$144 Find Cheap Flights to Central America

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from the United States to Central America departing on 8/25. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
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Cheap Flights to Central America

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours
San Salvador
San Salvadornonstop$282
San José
San Josénonstop$277
Guatemala City
Guatemala City1 stop$261
Panama City
Panama City1 stop$386
Liberia
Liberia1 stop$320
Managua
Managuanonstop$425
San Pedro Sula
San Pedro Sula2 stops$289
Flores
Flores1 stop$405
Bocas del Toro
Bocas del Toro1 stop$657
David
David1 stop$420
San Pedro Town
San Pedro Town1 stop$701
Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa3 stops$688
Placencia
Placencia2 stops$1,190
San Salvador
San Salvadornonstop$282
San José
San Josénonstop$277
Guatemala City
Guatemala City1 stop$261
Panama City
Panama City1 stop$386
Liberia
Liberia1 stop$320
Managua
Managuanonstop$425
San Pedro Sula
San Pedro Sula2 stops$289
Flores
Flores1 stop$405
Bocas del Toro
Bocas del Toro1 stop$657
David
David1 stop$420
San Pedro Town
San Pedro Town1 stop$701
Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa3 stops$688
Placencia
Placencia2 stops$1,190

Book Cheap Central America Plane Tickets

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights to Central America that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent round-trip flight deals to Central America

Wed, Sep 9 - Wed, Sep 30
Multiple Airlines Logo
9:00 am - 2:47 pm
LAX
-
GUA
4h 47mnonstop
Multiple Airlines Logo
3:47 pm - 10:52 pm
GUA
-
LAX
8h 05m
1 stop
$330Multiple Airlines
Tue, Sep 8 - Mon, Sep 14
Multiple Airlines Logo
12:37 am - 12:46 pm
LAX
-
GUA
11h 09m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
3:47 pm - 10:52 pm
GUA
-
LAX
8h 05m
1 stop
$339Multiple Airlines
Mon, Aug 10 - Thu, Aug 20
Multiple Airlines Logo
9:00 am - 2:47 pm
LAX
-
GUA
4h 47mnonstop
Multiple Airlines Logo
3:47 pm - 10:52 pm
GUA
-
LAX
8h 05m
1 stop
$340Multiple Airlines
Sun, Sep 6 - Sat, Sep 19
American Airlines Logo
5:01 pm - 11:29 am
JFK
-
SAL
20h 28m
2 stops
American Airlines Logo
12:24 pm - 7:24 am
SAL
-
JFK
17h 00m
2 stops
$375American Airlines
Sat, Oct 31 - Sat, Nov 14
American Airlines Logo
8:22 pm - 1:27 pm
HOU
-
SAL
18h 05m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
2:27 pm - 11:57 pm
SAL
-
HOU
9h 30m
1 stop
$377American Airlines
Fri, Sep 18 - Mon, Sep 21
Avianca Logo
4:45 am - 4:00 pm
JFK
-
SAL
13h 15m
1 stop
Avianca Logo
7:20 pm - 2:05 am
SAL
-
JFK
4h 45mnonstop
$382Avianca
Tue, Oct 6 - Mon, Oct 19
Copa Airlines Logo
3:32 pm - 7:10 am
JFK
-
SJO
17h 38m
1 stop
Copa Airlines Logo
10:03 am - 1:00 am
SJO
-
JFK
12h 57m
1 stop
$394Copa Airlines
Mon, Aug 24 - Fri, Aug 28
Avianca Logo
7:35 am - 5:00 pm
JFK
-
PTY
10h 25m
1 stop
Avianca Logo
3:50 pm - 1:15 am
PTY
-
JFK
8h 25m
1 stop
$404Avianca
Wed, Jul 15 - Thu, Jul 23
Copa Airlines Logo
2:20 am - 8:21 am
JFK
-
SJO
8h 01m
1 stop
Copa Airlines Logo
5:55 pm - 3:59 am
SJO
-
JFK
8h 04m
1 stop
$414Copa Airlines
Thu, Aug 27 - Sat, Sep 26
United Airlines Logo
8:24 am - 11:38 am
EWR
-
SJO
5h 14mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
12:44 pm - 8:00 pm
SJO
-
EWR
5h 16mnonstop
$437United Airlines
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for flights to Central America

Get data-powered insights and trends for flights to Central America to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

What is the cheapest flight to Central America?

These are the best round-trip prices found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 5 days.

The cheapest ticket to Central America from the United States found in the last 5 days was to San Pedro Sula, at $170 round-trip. The most popular route is Atlanta (ATL) to San Salvador (SAL) and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 5 days was $257.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for flights from the United States to Central America, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.

The cheapest month for flights from the United States to Central America is September, when tickets cost $170 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and June, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $306 and $302 respectively.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly to Central America?

