Commuter airline to Utila

[RetMTFE]

Reader's Digest version....we were going to go to Utila with a LDS but they couldn't get enough and cancelled the trip. We still plan to go on our own.
I can get what I consider a great fare to San Pedro Sula.
My question is..how do most of you book your travel on SOSA to Utila? Looking at the SOSA website, it looks like a round trip between SAP and Utila is almost as much as the fare to SAP from the States.
Any info is appreciated.

 

[DeepBlueResort]

Hi

The cost with SOSA is approx $220 round trip, you will find it hard normally to book direct with SOSA, you could try one of the agents on the island such as Morgans travel, or if you are going to a resort most can book the flight for you.

I hope this helps.

 

[diversteve]

Another option is to fly Roatan and take the ferries. There's a CO flight from Houston that we were able to connect to. A R/T flight - PHX-EWR(go figure)-SAP-Utila would've been over $1200 - to Roatan it was $660. The ferries cost $107 r/t pp. It's about a $15 cab ride to the ferry port from RTB.

Safeway Maritime Ferry - Roatan to La Ceiba
Utila Princess Ferry | Utila Guide Honduras

Or there's Capt. Vern's Catamaran - Ferry between Roatan & Utila, The Bay Islands, Honduras, daily with Capt Vern on the Nina Elisabeth II Catamaran It's closer to $20 cab fare since he leaves from Coconut Tree's dock on the West End. $110 r/t pp.

Either gets you to Utila late afternoon the same day. We arrived on Roatan at 12:15 - after a long wait through immigration - we were at the ferry port (Dixon Cove) b4 1:30 for the 2pm sailing. Arrived in La Ceiba (mainland) around 3:30 and were on Utila by 5PM. The ferries align their schedules and dock adjacent to each other. Return is just as easy but you leave at 6AM to get back to Roatan for an early afternoon departure.

If you're staying in town, the Princess docks at the town dock. If you're staying at one of the three AI's - Deep Blue, Laguna Beach or Utopia - they pick up there with their boat as there's no road to the other side of the lagoon.

 

[DandyDon]

I organized a group trio here on SB once to Utila, suggesting everyone fly to Roatan and connect there to a local airline to Utila. The ones who did made it fine; the others came in the next day by ferry from the mainland after their plans failed. I think we booked the local flights thru Welcome to Roatan Charter : Honduras and Belize Travel Wholesalers since 1981 You could phone them and ask about RTB-Utila flights. Be sure to arrange to have someone pickup up at the Utila "airport." When I was there are few years ago, there were no phones or anything else except a bus stop type structure with shade.

 

[rob@diveinutila.com]

I deal with this issue on an almost daily basis! It's tough to get to Utila... Anyway, for most people flying into San Pedro is the cheapest option when coming to Utila. Use Frank Morgans Travel or Alice's Worldwide Travel to book flights from San Pedro to La Ceiba, then on to Utila.

Morgans Travel Agency- Utila, The Bay Islands, Honduras
World Wide Travel - Utila, The Bay Islands, Honduras

You'll find contact details on those pages, they both speak English and both been organising flights on and off the island for years. Don't bother trying to speak to SOSA, it's basically impossible.

Utila is too small to have a flight everyday. So if there is no flight available on your day of travel take a cab to the ferry terminal and take the 1 hour ferry crossing. Or if you really want to fly there are charter flights available, again talk to the Utila travel agencies for details. I think the cheapest one takes 3 passengers with not too much baggage for around $180 total. The flight takes about 10 minutes! Scheduled flights with SOSA are $55 per person, one way, if I recall correctly.

Utila's airstrip has developed a little. There is now a proper building with a bar, etc but unless a scheduled flight is coming in it is probably closed. Making sure you have a pick up is important if you want to be sure of avoiding a 2 mile walk into town.

There are only charter flights available from Roatan to Utila. Captain Angelo does it regularly with his 10 seater at $112 per person last time I looked.

Guanaja Air
9558 8683 cell
lagonia@aol.com

If you would like any more information about travel to Utila, diving here, etc please feel free to PM me!

 

[mynametaken]

I highly recommend getting a charter flight arranged. It can be cheaper than SOSA if you have 3-4 people and it's worth it for the no-hassle factor even if you have only 2 people. Your resort can book the charter or I'm sure Morgan's travel can do it, too. With SOSA sometimes they go Utila-Roatan-La Ceiba-SAP, or anything in-betweeen. If they show up at all. The pilots on the charters are friendly, fun, and on-time. It's worth the few extra dollars and may even be cheaper.

 

[RetMTFE]

Thanks for all the info. We are definitely flying into SAP. Just gotta decide which route to take to Utila. We can both go into SAP for less than the price of one ticket to Roatan. Plus...going to Roatan involves going thru Atlanta or Houston which is the wrong way from Florida.

 

[DeepBlueResort]

Hi

Yes that is what I normally find that it is much cheaper to go to San Pedro Sula

 

[DandyDon]

You are getting great info from others and I hope my commenting does not confuse things.

It was Roatan Charters who helped me with my RTB-Utila flights years ago. I just had a nice chat with them. Very informative. You can still use them as a resource of course.

I don't know where in Florida you are originating or when, but looks like MIA-SUP is like $235 RT with taxes. But then $280 RT to Utila? You could ferry over from LCE, but you'd be pressed to get there in time, having to overnight in LCE probly.

Or there is MIA-LCE fluctuating from $300 to $600 - wow! Again you'd be pressed to get there in time, having to overnight in LCE probly.

 

[sladerer]

Please let us know if you find out anything useful and how you wind up setting this up. We're faced with the same problem in early March, getting into SAP at 3PM on American.

thanks