Details emerge about Mérida’s upcoming direct flight to Guatemala
Travelers in Yucatán will soon have a new convenient destination for their getaways, the Central American country of Guatemala.
The new flight will be operated by TAG Airlines and will operate four times a week.
The new route is expected to begin operations in March 2022 and will connect Mérida’s international airport with La Aurora international airport in Guatemala City.
Mérida Mayor Renán Barrera Concha reached out to the mayor of Guatemala City, Ricardo Quiñónez, to discuss the strengthening of cultural and economic ties between the two cities.
Plans are also said to be in the works to add flights to El Salvador and Belize as early as next year, but the details have not yet been announced.
Despite their geographical proximity, flights between Mérida and Central America have been historically rather infrequent.
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Guatemala City is the country’s capital and largest urban center with a population of nearly 17 million people.
Though Guatemala City has not historically been much of a tourist attraction, it is located just one hour by car or bus from the colonial city of Antigua. That city is famous for its thriving art scene, traditional markets, splendid architecture, and natural beauty.
Guatemala’s most well-known tourist attraction is the ancient city of Tikal in the northern district of El Petén. Traveling by land between Guatemala City and Tikal is not easy and takes about 10 hours along some of the country’s most perilous roads. Several small domestic airlines offer flights at reasonable rates.
Instead of traveling to Tikal, many visitors to Guatemala City or Antigua choose to instead visit the archaeological site of Copán in neighboring Honduras. At four to five hours, the trip is still fairly long, but the roads and general travel conditions are considerably safer.
Senior Editor Carlos Rosado van der Gracht is a Mexican expedition/Canadian photographer and adventure leader. Born in Mérida, Carlos holds multimedia, philosophy, and translation degrees from universities in Mexico, Canada and Norway.
