Most international travelers to Guatemala arrive by plane. Several factors are working together to make Guatemala more easily, though not always cheaply, accessible in this regard. First, Guatemala has become increasingly popular as a travel destination. Tourism statistics show the country has been welcoming more than a million visitors per year since 2004. The Guatemalan government has recognized this and has invested millions of dollars into remodeling the country’s two international airports while developing local airports for the creation of a domestic route network. Carriers from the United States have stepped up their presence in Guatemala in recent years and are expected to continue this trend, particularly with the vastly improved infrastructure at Guatemala City’s La Aurora International Airport and the Mundo Maya Airport in Flores/Tikal.

The media have reported interest on the part of several Asian carriers considering the possibility of flying into Guatemala. These flights may be in effect by the time you read this, after the unveiling of the new La Aurora Airport. Flights from Europe have also become somewhat easier thanks in part to U.S. laws post-9/11 making Iberia’s Miami minihub for flights to Latin America a major headache. After the United States started requiring in-transit passengers from Europe to come off the plane, Iberia finally opted to fly nonstop from Madrid to Guatemala City three times per week, with more frequency reportedly in the works.

In addition to increased tourism, more and more Guatemalans have family living in the United States, which means this is easily one of the fastest-growing markets on U.S. carriers’ radar screens. As for cost, the market is very elastic. The arrival of a new carrier into Guatemala often signals an all-out pricing war, as seen with service start-ups by Delta in 1998 and US Airways in 2005, when flights from the United States to Guatemala hovered around $300 round-trip. Demand quickly catches up with supply, however, and prices double as carriers see little reason to discount flights in a market where planes are already flying full.

Still, deals can be had if you know where to look and are willing to give up some comforts such as advance seat selection and ticket changeability. Internet sites offering discounted tickets and air-ticket consolidators are worth checking out if this describes you.

Some visitors choose to drive to Guatemala, traveling through Mexico en route, and entering the country at one of several border crossings. Guatemala also has border crossings on roads connecting it to Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador.