Guatemala City La Aurora Airport (GUA) Flights & Information

There are two international airports in Guatemala, but the country’s primary airport – and it’s busiest – is La Aurora International Airport (GUA) in Guatemala City. La Aurora is located just south of the capital city center and serves travelers coming to Guatemala City and several popular attractions nearby, including the colonial city of Antigua and the towns surrounding Lake Atitlán.

When I first flew into La Aurora, I was en route to Antigua, a small city that’s known for its Spanish colonial buildings, plentiful language schools, and a staggering landscape of volcanoes. No matter why you’re heading to the region, here’s what you’ll find at La Aurora International Airport.

US airports with direct flights to GUA

There are direct flights to La Aurora International Airport from 11 US cities: Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington DC, Newark, New York, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Miami. There is also a direct flight from Madrid, Spain, along with several non-stop flights from destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico, South America and Central America.

If you can find an affordable flight into Mexico City or Cancún from the US, you might be able to do a little flight hacking to find a low fare between Mexico and Guatemala City. When I traveled to La Aurora International Airport, I found a great rate out of Dallas, but have gone the flight-hacking route on other trips.

Airlines that fly to the airport

If you’re like me and you love to collect flight miles, you’ll be happy to know that there are currently 17 airlines that fly in and out of La Aurora Airport. You can find flights on the big 3 US carriers – United Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta Air Lines – in addition to smaller US airlines like JetBlue and Spirit.

You can also find flights into La Aurora International Airport with airlines based out of Mexico, South America and Central America, including Colombia’s Avianca, Mexico’s low-cost Volaris, and Copa Airlines, which is headquartered in Panama City. Iberia runs flights between Guatemala City and Madrid, Spain.

There are also several local flights that operate between La Aurora International Airport and Guatemala’s smaller, regional airports, including the other international airport, Aeropuerto Internacional Mundo Maya (FRS), in the northern town of Flores.

La Aurora International Airport terminal information

In late 2008, Guatemala City unveiled a significantly modernized and expanded GUA. Thanks to the renovation, the airport can now support more flights along with larger aircrafts.

There are 2 main terminals at La Aurora International Airport – the Central Terminal, which is used for larger planes, and the North Terminal. Because of its small size, GUA is easy to navigate, which is something I love about this airport. You can wander and explore without worry of getting lost or finding yourself too far from your departure gate.

However, because it is a small airport, there are fewer services. For this reason, it is always a good idea to pack some snacks. Some travelers also note that the airport is not always fully staffed for late arrivals, so you might encounter long lines at customs and passport control if your flight is at the end of the day.

How to get from La Aurora International Airport to the city center

There are 2 primary ways to get from La Aurora International Airport to Guatemala City: car and bus. For the former, you can call an Uber or hop in one of the waiting taxis. The drive to the city center from the airport takes around 20 minutes depending on where you want to be dropped off.

You can also take a bus from the airport to the Guatemala City center. The Transmetro 13 bus leaves the Fuerza Aérea stop at the airport and travels north into the heart of Guatemala City.

The bus is the cheapest way to reach the city center, but because of the low taxi cost and stress that can come from figuring out an unfamiliar city’s transportation system, I always suggest that first-time travelers to Guatemala take a taxi or Uber into Guatemala City.

How to get from the airport to Antigua or Panajachel

Many people, like me, come to Guatemala to visit the old colonial capital of Antigua. If you’re visiting Guatemala to hike one of the volcanoes surrounding Antigua, or you want to lounge along Lake Atitlán and shop at the open-air market of Chichicastenango, you’ll want to take a shuttle from La Aurora and head west.

When I arrived at La Aurora International Airport, I hopped on a pre-booked shuttle with Atitrans. The shuttle company departs from the airport five times throughout the day, 7 days per week. The journey takes around 1.5 hours. My favorite feature of a ride with Atitrans is that they will drop you off directly at your hotel or hostel in Antigua.

The same shuttle provider, Atitrans, also offers daily shuttles to Panajachel from La Aurora International Airport. Panajachel is on the north shore of Lake Atitlán and is often considered the gateway to the lake. The shuttle to Panajachel from La Aurora International Airport with Atitrans takes just over 4 hours.

You can also take an Uber or taxi between La Aurora International Airport and Antigua (or any regional destination), but should expect to pay a higher rate for the greater distances, of course. You may also have a harder time finding an driver willing to accept this long ride.

Security lines at La Aurora International Airport

The security lines at La Aurora International Airport can be hard to predict. I didn’t have any problems during my trip, but other travelers have reported that the process can be inefficient and slow, especially if you’re flying early in the morning or late in the evening when the airport is not fully staffed. I always recommend that people traveling out of GUA arrive at the airport 2 to 3 hours before their departure time.

It is also worth noting that some recent travelers have reported that they had to undergo a second, final security check at the boarding gate on their return flights to the US, so be prepared for this extra step in case this happens to you. Don’t wait until the last second to arrive at your gate for boarding.

Lounges at La Aurora International Airport

If you follow my advice and arrive at La Aurora International Airport early, you might find that you whiz through security and are left with ample time to kill before your flight. If that’s the case, you might want to check out one of the 2 airport lounges.

The first, Casa del Ron Aeropuerto, is for Priority Pass members and certain qualifying credit card holders. The lounge offers complimentary food, limited alcoholic drinks, a meeting room and fast Wi-Fi.

The second lounge is a Copa Club Lounge and is available to passengers who are traveling in Executive or Business Class on Copa Airlines or on one of the Star Alliance member airlines. This lounge has snacks, drinks and Wi-Fi, plus a nice view of the tarmac.

Eating and drinking at La Aurora International Airport

There are a handful of restaurants, bars and coffee shops at La Aurora International Airport, but the options are more limited than what you’re used to finding at other international airports. It’s also worth noting that food is not available 24 hours per day. For that reason, I suggest traveling with some emergency snacks no matter what time you’ll be in this airport, but especially for later flights.

There are 4 restaurants at La Aurora International Airport: Subway, Pizza Hut, McDonald’s and Pollo Campero, a Guatemalan fast-food chain known for its fried chicken. In addition to the 2 lounges, there is 1 public bar and there are 4 coffee shops, including a Starbucks and several Guatemalan options. Don’t forget, Guatemala is known for its excellent coffee, so I recommend opting for one of these local options over the American chain.