Roatan, getting there..American Airlines

[kdove]

Looking for info about ferry/ air service to Roatan from the Tegucigalpa airport. Plan on flying American Airlines in November, and wondering what is the best way to get to Roatan. Also, shuttle to the hotel? Rent a car? Bus? We are looking into staying/diving with Bananrama (recommended by a friend). Thanks for your help!!
kd

 

[itsjustme0770]

Do you have to fly into Tegus? Do you have to fly American? Continental through Houston flies direct to Roatan on Saturdays and I think now Thursdays. Delta direct from atlanta on Saturdays (not sure about other days). I can't recall if AA flies direct. I've taken AA to SPS and taken the puddle jumper over which is fine.

 

[kdove]

Hi- we will fly AA because of miles, etc... looks like we can take a ferry from the "mainland" to roatan?
Any thoughts from repeat visitors on where to stay? Who to dive with? (p.s... have done lots of "roatan searches" on this site. maybe double-dipping, maybe just looking for the best info. )
who loves sand fleas? I do!!!!:10:

 

[Bay Island Diver]

I would fly AA to San Pedro Sula in preference to Teguc, it is much easier to transfer from SPS to Roatan than from Teguc.

Then I highly recommend not bothering with taxi ferries etc, but just booking with Central America Airline, Domestic Flights - TACA REGIONAL Airlines to get to Roatan. The flight with Tacas Regional airline - Islena will cost about $200pp return. If you book with TACA - Lowest airfares to Latin America, hotels, car rentals, cruises it costs more so watch that one! Getting a taxi and then the ferry will work out at roughly half that but is a real hassle and usually involves overnighting in either Le Ceiba or San Pedro, due to the timimng of the ferries.

Make sure you only check you baggage to San Pedro when flying to Honduras, then claim it and Re-check for the flight to Roatan, way to many bags disappear if you try to check them all the way through!

Note the flight from San Pedro to Roatan will actually land in Le Ceibe (LCE) for about ten minutes, you don't even get off the plane. There are no DIRECT flights from SPS to RTB.

Hope that helps

Will

 

[diverkun]

anyone know if there are any baggage restrictions on Islena/Taca?
we plan on checking a dive bag and 1 bag for T shirts/flip flops/shorts etc (2 bags per person)

 

[mk706]

are you redeeming miles?

convenience has a price as well. a direct flight from the US to Roatan is well worth the price. we did the Continental flight, Wednesday to Wednesday early this month. the flight was just about empty (737 with about 40 pax). the total travel day from ATL to RTB was around 7.5 hours, had we opted for a transfer through SAP the travel day would have exceeded 15 hours. i couldn't imagine doing the ferry on holiday. time is money, and a day off work has value. i'd rather spend the money for time off.

so far as our flight on Continental, we cashed in 35k Delta Skymiles (part of Sky Team).

 

[charlesml3]

i couldn't imagine doing the ferry on holiday. time is money, and a day off work has value. i'd rather spend the money for time off.

Got that right. We're heading to Cocoview in May and no way am I burning a 1/2 day down and a 1/2 day back to save $200 on airfare. Even the 1/2 day down would make the difference. We leave here at 6:00am (yea, painful) but we're in Roatan by 11:30am. I can get in two or three tanks that day.

-Charles

 

[mk706]

i've got to put in a plug for West End Divers - great shop. they really know the west end. our group of four dove with them 2+ times daily and had our own DM or (sometimes 2-3) in our own skiff. the boat captain was great and kept us in good visiblity and on the good sites.

 

[LynnB]

We are doing the AA things as it was a third of the price. Yes a little more hassel but with 4 of us the price difference was a big thing.
We are flying into SAP and have a driver taking us to the ferry to Roatan. We will fly back to SAP from Roatan....
I thought the drive and ferry ride would show us some of the mainland... add a little adventure.
We are going in June and can;t wait...