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Low season

February

Cheapest flight

$201
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 18% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 7% lower on average.
Flight from San José to Orlando Airport

Flights from Central America to the United States: the best tips from KAYAK users

Insights shared by verified travelers who flew the route from Central America to the United States 
Verified travelerFlew with Copa Airlines-Aug 2026
Tips for Flying From Panama City to Chicago Overall, the flight experience was good and the crew was excellent, very friendly, professional, and attentive throughout the journey. My only issue was with the baggage/liquor policy during the connection in Panama City. I had purchased liquor in Montego Bay and packed it in my luggage, but I was required to check my carry-on bag in Panama and couldn’t take it onboard as planned. What was confusing was that I later purchased more liquor in the Panama airport and was allowed to bring that onboard without any issue. It would be helpful if the baggage and duty-free liquor rules were communicated more clearly to passengers connecting through Panama so there are no surprises.
Verified travelerFlew with United Airlines-Apr 2026
If you have a connecting flight in SFO you have to grab your bag and recheck it
AFlew with Copa Airlines-Jan 2026
Bring your own food and your own screen because you won’t have any for the next couple of hours.
JeffreyFlew with Copa Airlines-Mar 2025
Be sure to use the restroom BEFORE you sit down in the gate area. There is a second level of security screening just to sit in the gate area. If you leave the gate area for any reason, you must go through the gate screening upon your return.
LisaFlew with Copa Airlines-Mar 2025
You have to go through an additional security clearance at the actual gate, and there was a long line so I'd get to the gate right when it opens to avoid the additional long line.
Verified travelerFlew with Spirit Airlines-Apr 2025
Take a day flight, window seat, the view is fantastic. Avoid Spirit at all costs.
RicardoFlew with Alaska Airlines-Mar 2025
BRING YOUR OWN SNAKS NOT MUCH HERE TO CHOOSE NONE OF THEM HEALTHY OPTIONS
Verified travelerFlew with Copa Airlines-Feb 2025
Whatever you purchase before boarding your flight make sure all liquids are finished before boarding or you will have to throw it away. That there is another checkpoint once you reach the gate even if you go to the bathroom you will have to clear the second checkpoint each time you leave the gate. That most of the Copa crew in Panama did not speak English, so as an English speaker you have to just watch what everyone else does, because the Panamanian crew does not speak English.
RajFlew with Copa Airlines-Jan 2025
Pack your lunch or dinner with you either from airport restaurant.
RobertFlew with United Airlines-Feb 2025
IAH is efficient but security and checked baggage transfer and rescreening for connecting flights causes unnecessary anxiety for short stop overs.
Verified travelerFlew with United Airlines-Feb 2025
International transfer at HIA was difficult with self baggage transfer, multiple security screens.
AdrianFlew with Copa Airlines-Oct 2024
When booking, the distance between gates must be something you need to plan ahead... always leave at least 2 hours between flights
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Nov 2024
The airport is expensive. I would not buy things there. You don’t need to take off your shoes for security. Have your passport ready for boarding
Verified travelerFlew with United Airlines-Oct 2024
If you take another flight in Denver, expect to go through the security line again with all your luggage. Take enough time. Denver Airport is a mess, and the people working there are not patient; some are even rude.
Verified travelerFlew with Avianca-May 2024
Bring something to drink or eat, at least sweets especially if traveling with children or are elderly.
KathyFlew with American Airlines-Apr 2024
I was through security in 10 minutes. Food choice took some time, be aware that waiting 20 plus minutes for a hot sammie will be about right.
MichaelFlew with United Airlines-May 2024
Small airport. Easy and quick. Don’t get there too early though as it gets crowded and not really any food or shopping.
StephanieFlew with Copa Airlines-Mar 2024
Get to the airport early especially if you're not a US citizen because you have to pass through security twice.
Verified travelerFlew with Avianca-Mar 2024
Bring a pillow Bring phones charged Bring your own entertainment Be patient for luggage to get off plane.
JulioFlew with Avianca-May 2024
Check carry on status before. Check in online to avoid lines.
DominicFlew with Alaska Airlines-Feb 2024
Take the direct flight to avoid an overnight layover
MayumiFlew with Avianca-Jan 2024
Eat well before boarding and bring your own entertainment.

FAQs for booking flights from Central America to the United States

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Central America to the United States?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from Central America to the United States.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from Central America to the United States?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight from Central America to the United States is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from Central America to the United States?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly from Central America to the United States with an airline and back with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Central America to the United States?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying from Central America to the United States up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

  • Which airlines fly most frequently to the United States?

    Central America and United States are connected by different airlines. The airlines that fly that route the most regularly are United Airlines (452 flights per week), Copa Airlines (322 flights per week), and Avianca (296 flights per week).

  • How many airports are there in the United States?

    There are 580 airports in the United States. The busiest airport is Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport (ATL), with 8% of all flights arriving there.

  • Which is the cheapest airport to fly into in the United States?