The average price for all round-trip flights from the United States to Central America depending on the time of departure, clicked by users on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.

The cheapest time of day to fly to Central America is generally in the morning, when round-trip flights cost $408 on average. Morning departures are around 25% cheaper than evening flights, on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to Central America is generally in the evening, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $543.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights to Central America, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.

To get a below average price on the flight from the United States to Central America, you should book around 4 weeks before departure, which saves you about 22% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 7 weeks before departure.

Which is the cheapest airport to fly into in Central America?

Prices will differ depending on the departure airport, but generally, the cheapest airport to fly to in Central America is Guatemala City La Aurora Airport (GUA), with an average flight price of $306.

Good to know

Low seasonSeptember
Cheapest flight$144
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 14% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 27% increase in price.
Flight from Los Angeles to Guatemala City

Flights to Central America: the best tips from KAYAK users' own experiences

Insights shared by verified travelers who flew to Central America 
Verified travelerFlew with Avianca
JFK
-
SAL
Jun 2026
Tips for traveling call ahead of time if you have any questions. Also to travel with less items the better.
RonFlew with Delta
MSP
-
LIR
Jan 2026
It took us an hour to go through immigration at peak about 1:30 landing time and room was warm, so wear something for the heat and put away any jackets/overcoats/sweaters before you even deplane, you will not need them.
Verified travelerFlew with United Airlines
IAH
-
XPL
Dec 2024
There is not enough room for carry on when your on group 4 or more . Hsve a basic bag for emergencies in case the take your carry on to the final destination
CarmelFlew with Alaska Airlines
LAX
-
LIR
Jan 2025
Know that flights are very unreliable so pad your days/plans.
RonelliFlew with American Airlines
MIA
-
BZE
Mar 2024
Know your gate number and ensure you know where it is before doing any shopping or start wondering around the airport
Verified travelerFlew with Avianca
LAX
-
GUA
Jan 2024
Be sure to have you immigration declaration filled out before landing. We weren’t given documents, but the staff was helpful in setting us up with a QR code and assisting us along the way.
LannyFlew with American Airlines
MIA
-
SJO
Jan 2024
Bring a book or tablet to connect to entertainment to keep you occupied. This leg of our trip met our expectations. Much better job than our first leg of our trip.

FAQs - booking Central America flights

  • Do I need a visa to fly to Central America?

    American citizens are not required to have a visa to fly to countries in Central America. Countries including Guatemala, El Salvador, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras. All these countries apart from Nicaragua, allow US Citizens to stay for up to 90 days visa-free. If you plan to extend your stay, you’ll need to get a visa.

  • What are the entry requirements to Central America for US citizens?

    With the visa waiver, US citizens are required to have a passport valid for at least six months that they should carry all the time while in Central America. In addition, countries like Panama, Honduras, and El Salvador will require them to also have a tourist card that is valid for up to 30-90 days. If you plan on visiting Kuna Yala in Panama, you’ll need a yellow fever vaccination certificate because the country has a risk of yellow fever.

  • Can I fly non-stop to Liberia, Costa Rica from the United States?

    Yes. From airports in the US like Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) aboard Delta Airlines, New York John. F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) aboard Jet Blue Airlines, or Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) aboard Alaska Airlines to Liberia Guanacaste International Airport (LIR). All these airlines offer specialized services to their passengers to help them relax and cater to their flight needs during long flights.

  • What is the best airport to fly in and out of Central America?

    Tocumen International Airport (PTY) in Panama City is the biggest and busiest airport in Central America. It connects Panama and several cities and states in the US. Moreover, it acts as a hub for several airlines giving flyers the chance to choose the best airline. It’s also known for clean terminals, efficiency, great customer service, and accessible services.

  • Which airlines have the cheapest prices from the United States to Central America?

    Among the airlines that provide either direct or layover flights to Central America, the cheapest airlines are Frontier Airlines, Copa Airlines, and Spirit Airlines. All these airlines have layover flights that are affordable alternatives to their non-stop flight counterparts.

  • Can I fly non-stop to Managua from the United States?

    Yes. From Fort Lauderdale International Airport in Fort Lauderdale, you can fly directly to Augusto Cesar Sandino International Airport (MGA) in Managua, Nicaragua aboard Spirit Airlines. From Miami International Airport (MIA) in Miami, you can fly directly to Augusto Cesar Sandino International Airport in Managua aboard either Avianca Airlines or American Airlines. From George Bush International Airport (IAH) in Houston, you can fly directly to Augusto Cesar Sandino International Airport aboard either United Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Avianca Airlines, or American Airlines.  

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

    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 the United States to Central America.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight from the United States to Central America 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 the United States to Central America?

    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 the United States to Central America 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 the United States to Central America?

    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 the United States to Central America up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

  • What is the cheapest day to fly to Central America?

