. The coastline appears as a thin strip of mangrove and low forest, with the Caribbean on one side and a patchwork of lagoons and farmland on the other. Aisle and window seats matter less than they usually do, because the descent into Belize is one of the better views of the trip.
Check-in counters for every airline at the airport sit in Terminals 1 and 2.
Other airlines and other gateways
Not every trip starts in Atlanta, and Belize is served from several other cities. Some of those flights run all year and some only in the winter, so a traveler building a trip around a particular month will want to see them side by side.
| Airline | Flies from | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Delta Airlines | Atlanta | Year-round |
| American Airlines | Miami | Year-round |
| Southwest Airlines | Houston | Year-round |
| Copa Airlines | Panama | Year-round |
| Alaska Air | Seattle | November through April |
| Air Canada | Toronto | December through April |
| Sun Country Airlines | Minneapolis | December through April |
With today’s date in mind, the seasonal flights are only now getting ready to return: Alaska Air starts up again in November, and Air Canada and Sun Country follow in December. Those schedules fit the winter months when many northern travelers head south, while Delta, American, Southwest and Copa keep the airport connected the rest of the year.
Domestic flights from the same airport
The airport is also the hub for Tropic Air and Maya Island Air, the two carriers that operate domestic flights within Belize. Their check-in is in Terminal 1, along with COPA, Sun Country and Transportes Aereos Guatemaltecos (TAG).
For an arriving traveler, that means the international flight and a hop to another part of the country can begin from the same airport grounds. You walk from the Terminal 2 arrival side of the airport toward the Terminal 1 side, which is worth picturing before you land so the move between airlines feels familiar rather than confusing.
Where do you land?
You land at Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport, in Ladyville, just outside Belize City, the largest city in the country. The airport sits on the eastern coast of Central America, on land that is only about sixteen feet above sea level, and its single asphalt runway is 9,900 feet long.
The airport was once called Belize International Airport. It took its present name in honor of Philip S. W. Goldson on February 7, 1988, and it handled 1,229,000 passengers in 2024, which gives a sense of how central it is to travel in and out of the country.
Getting from the terminal toward Belize City
The terminal is ten miles from downtown Belize City, and the drive takes about half an hour. A paved access road, finished in mid-2020, runs from the George Price Highway across the Belize River straight to the passenger terminal, so the last stretch of the journey crosses the river on the way in.
Roadwork and dredging are currently underway on that access road, which means slower traffic and uneven surfaces. For a traveler stepping off a flight, it simply means the road may take longer than the distance suggests, and that the first minutes of the trip are less smooth than the last.
Taxis wait outside both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. The same hours apply to the airport itself, so a flight that lands near the end of the day should be read against these times.
| Service | Open | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Airport | Daily, 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (services beyond normal hours on request) | Ladyville |
| Taxis | Daily, 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. | Outside Terminals 1 and 2 |
Customs on arrival
Before you leave the arrival hall, you fill out a Customs Declaration Form. A family traveling together with children under 18 may share one form, while every passenger over 18 completes their own. Fill it in accurately, since it is the document that tells Customs what you are carrying into the country.
If something you carry attracts tax or duty, it can be paid in cash, with VISA and MASTER cards, or with certified cheques. The way you pay is therefore flexible, which is useful when you have just landed and are sorting out the first few hours of the trip.
Flying home from Belize City
On the way back, passengers are encouraged to arrive three to four hours before the scheduled departure, a stretch of time that covers check-in, immigration and security. The airport’s daily hours also frame the day: with the airport open from early morning to evening, an afternoon departure is the natural plan for many travelers.
TSA PreCheck is not available at this airport, so every passenger goes through the standard lanes. If you are driven to the airport by someone who will wait, or you leave a car there, the parking charges appear in the final section of the page.
What do you need for entry?
U.S. citizens entering Belize need a U.S. passport valid for the length of their stay, and tourists staying less than 30 days do not require a visa. Beyond those two papers, you must show an onward or return ticket and prove you can pay for the trip, so the Atlanta flight home or a ticket onward should be in hand before you reach the immigration desk.
The papers at the immigration desk
The passport comes first, and it has to be valid for the whole of your stay. The proof of an onward or return ticket applies to all travelers entering Belize, whatever the passport they carry, so it is a document to keep within reach instead of buried in a checked bag.
Immigration officers also expect to be satisfied about where you will stay. Passengers arriving at the airport must be able to give a specific address or a hotel reservation, so the name of your hotel, lodge or rental belongs in your phone or on paper before you land.
Money you must be able to show
Travelers must have sufficient funds to cover the cost of their entire stay in Belize. For non-resident passengers arriving at the airport, the figure is at least US$60.00 per day for the duration of the stay, which turns a week’s visit into a simple multiplication.
This requirement is about being able to support yourself during the trip, and it is separate from the customs duty you may pay in the arrival hall. Keep the two ideas apart when you plan: one is the proof of funds at the immigration desk, the other is the payment for items that attract tax.
Health and what you do not need
Belize does not require special immunizations for visitors, so there is no vaccination certificate to pack for the entry itself. The checklist for the immigration desk is short: passport, onward or return ticket, an address or hotel reservation, and the funds to cover your days in the country.
If you plan to cross into Belize by land at some point, different fees are charged depending on whether the stay is less than or more than 24 hours. Arriving by air from Atlanta, that rule does not apply to you.
Good to know before you go
The U.S. State Department rates Belize Level 2, “Exercise increased caution”, because of crime, and says the south side of Belize City has historically had the highest concentration of violent crime.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, so a trip taken around today’s date falls within it, and it is worth following the forecast as your departure approaches. The airport’s call center can be reached at +(501) 225-2045, and its email address is [email protected]. Departing passengers pay two fees at the airport, and anyone who leaves a car there pays for parking by the day or for an overnight stay.
| Fee | Amount | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger Service Fee | US$53.50 | Departing passengers |
| Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) fee | US$20.00 | Departing passengers |
| Parking, per day | US$2.00 | Anyone parking a car at the airport |
| Overnight parking | US$9.00 | Anyone parking a car overnight at the airport |
Sources
- Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (Belize), Airlines flying to Belize (https://www.pgiabelize.com/passenger-info/airlines-flying-to-belize/), checked October 11, 2026
- Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (Belize), Route map (https://www.pgiabelize.com/route-map/), checked October 11, 2026
- Wikipedia, Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_S._W._Goldson_International_Airport), checked October 11, 2026
- Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (Belize), Quick facts (https://www.pgiabelize.com/passenger-info/quick-facts/), checked October 11, 2026
- Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (Belize), Passenger info (https://www.pgiabelize.com/passenger-info/), checked October 11, 2026
- U.S. Department of State, Belize Travel Information, Entry and exit requirements (https://travel.state.gov/), checked October 11, 2026
- Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (Belize), FAQ (https://www.pgiabelize.com/about-us/faq/), checked October 11, 2026
- U.S. Department of State, Belize Travel Advisory, Level 2, March 11, 2026 (https://travel.state.gov/), checked October 11, 2026
- NOAA National Hurricane Center, Climatology (https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/), checked October 11, 2026