Central America is fairly small can be covered with a light single engine aircraft. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that flying isn’t cheap, but when flying across the borders you must consider additional costs for permissions, parking, handling fees, passenger departure taxes, higher fuel prices, and potentially others.
Here are some examples of flights including cost components and approximate amounts. These are based on my experience and might vary any time. I would highly recommend using a handler when flying in Central America. Sure, you can handle everything on your own, but it might take much longer and things might just not go as smooth. My “go-to-gal” is Lei from VM Flight Services. The company is based out of Guatemala and they can point to handlers in other countries. You can contact her via email leimorales(add)gmail.com or mobile/whatsapp +502 4040 0969. Please note that the below handler fees outside Guatemala are from handlers other than VM Flight Services.
Handlers can be expensive and if you are not in a rush, do-it-yourself might just work fine. Please note that not all handling fees might be saved. In some occasions there might be additional cost included that can not be avoided. Please share your experience… i.e. I am wondering if a $100 tow fee can be avoided by taxing to the plane to the parking location.
Before going into the details of each destination, here is checklist for documents to ensure are in your property before takeoff for an international location. Imagine forgetting your passports…
- Airplane Registration
- Airplane Airworthiness
- Airplane Insurance
- Airplane International Radio License
- Pilot and Medical Certificate for all pilots
- Passports of all pilots
- Passports of all passengers
- International flight plan (stamped by authorities), recommended at least 3 copies
- General declaration (stamped by authorities), recommended at least 3 copies
The following destinations are included below:
- El Salvador (MSSS)
- Honduras (MHRO)
- Belize (MZBZ & Key Caulker)
- Costa Rica (MRLB & MRQP)
- Panama (MPMG)
- Nicaragua (MNCZ)
- Mexico (MMTP & MMCZ)
El Salvador
Return Flight: La Aurora, Guatemala (MGGT) – Ilopango, El Salvador (MSSS) [January 2017]
Location | Description | Cost |
---|---|---|
Guatemala | Handling Fee | $65 |
Guatemala | Approach Fee | $21 |
Guatemala | Communication and FBO Coordination | $6 |
Guatemala | Passenger Departure Tax | $36 per passenger * |
Guatemala | Agriculture Disinfection Fee | $9 |
Guatemala | Agriculture Inspection Fee | $7 |
El Salvador | Local Fees (Estimate) | $20 |
El Salvador | Passenger Departure Fee (Estimate) | $15 per passenger |
El Salvador & Guatemala | Fuel for your airplane | Guatemala Approx. $5.82 per Gallon (January 2018) |
TOTAL | Fees | $179 with 1 passenger |
Guatemala Fees can be wire transferred. El Salvador Fees Cash Only.
Honduras
Return Flight: La Aurora, Guatemala (MGGT) – Roatan, Honduras (MHRO) [January 2018]
Location | Description | Cost |
---|---|---|
Guatemala | Handling Fee | $65 |
Guatemala | Approach Fee | $21 |
Guatemala | Communication and FBO Coordination | $6 |
Guatemala | Passenger Departure Tax | $36 per passenger * |
Guatemala | Agriculture Disinfection Fee | $9 |
Guatemala | Agriculture Inspection Fee | $7 |
Guatemala | Overflight Permission Honduras Request | $33 |
Honduras | Flight Protection | $196 ** |
Honduras | Landing Fee | $11 |
Honduras | Parking Fee (Estimate) | $26 per 24 hours |
Honduras | Passenger Departure Tax | $47 per passenger |
Honduras | Handling | $60 |
Guatemala | Fuel for your airplane (Note that Roatan doesn’t have Avgas available) | Varies with aircraft |
TOTAL | Fees | $517 with 1 passenger |
Guatemala Fees can be wire transferred. Honduras Fees Cash Only.
Belize
Return Flight: La Aurora, Guatemala (MGGT) – Belize City (MZBZ) [March 2016]
Location | Description | Cost |
---|---|---|
Guatemala | Handling Fee | $60 |
Guatemala | Approach Fee | $23 |
Guatemala | Communication and FBO Coordination | $5 |
Guatemala | Passenger Departure Tax | $33 per passenger * |
Belize | Handling (handling, landing & parking fee, agriculture and fumigation, Customs and migration assistance) | $220 |
Belize | Passenger Departure Tax | $40 * |
Belize & Guatemala | Fuel for your airplane | Varies with aircraft |
TOTAL | Fees | $351 with 1 passenger |
Guatemala Fees can be wire transferred. Belize Fees Cash Only.