    Prices will differ depending on the departure airport, but generally, the cheapest airport to fly to in the United States is Orlando Airport (MCO), with an average flight price of $344.

  • What is the cheapest day to fly to the United States?

    Based on KAYAK data, the cheapest day to fly to the United States is Thursday where round-trip tickets can be as cheap as $436. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Sunday, where round-trip prices are $615 on average.

  • What is the cheapest time of day to fly to the United States?

    The cheapest time of day to fly to the United States is generally in the evening, when round-trip flights cost $348 on average. Morning departures are around 73% more expensive than evening flights, on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to the United States is generally in the morning, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $602.

  • What is the cheapest flight to the United States?

    The cheapest ticket to the United States from Central America found in the last 5 days was to Newark Airport, at $184 round-trip. The most popular route is Belize City Philip S.W.Goldson Airport (BZE) to Miami (MIA) and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 5 days was $248.

  • What is the cheapest month to fly from Central America to the United States?

    The cheapest month for flights from Central America to the United States is December, when tickets cost $207 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are August and July, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $391 and $344 respectively.

  • How far in advance should I book a flight from Central America to the United States?

    To get a below average price on the flight from Central America to the United States, you should book around 5 weeks before departure, which saves you about 19% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 23 weeks before departure.

  • How many cities have direct flights to the United States?

    From Central America, there are direct flights to the United States from 10 cities. The city with the most direct flights is Panama City, with 691 direct flights each week.

  • How many direct flights to the United States are there each day?

    There are around 278 direct flights from within Central America to the United States every day. Most flights (50%) depart in the morning.

  • How many direct flights to the United States are there each week?

    Each week there are around 1,941 direct flights from within Central America to the United States. The most common day for departures is Sunday, with 17% of flights taking off on this day.

  • How long is the flight to the United States?

    An average nonstop flight from Central America to the United States takes 4h 29m, covering a distance of 1683 miles. The shortest route is San Pedro Sula (SAP) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL) with an average flight time of 2h 18m.

  • How many long-haul flights are there to the United States each week?

    Each week there are around 19 long-haul flights (6-12 hour flight duration), 930 medium-haul (3-6 hour flight duration) and 992 short-haul (up to 3 hour flight duration) flights to the United States. The most long-haul flights depart from Panama City.

  • What are the most popular destinations in the United States?

    Based on KAYAK flight searches, the most popular destination is New York (35% of total searches to the United States). The next most popular destinations are Miami (17%) and Houston (13%). Searches for flights to Los Angeles (10%), to Washington, D.C. (8%) and to Dallas (5%) are also popular.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from Central America to the United States

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Central America to the United States? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
7.8
Volaris Costa RicaOverall score based on 80 reviews
5.8Food
7.5Comfort
8.3Crew
7.9Boarding
5.2Entertainment
Airline reviews

Smooth flight. Easy boarding. Come early. Check in line is long

8.0 ExcellentJanice, Feb 2026
Read more Volaris Costa Rica reviews

Smooth flight. Easy boarding. Come early. Check in line is long

If they listen to you especially when there’s a problem with a passport now I lost my tickets and also my seat money

The worst airline I have ever experienced. Terrible customer service. Absolutely disgraceful

Checking bags at the airport, very confusing they make lines for different flights but they don’t have any signs, so if you are on the wrong line be aware they will send you to the end of the correct line. No priority for check in even if you pay and no priority to disabled persons and elderly persons.

Despite all the negative reviews, I took Volaris with a family of 4 (including a toddler and infant in arms). The only compliant was they charged me $70 to gate check our wagon (which we use as a stroller) and then it was not available for pickup at the gate (which is the entire point), so we had to get through customs and the airport with our luggage and no way to push our kids :(

Après avoir manqué l’avion aucune aide de la part des agents à l’aéroport pour trouver un autre vol

Más comida no cobrar tanto por los asientos y comida food

Worst airline ever!! Delays in all my flights!!! Do not flight with Volaris!

The departures screens in the airport showed the flight as canceled for some weird reason, but when I got to the gate just to double check, it showed it as on time, and not canceled. This was confusing, but ultimately I was able to get to where I needed to go.

For whatever reason, when I was in the San Jose airport, the flight from Volaris read as canceled on the Departures screens you'd find all over the terminal, it wasn't until I got to the gate that it showed it as on time and still on. It was confusing, but ultimately I did get to where I needed to go with the flight I was expecting.

Flight Crew Review The crew was absolutely amazing from start to finish! They were friendly, professional, attentive, and genuinely made the flight feel comfortable and enjoyable. Every interaction was pleasant, and they went above and beyond to make sure passengers were taken care of. You could really tell that they cared about providing great service. I truly appreciate their kindness and professionalism and would be happy to fly with this crew again!

stood in line to check in luggage for nearly an hour. very poor service and not excusable

Same as the previous flight as far as comfort and food. Entertainment didn’t have a watchable screen so everything would need to be watched on your own device in which they didn’t have a charging port that accommodated my iPhone. Seats were very uncomfortable. Staff was very friendly.

