$153 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 10/31. 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.
1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

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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$298
Guatemala City
Guatemala City1 stop$271
Panama City
Panama Citynonstop$390
Liberia
Liberia1 stop$292
Managua
Managuanonstop$424
San Pedro Sula
San Pedro Sula2 stops$289
Flores
Flores1 stop$403
Bocas del Toro
Bocas del Toro1 stop$1,167
David
David1 stop$422
San Pedro Town
San Pedro Town1 stop$775
Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa2 stops$853
Placencia
Placencia1 stop$953
San Salvador
San Salvadornonstop$282
San José
San Josénonstop$298
Guatemala City
Guatemala City1 stop$271
Panama City
Panama Citynonstop$390
Liberia
Liberia1 stop$292
Managua
Managuanonstop$424
San Pedro Sula
San Pedro Sula2 stops$289
Flores
Flores1 stop$403
Bocas del Toro
Bocas del Toro1 stop$1,167
David
David1 stop$422
San Pedro Town
San Pedro Town1 stop$775
Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa2 stops$853
Placencia
Placencia1 stop$953

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

Thu, Oct 1 - Tue, Oct 6
Volaris El Salvador Logo
2:47 pm - 4:42 pm
IAH
-
SAL
2h 55mnonstop
Volaris El Salvador Logo
9:12 am - 1:17 pm
SAL
-
IAH
3h 05mnonstop
$282Volaris El Salvador
Sat, Oct 3 - Tue, Oct 6
Volaris El Salvador Logo
2:47 pm - 4:42 pm
IAH
-
SAL
2h 55mnonstop
Volaris El Salvador Logo
9:12 am - 1:17 pm
SAL
-
IAH
3h 05mnonstop
$289Volaris El Salvador
Wed, Sep 23 - Sun, Sep 27
Avianca Logo
3:35 am - 6:30 am
JFK
-
SAL
4h 55mnonstop
Avianca Logo
9:20 am - 5:20 am
SAL
-
JFK
18h 00m
1 stop
$383Avianca
Sat, Aug 22 - Sat, Aug 29
American Airlines Logo
5:41 am - 12:48 pm
HOU
-
SAL
8h 07m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
12:29 pm - 9:02 am
SAL
-
HOU
19h 33m
2 stops
$385American Airlines
Mon, Aug 24 - Tue, Sep 8
American Airlines Logo
9:00 pm - 11:29 am
JFK
-
SAL
16h 29m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
3:07 pm - 7:24 am
SAL
-
JFK
14h 17m
2 stops
$385American Airlines
Fri, Sep 25 - Mon, Sep 28
Avianca Logo
6:55 am - 4:00 pm
JFK
-
SAL
11h 05m
1 stop
Avianca Logo
10:35 pm - 5:20 am
SAL
-
JFK
4h 45mnonstop
$393Avianca
Fri, Aug 21 - Sun, Aug 23
Copa Airlines Logo
3:32 pm - 8:19 am
JFK
-
SJO
18h 47m
1 stop
Copa Airlines Logo
5:45 am - 1:00 am
SJO
-
JFK
17h 15m
1 stop
$427Copa Airlines
Tue, Oct 6 - Wed, Oct 21
Copa Airlines Logo
2:20 am - 9:04 am
JFK
-
SJO
8h 44m
1 stop
Copa Airlines Logo
6:17 pm - 4:17 pm
SJO
-
JFK
20h 00m
1 stop
$429Copa Airlines
Sat, Oct 31 - Fri, Nov 6
United Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 12:00 pm
EWR
-
SJO
8h 00m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
8:45 am - 9:20 pm
SJO
-
EWR
11h 35m
1 stop
$448United Airlines
Fri, Oct 16 - Fri, Oct 23
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
$449United 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 Belize City Philip S.W.Goldson Airport, at $245 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 $271.

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 $171 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are June and December, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $315 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 $415 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 $556.

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 23% 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 San Pedro Sula Ramon Villeda Airport (SAP), with an average flight price of $304.

Good to know

Low seasonSeptember
Cheapest flight$153
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 14% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 26% increase in price.
Flight from Houston George Bush Airport to San Salvador

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 $493. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Sunday, where round-trip prices are $529 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 $527, from Houston George Bush Intcntl $756, from Los Angeles $923
  • 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 1566 reviews
8.1Crew
6.8Entertainment
7.8Boarding
6.9Food
7.4Comfort
Airline reviews

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.

2.0 MediocreAnonymous, Dec 2025
LAS - PTY
Read more Copa Airlines reviews

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.

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

Did upgrade, travel in business it was great (more room I could sleep)

Placed us in the last rear row of the plane so could not recline seats because of the rear wall, and also made it more of a tight space when the passenger in front reclined their seat. While understand seat assignments, every passenger should be afforded a reclining seat. The odor control scent from the restrooms was overwhelming strong. My wife and I could not deal with it, and she suffered a terrible headache as a result. I kept getting hit by the crew since I was on the ilse seat. No apologies, nothing. They made me feel like I was supposed to take the beating for a 3 hr flight.

