Utila charter flight rates?

[Hintermann]

I am planning a trip to Utila in April 2016 and am flying-in from Miami. The problem is that I cannot arrive in Miami earlier than 6pm on a Saturday evening, which would mean that I have to get to Utila on the following day, a Sunday. AFAIK, there are no scheduled incoming flights from anywhere to Utila on Sundays. I am therefore left with the charter option.

I have worked out 2 possible routes: The first is to stay Saturday night in Miami Airport and catch the morning AA flight to San Pedro Sula and connect to the Avianca flight from SPS to Le Ciaba. From Le Ciaba to Utila will have to be the charter flight.

The other option, the one that I prefer, is to take the saturday 21:15 AA flight from Miami to Houston, spend overnight in a motel close to the airport and catch the United flight from Houston to Roatan on Sunday morning (there is one). From Roatan, it will have to be a charter to Utila. The advantage here is that the United flight arrives in Roatan by 12:15pm, giving more daylight time for the charter in case of flight delays.

My question is, which charter route is cheaper - Le Ciaba to Utila or Roatan to Utila - on that Sunday?

 

[laurenceh]

charter flights from san pedro sula, la ceiba and roatan to utila are available through alice hill at world wide travel on utila. she acts as an agent for several pilots that flight 3-5 seater cesna's around the islands. roatan to utila is around $80, la ceiba to utila around $80 and san pedro sula to utila around $120, all providing there are other passengers. if you're alone or no one else is looking to fly on that day/time the cost is considerably more as the cost of the plane is divided amongst the passengers.
another option is to fly to la ceiba and then take the ferry from la ceiba to utila, it leaves la ceiba at 9.30am and 4pm everyday and costs around $26 for the 1 hr trip.
something else to consider and alice will be able to advise, is that march/april are the busiest months of the year and there may be a scheduled flight via sosa or cm due to high demand. during that time of the year these companies will have to fly 3-4 flights a day on saturdays, although their schedule says only one flight, its all a matter of supply and demand. one things for sure, at that time of the year if you need to charter you'll likely have no problem getting other passengers to split the cost.
i travel to and from utila several times a year and always count on alice to plan my internal travel.
alice' email is alicewwtravel@yahoo.com

 

[diversteve]

We did this in March a couple of years ago. On a Saturday not a Sunday so it should be even smoother on Sunday since the Roatan AI resorts work a Sat-Sat schedule so that's the busiest day at the airport. Even with that delay (almost an hour) we had plenty of time.

Fly in at 12:15 on Sunday on United. Clear customs/immigration and take a cab to Dixon Cove - about 10-15mins. from the airport on the south side.

Board the Galaxy Ferry at 2PM - it leaves promptly - back to La Ceiba. Arrive in La Ceiba at 3:10.

Get your stuff and walk out of the terminal to the left - the Princess Ferry is moored there waiting.

It leaves at 4PM and you're on Utila at 5:15PM. The Princess being the smaller boat is more weather dependent.
Not the smoothest ride going over but it didn't seem to matter to the captain/crew. Coming back it was like glass.

The Galaxy is $31 the Princess is $25. First class on the Galaxy buys a coke, an old movie and the upstairs lounge with A/C. Nicer seats.

La Ceiba, Roatan Ferry Schedule & Fares | Safe Way Maritime
Utila Princess Schedule

Getting back the Princess leaves at 6:20AM and there's an almost 2hr. wait for the Galaxy but you're still back on Roatan b4 11AM.

 

[Earl Grey]

If you can get into La Ceiba in time to make a ferry, I would do that instead of an air charter. Its going to be cheaper unless your group fills up the whole plane and time savings are negligible.

If you are set on going the air route you might as well charter it from San Pedro Sula direct to Utila - the price will be only a little bit more than a charter from La Ceiba and you avoid the unnecessary domestic flight. As you pointed out, you can charter from Roatan to Utila as well. Prices from Roatan will be the same as San Pedro or slightly less.

Your best bet is to use a travel agent as they know the local pilots, can determine if there are other people needing the same flights (ie less $$), etc. Alice Hill of Worldwide Travel is usually recommended - she is an agent for CM Airlines which is the "regular" airline I prefer. I have used Morgan's Travel for arranging SOSA flights and charters. Another pilot that is often recommended is Captain Angelo of Island Air - easiest to call or message on Facebook. Island Air has regular scheduled flights on certain days and flies charters the rest of the time. Both travel agents are on Utila can quote prices and arrange for charters.

My experience has been that a seat on a plane is about $80 - $135 one way. If you are needing the entire plane it could be $350-$500 one way.

 

[Damselfish]

I agree with using a travel agent. I'm usually a do-it-your-selfer when it comes to Caribbean travel, except for certain situations where using a travel agent works better for some reason. After pounding my head against my monitor enough and a sampling of travel there, I've come to the conclusion that Utila is one of those cases. Between the scarcity of scheduled air service, lack of complete or reliable info on the net, and that they tend to make up whatever works as they go along - it takes someone local and the personal touch.

 

[Hintermann]

Thanks people. I looked at and considered all your suggestions and alternatives.

I realise that April is peak season in Utila. But as things stand, there are no scheduled flights into Utila from anywhere on a Sunday. I will keep checking closer to the time though.

Arriving on a Sunday to either Roatan or San Pedro Sula, I will be very lucky to find someone to share a charter flight cost. I have to work on the possibility that I'll have to charter the flight all by myself.

My initial enquiries suggested that they would want around US$700 for a charter from SPS to Utila but the rate drops to $400 if it is from La Cieba to Utila. I have ot been given a rate for the Roatan to Utila Sunday charter but I suspect that it will be closer to the La Ceiba fare.

One risk of going through the Miami SPS route is the tight timeframe. There will be over 3 hours between arrival in SPS and the Avianca connection to La Ceiba but once I arrive in LC, it will be less than an hour for the Utila Princess ferry and so no flexibility for flight delays. Likewise, with only 90 minutes or less of daylight time left, it will be cutting it short even to for a La Ceiba to Utila charter if the Avianca flight is delayed. No night landing in Utila, as I am told.

But if I choose the Houston-Roatan route, I will be using more mainstream airlines and am scheduled to arrive in Roatan by 12:15pm. That might even allow me to catch the afternoon Galaxy ferry to La Ceiba & connect to Utila Princess; OR, arrange a charter flight beforehand to be certain with plenty of daylight time left.

 

[Oldbear]

It's times like this I miss Vern...I hope he is Captaining a Clipper or a Schooner in Heaven.

Sometimes you don't appreciate a good thing or a good person until it's no longer available.

Vern you might have been taken from us but you will never be forgotten.

 

[laurenceh]

if you contact alice hill, i can virtually guarantee she will have several flights going from roatan to utila on every sunday in march and april. don't over think this, just contact alice!

 

[Hintermann]

if you contact alice hill, I can virtually guarantee she will have several flights going from roatan to utila on every sunday in march and april. don't over think this, just contact alice!

Jawohl, will do. But since my trip is in April 2016, I will wait for another year before contacting Alice Hill.

 

[jlevine]

I suggest re-evaluating routes later next year. Who knows? The carriers and routes can change a lot by then.