In-country flight Belize City (MZBZ) – Key Caulker
No additional fees applied to the in-country flight. A permit had to be requested in advance to allow for the flight.
Costa Rica
Return Flight: La Aurora, Guatemala (MGGT) – Liberia, Costa Rica (MRLB) [November 2016]
Location | Description | Cost |
---|---|---|
Guatemala | Handling Fee | $65 |
Guatemala | Approach Fee | $21 |
Guatemala | Communication and FBO Coordination | $24 = $6 x 4 |
Guatemala | Passenger Departure Tax | $36 per passenger * |
Guatemala | Agriculture Disinfection Fee | $9 |
Guatemala | Agriculture Inspection Fee | $7 |
Guatemala | Nicaragua over flight Permit Request | $33 |
Nicaragua | Nicaragua over flight Permit | $270 = 2 x $135 |
Costa Rica | Basic Handling Fee | $125 |
Costa Rica | Ramp Special Agent | $25 |
Costa Rica | ATC Approach Fee | $15 |
Costa Rica | Landing Fee | $16 |
Costa Rica | Parking | $10 |
Costa Rica | Customs/Agriculture | $15 |
Costa Rica | Aircraft Security | $25 |
Costa Rica | Communications | $15 |
Costa Rica | 10% Service Charge | $13 |
Costa Rica & Guatemala | Fuel for your airplane | Varies with aircraft |
TOTAL | Fees | $724 with 1 passenger (To be fair… $300 are for the Nicaragua over flight permit.) |
Guatemala Fees can be wire transferred. Costa Rica accepts credit cards. The handling in Costa Rica is by far the most professional.
In-country flight Liberia, Costa Rica (MRLB) – Quepos, Costa Rica (MRQP)
For in-country flights in Costa Rica, a temporary flight permit has to be requested. This permits is valid for 3 months. Only a single 3 month period can be requested every 12 months. The permit costs about $150. There were no additional costs at the Quepos airport.
Panama
Return Flight: Liberia, Costa Rica (MRLB) – Panama City (MPMG) [December 2017]
Location | Description | Cost |
---|---|---|
Guatemala | Overflight and Landing permit Panama Request | $33 |
Panama | Landing Fee | $15 |
Panama | Parking Fee | $20 |
Panama | Flight Protection Entry | $40 |
Panama | Passenger Tax | $25 per passenger |
Panama | Approach Fee | $10 |
Panama | Flight Protection Departure | $40 |
Panama | Handling | $250 |
Panama | Towing | $100 |
Panama | Fuel for your airplane | Approx. $5.94 per Gallon (December 2017) |
TOTAL | Fees | $577 with 1 passenger |
Costa Rica accepts credit cards. Panama fees cash Only.
Nicaragua
Return Flight: La Aurora, Guatemala (MGGT) – Costa Esmeralda, Nicaragua (MNCE) [December 2019]
Location | Description | Cost |
---|---|---|
Guatemala | Handling Fee | $60 |
Guatemala | Approach Fee | $20 |
Guatemala | Communication and FBO Coordination | $15 |
Guatemala | Passenger Departure Tax | $33 per passenger * |
Guatemala | Agriculture Desinfection Fee | $10 |
Guatemala | Agriculture Inspection Fee | $11 |
Guatemala | Overflight Permit Nicaragua | $30 |
Nicaragua | Technical Dispatch | $7 |
Nicaragua | Approach and Landing Fee | $7 |
Nicaragua | Parking Fee (2 days plus 4 hours) | $28 |
Nicaragua | Passenger Departure Tax | $35 * |
Nicaragua | Handling | $100 |
Nicaragua | International Flight Plan and fees | $105 |
Nicaragua & Guatemala | Fuel for your airplane. | AvGas not available in Costa Esmeralda airport |
TOTAL | Fees | $439 with 1 passenger |
Credit cards were accepted for all payments.
