Hey there expert travelers --
I am going to Belize in a week and am wondering about the rumors I hear about booking local flights for cheaper once I get to Belize. I will be looking for a flight from Belize City to Placencia and then another from Punta Gorda to Caye Caulker.
Is it true that those short flights can be booked cheaper in person once I am at the airport? Online prices are about $110 BZE - Placencia and $120 PG - Caye Caulker.
Any advice is welcome.
Thanks!
A car rental doesn't make sense for us since we are going to be on a remote caye for a whole week, with 4 days of travel on either end. We are otherwise taking busses and water taxis, but need to fly for time reasons for these specific legs of the trip.
I've heard of some people getting a 10% discount when paying in cash -- I forget which airline that was, maybe both.
I'll also send a link by PM about another site that offers a 10% discount on Tropic Air flights. I can't post it in case LP considers it advertising.
I think the cash discount was with Maya Island Air. I always book flights when I get there. There are several flights per day and two airlines so you should be able to get a flight that accommodates your schedule.
If you are flying into/out of the International airport the discount with Maya Island is only 10%, so you have to balance it against the risk of the flight being booked. I'm not sure if Tropic Air has a discount at this time. If you are flying into/out of the municipal airport the saving is with Maya Island and it is substantial. The flight to/from Dangriga is $32 one way for the month of Nov. This does not include the early morning and late p.m. (in other words, commuter) flights; so you have to fly between approx 9:00a.m. and 2:30p.m.
Thanks for the info! Seems our plans may have changed a bit -- we are now flying from BZE to Placencia. Do you know if the discounted rate for Dangriga applies to Placencia flights as well?
Note that in general internal flights on either Tropic Air or Maya Island Air from the municipal airport in Belize City are cheaper than flights from the international airport in Ladyville. The savings are greatest to San Pedro and Caye Caulker, but there are some savings to other destinations (beyond the specials such as Maya Island Air is running). However, a taxi from BZE to the municipal airport is US$25 (for the taxi, not per person) so you have to calculate how much, if any, you will save. The taxi takes around 20 minutes. The cash discounts are usually available from either the municipal or international airports, though in my experience often they do not apply on Saturdays or holidays. Remember, the cash discounts are if you pay in cash (Belize or U.S. dollars) not with a credit card or debit card.
--Lan Sluder