    Based on KAYAK data, the cheapest day to fly to Central America is Wednesday where round-trip tickets can be as cheap as $490. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Sunday, where round-trip prices are $527 on average.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to Central America

  • Looking for cheap airfare to Central America? 25% of our users found round-trip tickets to Central America for the following prices or less: From Newark $590, from Houston George Bush Intcntl $675, from Los Angeles $775
  • Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest Central America flight deals.
  • Central America has many major countries and cities known for their architectural and historical attractions. When traveling to Central America you can get non-stop flights to most of these cities from Miami, Orlando, Dallas, New York, Los Angeles, Houston, or Chicago aboard several airlines including American Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Avianca Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and Delta Airlines.
  • Alaska Airlines is one of the most popular airlines along this route that offers non-stop flights from cities in the US like Seattle, Portland, San Diego, Los Angeles, Austin, Dallas, and Palm Springs to San Jose International Airport (SJC) in San Jose, Central America.
  • If you’re looking for cheap flights to El Salvador from Newark, opt for the layover flights by Spirit Airlines that have a layover in Fort Lauderdale that will give you a five-hour window to explore locations near Fort Lauderdale International Airport (FLL).
  • The Mayan Ruins of Tikal and Antigua in Guatemala are some of the most famous archaeological attractions in Central America. American Airlines has non-stop flights from Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, Dallas, and Boston to Guatemala La Aurora City Aiport(GUA). From there, you can either take public transportation or take a flight to Mundo Maya International Airport in Flores to easily find your way to the Mayan Ruins of Tikal and take a taxi from GUA to Antigua.
  • Carnaval is a major annual festival that happens in Panama between February and March that lasts up to a week and attracts visitors from all around the world. Get on a non-stop flight from Miami on either American Airlines, Delta Airlines, or United Airlines to Panama City Tocumen International Airport (PTY).
  • Traveling within Central America on a budget requires you to fly into countries that are centrally located like Guatemala and Panana where you can access both public and private shuttle buses to other cities and to nearby countries to help save on transport costs.
  • Guatemala is served by two international airports namely Guatemala La Aurora City Airport and Mundo Maya International Airport (FRS). If you plan to visit towns in Guatemala like Flores, Santa Elena, and San Benito, fly on layovers into FRS which gives you direct access to these towns.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines flying to Central America

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from the United States to Central America? 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.
7.6
Copa AirlinesOverall score based on 1569 reviews
7.8Boarding
7.4Comfort
8.1Crew
6.9Food
6.8Entertainment
Airline reviews

Boarding was confusing from staff telling going to preboard and than to group 1 Airplane was not cooling at the beginning

8.0 ExcellentLuis, Mar 2026
LIM - PTY
Read more Copa Airlines reviews

Boarding was confusing from staff telling going to preboard and than to group 1 Airplane was not cooling at the beginning

The food is terrible I ask for water never got transport my mother we’re late and my sister from Lima was the worst waiting to long for wheelchair

Copa staff at PTY and one particular crew member were unhelpful & rude.

Horrible. No TV or any type of entertainment on board. Passwnger listening to/watching stuff on their own phone with no headphones making it noise and uncomfortable for everyone else, little/tiny food portions, old seats, useless wifi (cant access anything). Horrible exlerience especially it was a lomg distance flight with kids.

There should be a warning regarding the quality of the aircraft on the website as we reserve the tickets. There was no TV or any type of screen onboard. The wifi they offer is good for nothing. Traveling 9 hours straight with kids and no type of entetainment was horrible. I wish I had been informed prior so I could buy a ticket with another airline. The food was a joke too. A very tiny portion per passenger. They also charged $100 per checked bag. With United I used to pay $60. So, fair to say that I wont be flying Copa anymore. Their aircraft was super old, outdated, no entertainment, with nearly no onboard food.

Very strict carry on rules meant most of the plane had to gate check their luggage. As is often the case had things that were broken because of this, but I appreciated not being charged to gate check. Otherwise good flight and great crew once on the plane

I liked the meatloaf the chicken was awful but the plane was on time and got there and the staff was nice.

Boarding was quick & efficient; they gave boarding groups due priority; staff & air crew were very cordial and helpful, pleasant flight.

I selected first class expecting excetional service. It was mediocre at best. The food service was cold, meal choices was poor and on one leg they did provide dessert. I did enjoy the lay day seat but the movies were old and nothing current. Boarding the plane is always hot. So boarding is quite warm until your in the air. I took a small personal air fan. Update the meals and movies.

Very happy with my flight. I would definitely recommend it.

This airline always trick us so we end up paying again for the luggage’s. This airline is worthless and take advantage of travelers .

Now days most airlines flying to Central America have a really poor service, but if you buy first class they will treat you better. I miss those days when flying was fun.