Do not book it’s a scam! They stole $1200 from me

Flight got delayed; had to go through security three times.

A lot things happened in this trip.The fly should be less stress.

Some of the Air hostesses are not that friendly. Need improvement

We had a great flight just wished they had a tv so we can see a movie that would of made my trip excellent.

horrible service, food was an embarrassment, no charging for cellphones, stay away

Great experience with a crew always thinking in the passenger

First time flying business class. Very comfortable for our long flight to Europe.

Not a United thing, but late afternoon departures from Denver with thunderstorms is always prone to delays.

Kayak booked this flight with only 1h 20min layover in Chicago. This made it impossible for me and several other passengers to reach this flight. Moreover, the gate closed boarding in spite of several passengers still on their way without waiting even one more minute. However, the plane departed with 20min (!) delay, i.e., there would have been at least 15 min time to let the delayed passengers board without causing any delays. I complained and as a "thank you" the attendent booked us on the last (!) flight to Indianapolis ~7h later! Thankfully, I caught the spitefulness and the United customer line rebooked the flight to an earlier flight. Although I can't grade this particular flight since I never had a chance to take it, Kayak made the mistake of a too short layover and the crew at the gate was awful.

Sitting in coach even in the larger leg space is extremely uncomfortable and the staff pay no attention.

Really delayed, no effort to support customers other than “sometimes we run late.”

It was serviceable, nothing special but nothing awful on this leg.

On boarding crew at the airport called in the boarding numbers too early meaning before the previous line was completed resulting in later numbers getting to board ahead. Also she asked those who boarded from number 3 to have the tags in their carry-on bags and leave it in the jet bridge. Most of the overhead bins were empty though. This is more work for the ground staff in addition to more inconvenience for passengers waiting to get their carry-ons from the jet bridge.

Boarding time was delayed in more than two hours. Then another hour on the ground before take off. Wi-fi was not working throughout the flight. Business class in even rows by the window are not so comfortable. And space for feet always feel tight. Had a meeting in New York early the following day with multiple people and had to request a delayed start.

The flight was excellent. Their was no service as we boarded, the flight attendants spent about 30 minutes just taking and not really caring that the cabin was about 80 degrees and did not offered any beverage to first class passengers or any passenger. The flight from DEN to ONT is not long but not under an hour, we received one drink and bag of chips if you were lucky. I was in first class…. I did leave my hat on the plane and it only took less than five minutes for a United rep to locate and bring it to me.

Bad check in experience. Dirty ancient aircraft. Truly awful food and this in Business/ First class.

DCA-LAX No screen on a 5 hour flight (almost) no food for sale on a 5 hour flight (practically) no wifi coverage or speed on a 5 hour flight I should have gotten my money back, shame on American

Delayed flight led to missed connection which led to new flight with 3 hours of delay so our family of 5 went from a 7pm arrival time to 1am Absolutely terrible yet again.

Flight was good, little delayed because of busy plane traffic

I had ridiculously long body search because I have knee and hip replacements

My luggage is missing. I haven’t received it. No one seems to know how I can find it

Flight was delayed because of mechanical. Could not get landing space which caused me to miss my connection. Messy and not organized.

Old plane. Nowhere as compared to non US airlines like JAL.

Flight was on time. Boarding was smooth and orderly. Flight attendants were friendly and professional. Bags came out soon after arrival.

Plane had mechanical issues. We had to de plane and board a different plane and were an hour late

Nothing with the flight. It was good. Crew as very helpful especially fist class flight attendant.

Better seats, allow us to upgrade, terrible website, poor telephone service, better equipment

Horrible experience with Avianca, they delayed their flight and when we arrived to NYC, AVIANCA took 1 hr y 30 mins to park the airplane and all passenger get off the plane, it made me lost all my trains to get back home and I came back to my place at 3 am instead of 12 am. On the top of that their plane seat are so uncomfortable and is not enough space and killed my legs and knees, Avianca used to be good when it was a Colombian company, now after Brasilian company bought them, their service quality is bad and their flights are delayed and oversold.

I handed in my suitcase in perfect condition at SAL Airport. And in MIA Airport I received it with one corner broken and the wheels bent.

I like the crew members they're very friendly. Clean plane. The flight was on time. I dont like the comfort my car seat its better that the plane seats. They charge for everything. This airline was very good. Now it's a low cost airline

6 hour flight and have to pay for everything 100 dollars to add a carry-on bag is insane

The check in is the only positive thing in Avianca. The seat is the most uncomfortable I have traveled, the distance is minimal.

Not what it used to be. The sale of food makes them look greedy!

Avianca is not what it used to be. So disappointing

It was horrible. My experience with Avianca. I didn’t know it was Pakistan international Airlines but anyway, whatever it is it is bad horrible you guys need to upgrade everything in those planes. And you guys charge $130 for a carry-on did they wanna let me in with my carry-on that I travel everywhere with the luggage you guys are such a dog thank you

why did we have to go through security mid flight

Everything you need to know for your flight to the United States

Cabin class types available on flights to Central America