There was no individual at the front check in when I arrived. I waited for at least 15 minutes and walked around asking security/janitors if they could help and they did not have a solution. So I had to take my checked bag through security and they threw away some of my items. I ended up making it to the gate only a few minutes before it closed due to my waiting for an agent at check in.

It would have been better if they don't separate families in seating. We were seated in the aile row in the middle of a family of four. It would have been better if they they seat the family of four together than separated.

It was good, plane is a bit older so seats are somewhat flat

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

Great staff. Clean plane, but we were delayed for more than an hour due to maintenance issues and had to board another plane.

I was very disappointed with my experience at the United Airlines baggage check. The representative was rude and unhelpful. I was required to remove approximately 1.5 pounds from my two checked bags, even though it was a very small amount over the limit. The interaction was unnecessarily unpleasant, and I expected much better customer service. I hope United will review this incident and provide additional customer service training to its staff.

No extra snacks were available. Meals quality is terrible. Crew was not friendly.

I was exhausted from a long day. The flight was smooth. The first flight during my 3 week travel that took off on time.

Agents at gate were not immediately available to solve problems and once they did they didn’t fix all the fight connections

1 flight cancelled Had to fly out of different city Flight at new departure city was delayed 3 hours causing us to miss connecting flights. By the time we did make it to Prague our luggage did not. Had to wait day and a half for luggage to be delivered. Customer service was not good. Agents did not arrive at gate until 5-10 minutes before boarding

I needed internet for critical matters and it never worked.

Awful. Delayed flights, missed connection to Toronto. Hotel vouchers were for already booked hotels x3. Giant waste of my time

Horrible I am at almost 2,000,000 miles on United. This was probably the worst flight ever. An hour and a half before takeoff I get a message that they’re changing the plane and I no longer have a seat in Polaris business Supposedly, there was a problem with the plane, but then there was no other plane Finally, they decided to bring a plane from Newark to Washington Dulles Of course the original flight was at 10:45 PM so by the time the plane got there it was 12:30 AM. It had not been cleaned. It had not been catered. They don’t really have people available to do those things when it’s not pre-programmed at 1 o’clock in the morning. The crew had to be changed And the new plane held 28 fewer people than the scheduled plane There is no way you can hate United Airlines enough The people at the gate were actually just fine, but it was management who was completely useless And did they send extra help to the people at the gate? Did they send supervisors? Of course not. Just don’t take United find somebody else or buy a boat

Great experience. Boarding was fast, staff were very nice and funny, everything at the seat worked well.

I cancelled this flight 2 days before departure but I followed your texts and emails and IF you were correct this flight turned into a nightmare.

My flight was delayed twice. The first time because of “plane maintenance” and the second because the previous flight who supposedly “arrived early” took an obnoxiously long time to get off the plane. Total delay was over an hour for no reason. Not to mention your airline repeatedly changed our gate from one end of the terminal to the other. Not very happy about this experience. My previous flights with American haven’t had this many issues.

Very turbulent flight, no drinks, very little service, unorganized boarding, gate changed multiple times

We’ve had a year of delays with American, and this one was another flight to add to that list. It just reduced our vacation by a day! So frustrating. In-flight entertainment (TVs) weren’t working, There was no drinks service due to delivery issues.

The flight was delayed significantly. Communication during the flight was abrupt and caused some panic as we were navigating turbulence. It was also too loud and every announcement felt startling. The flight attendants did not offer any assurances and I felt unsettled most of the flight. The seats, floor and tray table was very dirty. The seat next to me was broken and the passenger sitting there was very uncomfortable. He had a spring in his back and his seat made terrible squeaking noises through the flight.

2 hours delay on my flight causing me to miss my connecting flight. Cause was for maintenance. I understand maintenance is important but maintenance should be done before boarding people!

Better perks for corporate employees whom travel often and spend a lot of money with the airlines. Snacks were terrible chips crackers are ideas. Flight and crew were great comfort was fine entertainment not so great so so called status members means nothing

The flight de-boarded after being informed of a 3 hour delay. The gate agent said we could go to lounge. The flight ended up boarding 20 minutes later and I missed it.

My experience with American Airlines was great. Unfortunately my stroller was not located and has not been given to me and or reached out in return for in regard to information.

Pilots were fantastic - super smooth. First Class flight attendant was very attentive. Main Cabin flight attendant should try to smooth the rough edges of her voice - very shrill / punitive. Hurt my ears just to listen to her. Recognize they have a (tough) job to do - but tone over speakers needs to be less like scolding a 5 year old.

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.

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.

Here we have another airline flying to Guatemala but doesn't have a plus or a less, just in the middle. Why? Well, first we don't have even free water Movie selection is poor Seats don't recline in some places Food selection is carb based Forgot to mention, customer service on the web is the worst. Good things; Very reliable on schedule Kind crew

Last seat of Bussines Class it does recline but passenger seating behind kept pushing since they did not have space once my seat was reclined

I like the crew they're very friendly. I don't like. on five hour flight they not offered snacks. Any drink. Not even coffee

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.