Friendly staff at all very easy check in and organize process

Horrible airline, upgraded to sit on seats made of stone. Staff were rude and on top of it they charge an arm and a leg for luggage 🧳 never again

The seats are the worst I upgraded to premium big mistake and it seems like no one likes there job very unpleasant

they don’t have TV Seat to Type in space

They delayed the flight 3 hours because it wasn't full they moved us to 5 different gates probably the worst airline ever not even spirit is this bad.

Very easy ! Use the kiosk and bag drop and right to security within 10 min

Checking bag at terminal was horrible. No agents to check us in and only 1 kiosk working. Boarding went ok. Crew onboard was very scattered rained. Missed our row while serving and then didn’t see them hardly again.

Crew was amazing, takeoff wonderful. The bathroom was disgusting from before takeoff the odor made the flight uncomfortable as you could smell the bathroom from the center of the plane where we were sitting. Smelled like raw sewage. My daughter was throwing up as we landed due to the smell and horrible turbulence as we approached Newark.

Airline tickets are not cheap. You expect reliable competent service. Thanks to canceled flights and botched transfers we arrived at our destination two days late. This is not acceptable

Horrible! Several delays and then was cancelled! I spent over 24 hours in the airport and was unable to get a hotel or food voucher.

The entertainment they offer could use some games, and maybe they could add some cookies to the snack menu. And the automated messages are a bit repetitive. But it was comfortable temperature wise and the seats were comfortable. The crew is very polite and helpful

The entertainment is a bit limited, it would be better if they added some games to play besides the movies and tv shows. But the seats are comfortable and the crew is polite

This planes staff was top tier. Everything went great and had a great flight home.

Food was great. Staff was phenomenal. Seats were a bit hard and could use a lot more entertainment options as far as movies to choose from. WiFi was good. Overall great trip.

They did not offer coffee on a 7am flight…awful!!

Plane temperature was so hot that everyone on the plane was sweating. Departure gates changed 3 times in the hour before the flight. Internet service was so poor in the terminal that updates weren't always being received.

We had a mechanical delay which made us 90 minutes late (9:30 PM) then land and put into the penalty box because a plane was in our gate? What the hell! We should get priority.Damn American.

Check in for 5am flight at RDU was hampered by American check in counters being seriously understaffed , was told even supervisor called out. Took so long in line for special services check in that we missed our 5am departure even after arriving at 3:30am. Had to be rescheduled to later flight from Charlotte to St Thomas.

Delayed flight due to maintenance and I have had multiple delayed flights due to maintenance in the last month plus

Excellent service. Flight attendance like Jessica,, on our flight, is a reason I wouldn’t mind flying through British Airways again. Jessica,, was very courteous and helpful.

The seats were extremely cramped, with very little legroom or personal space. There was no room left in the overhead bins for a backpack, and the space under the seat in front was so limited that I could barely fit my bag underneath. Overall, the seating arrangement felt very uncomfortable and overcrowded.

Significant delays on my trip to Chicago and my trip back to NY

Terrible boarding and first class experience. Nice staff but overall disorganized, dirty plane.

Delayed by 5 hours and I had to wit in the airport for more than 6+ hours.

A flawless trip, great experience. Keep up the good work!

This was my first time flying with you guys and my very last! This was the most horrible experience!!! There was not even tv in the plane! How cheap can this airline be!!! I paid so much for my suitcase!!! I would never fly with this airline again! The crew are very rude!

The worst experience I've ever had because the "people" @ Avianca wouldn't let me fly because they said I needed a round trip ticket

Seating was tight. Seats don't recline. Initial flight was cancelled. Lost two days of vacation.

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.

It was delayed and I lost my connection flight to Cali and I missed my Mom's funeral

I actually upgraded to the medium level of seats from basic and even doing that it may have been physically the most uncomfortable flight I have ever had. They packed everyone like is a train to death camp. It was a red eye so I hoped to get some sleep but it was physically impossible to find a comfortable way to rest. I met other folks on the same flight and they said the same thing. It was an utterly miserable flight and if I have any other options I will never fly with them again

Deplaning was a mess, I sat in business (seats are horrible) and the front door had a problem so we had to deplane from the rear exit. The stairs were not tall enough to reach so there was a large step down from the plane to the top of the stairs.

Staff are the rudest in the industry … awful customer service … will never fly Avianca again

Pros: we leave and arrive on time Cons: the most uncomfortable seats ever. You cant recline at all your seats. No entertainment No TVs flight attendants didn't provide even a glass of water. You have to go to back of the airplane and ask for one. I am Colombian and I remember seeing the flight attendants very neat, elegants which is or was a staple of Avianca.it was one with tennis shoes, no male up, the hair was messy... that was really odd.

Everything you need to know for your flight to Central America

Cabin class types available on flights to Central America

Cabin classes available on flights to Central America. Prices are the lowest found on KAYAK over the last 7 days. Price and availability is not guaranteed.