A fuel stop in Ilopango, El Salvador (MSSS) added another $5 in fees to the above. Depending on your aircraft, you might be able to complete the return flight without the additional stop.
Mexico
Return Flight: La Aurora, Guatemala (MGGT) – Tapachula, Mexico (MMTP) [November 2022]
When flying from the south like Central America into Mexico, there are only two available airports: Tapachula and Cozumel. Mexico requires a $300,000 USD liability insurance that explicitly includes Mexico.
Location | Description | Cost |
---|---|---|
Guatemala | FBO | $25 |
Guatemala | Agriculture Desinfection Fee | $22 |
Guatemala | EAPIS Mexico | $100 |
Guatemala | Passenger Tax | $33 |
Guatemala | Approach | $21 |
Mexico | Entrance Fee | $93 |
Mexico | Landing Fee | $5 |
Mexico | Parking (less than 24 hours) | $3 |
Mexico | Ramp Fee | $3 |
Mexico | After-Hour Arrival Fee This fee only applies if you arrive outside working hours (Mo-Fri 0800-1800) with passengers |
$111 |
Mexico | Passenger Arrival Tax | $31 |
Mexico | After-Hour Departure Fee This fee only applies if you depart outside working hours (Mo-Fri 0800-1800) with passengers |
$111 |
Mexico | Passenger Departure Tax | $5 |
TOTAL | Fees | $563 with 1 passenger (can be reduced by $222 if you arrive and depart within working hours) |
Only acceptable payment method was cash in Mexican Pesos. We were able to walk over to the international terminal and get Mexican pesos in cash to pay.
Return Flight: La Aurora, Guatemala (MGGT) – Cozumel, Mexico (MMCZ) [December 2022]
When flying from the south like Central America into Mexico, there are only two available airports: Tapachula and Cozumel.
Location | Description | Cost |
---|---|---|
Guatemala | FBO | $25 |
Guatemala | Agriculture Desinfection Fee | $22 |
Guatemala | EAPIS Mexico | $100 |
Guatemala | Passenger Tax | $33 |
Guatemala | Approach | $21 |
Mexico | Landing Fee | $6 |
Mexico | Ramp Fee | $5 |
Mexico | Parking (3 days) | $19 |
Mexico | Airport Participation Fee | $55 |
Mexico | Passenger Arrival Tax | $42 |
Mexico | Passenger Departure Tax | $13 |
Mexico | FBO Handling Fee (optional) | $178 |
TOTAL | Fees | $341 with 1 passenger ($519 including optional handling fee) |
FBO handling fee is optional. We worked with Island Aviation Service from Cozumel and the experience was very positive: friendly staff and professional handling. They receive you at the ramp, help with luggage and all paperwork and requirements. You can do these yourself, calculate about 30-60 minutes additional time without handler.
Fuel is available in Cozumel and cost about $4.75 per gallon.
Local Return Flight: Cozumel, Mexico (MMCZ) – Playa del Carmen, Mexico (PCE) [December 2022]
Location | Description | Cost |
---|---|---|
Cozumel | Landing Fee | $6 |
Cozumel | Ramp Fee | $5 |
Playa del Carmen | Overnight Fee | $12 |
Playa del Carmen | Fee per landing operation | $7 |
Playa del Carmen | TUA (The Airport Use Fee (TUA) is a payment that Mexican airports require for using their facilities) per passenger | $6 |
TOTAL | Fees | $36 with 1 passenger |
Footnotes:
These fees apply to a single-engine Cessna T210 with a 3800lb maximum gross weight. Some fees are based on gross weight and might vary accordingly. Also note that these examples were for a North America N registered planes. Central America registered planes might not have to pay all fees.
* Even in an aircraft that can be flown by a single pilot, other pilots with a valid pilot certificate often don’t have to pay the passenger tax. So, bring your certificate even if you don’t fly yourself!
** So apparently flying below 19,000ft in Honduras costs $196 and flying above 19,000ft costs only about $50 to protect that flight. I would expect it the other way around. Since my aircraft has a turbo and a service ceiling above 19,000ft, I want to trying requesting 20,000ft to see what happens. I would be very interested about what others have been told, please let me know.