Houston to Belize: Southwest Flights, the Airport in Ladyville and Entry Rules

Somewhere over the Gulf, the flight attendant hands out the Belize Customs Declaration Form, and the trip stops being an idea and becomes a landing. Travelers leaving Houston have one airline on the route: Southwest Airlines, which flies from Houston to Belize year-round. The airport sits in Ladyville, just outside Belize City.

Which airlines fly from Houston to Belize?

Southwest Airlines is the carrier to look for, and it flies from Houston to Belize year-round, so the route does not depend on the winter season. Other airlines serve Belize from other cities, but for a departure from Houston, Southwest is the one name that matters.

Since the route runs in every month, you can plan around what you want from Belize rather than around a flight calendar. A trip in the middle of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, uses the same route as a trip in February. The season is part of what you weigh when choosing your dates, and the flight itself is there either way.

What the other airlines do

Belize’s international airport is served by a good number of carriers, and it helps to know the pattern in case your plans change. American Airlines flies from Miami and Delta flies from Atlanta, both year-round. Copa Airlines connects from Panama all year.

A few routes follow the winter season. Alaska Air flies from Seattle from November through April, Air Canada flies from Toronto from December through April, and Sun Country Airlines flies from Minneapolis from December through April. United and Westjet also operate from the airport’s second terminal. For a traveler starting in Houston, these are the airlines you might meet in the terminal rather than the ones you will board.

Southwest at a glance

Leaving Belize

On the way home, the airport asks passengers to arrive at least 3 hours before the scheduled departure, and its own quick guide encourages 3 to 4 hours. Check-in counters for all airlines are in Terminals 1 and 2, and Southwest checks in at Terminal 2. Two departure fees apply at this airport: the Passenger Service Fee of US$53.50 and the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) fee of US$20.00.

TSA-Pre-Check is not available at the Belize airport, so expect the standard screening line on your way back to Houston.

Where do you land?

You land at Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport, in Ladyville, about 10 miles from downtown Belize City. The airport serves Belize City, the largest city in the country, on the eastern coast of Central America, and it is where nearly every international flight to Belize arrives.

The airport was known as Belize International Airport until it was renamed in honor of Philip S. W. Goldson on February 7, 1988. It has one asphalt runway, about 9,900 feet long, on a site of 457 acres. In 2024 it handled 1,229,000 passengers, a reminder that this is a busy gateway for such a small country.

The terminals

The airport has two terminals, and the airline decides which one you use. Southwest, American, Delta, United, Air Canada, Alaska Air and Westjet operate from Terminal 2. Copa, Sun Country, Transportes Aereos Guatemaltecos, Maya Island Air and Tropic Air operate from Terminal 1.

The airport is a hub for Tropic Air and Maya Island Air, which fly domestic routes within Belize. That matters if you are heading on to the cayes or elsewhere in the country after landing, since those airlines start from the same airport.

Getting into Belize City

The center of Belize City is about a 30-minute drive from the airport. Taxis wait outside both Terminals 1 and 2, and they operate daily from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The airport itself keeps the same daily hours, 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with services beyond those hours available on request.

A new paved access road was completed in mid-2020, running from the George Price Highway across the Belize River directly to the passenger terminal. Roadwork and dredging are underway on the airport access road at present, which means slower traffic and uneven surfaces. Allow for that when you plan the first stretch after you land.

Parking and contact

If you are meeting someone who is driving, parking at the airport costs US$2.00 per day, and overnight parking costs US$9.00. The airport call center can be reached at +(501) 225-2045, and the contact email is [email protected].

The airport sits at an elevation of 16 feet, which puts both the airport and Belize City at risk of serious flooding. It is one more reason to follow the weather if you travel between June and November.

What do you need for entry?

U.S. citizens need a U.S. passport valid for the length of their stay, and no Belizean visa is required for a tourist stay of less than 30 days. You also need to show proof of an onward or return ticket and enough funds to cover the entire stay.

At the immigration desk

Immigration officers at the airport ask non-resident passengers to present at least US$60.00 per day for the length of their stay. They also want to be satisfied about where you will be staying, so have a specific address or a hotel reservation ready when you reach the desk. Belize does not require special immunizations for visitors, so there is no vaccine paperwork to bring with you.

The Customs Declaration Form

Customs is the second step after immigration. One Customs Declaration Form may be filled out for family members traveling together when the children are under 18. Passengers over 18 complete their own form.

Items that attract tax or duty can be paid for in cash, VISA and MASTER cards or certified cheques. Filling in the form on the plane saves time at the counter, and you can do it while you are still above the Gulf.

If you cross by land

Travelers who enter Belize by land are charged different fees depending on whether the stay is shorter or longer than 24 hours. That does not apply to a flight from Houston, but it matters if you later cross a border and come back.

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 hurricane season in the Atlantic runs from June 1 to November 30, and the airport sits only a few feet above sea level, so a trip in those months deserves a look at the forecast before you leave Houston. Keep US$60.00 per day in funds in mind for the immigration desk, and remember that the departure fees, the Passenger Service Fee and the PACT fee, are paid at the airport on your way out.