Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport

{{Infobox airport

| name = Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport

| nativename =

| nativename-a =

| nativename-r =

| image = Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport.jpg

| image-width = 250

| IATA = BZE

| ICAO = MZBZ

| type = Public

| owner =

| operator =

| city-served =Belize City

| location = Ladyville

| hub =

| elevation-m = 5

| coordinates = {{coord|17|32|21|N|088|18|30|W|region:BZ|display=inline,title}}

| pushpin_map = Belize

| pushpin_label = MZBZ

| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Belize

| website = {{URL|https://www.pgiabelize.com/|pgiabelize.com}}

| metric-elev = Y

| metric-rwy = Y

| r1-number = 07/25

| r1-length-m = 2,950

| r1-surface = Asphalt

| stat-year = 2024

| stat1-header = Total Passengers

| stat1-data = 1,229,000

| stat2-header = Aircraft movements

| stat2-data = 34,187

| footnotes = Source: Passenger and aircraft movement statistics from PGIA airport{{cite web|url=http://www.pgiabelize.com/about-us/|title=Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport - About us|publisher=Belize Airport Concession Company Limited|access-date=March 9, 2024}}

}}

Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport {{airport codes|BZE|MZBZ}} is an airport that serves the nation of Belize's largest city, Belize City along the eastern coast of Central America. It was named after politician Philip S. W. Goldson, who died in 2001. The airport is at an elevation of {{Convert|5|m|abbr=on}}, which means both the airport and the entirety of Belize City are at risk of serious flooding due to its low elevation and coastal location. For this reason, Belize's capital has been moved to Belmopan, but the airport remains the largest and busiest in the country. With stable passenger growth, Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport is currently the fifth busiest airport in Central America. Belize Airport covers 457 acres (185 ha) of land and has one runway.{{cite web|url=https://www.pgiabelize.com/passenger-info/quick-facts|title=Belize Airport Facts and Figures|website=pgiabelize.com|accessdate= October 20, 2023}}

The airport is about 30 minutes drive from Belize City's centre, in Ladyville. In mid-2020, a new paved access road was completed from the George Price Highway, eight kilometres north, across the Belize River, directly to the side of the airfield where the passenger terminal is located.

History

File:Gate 6 Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport 2017.jpg

Originally known as Belize International Airport, the airport was renamed in honor of Philip S. W. Goldson on 7 February 1988.{{cite journal |title=Airport Gets New Name; Ground Broken for New Terminal Building |journal=Belize Today |publisher=Belize Information Service |date=February 1988}}

Military use

File:PHWGairport.JPG

Due to the Belizean–Guatemalan territorial dispute, Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport has hosted several military units over the years since its construction. In 1984, a senior US Air Force General stated that it was "the best defended airfield in Central America".{{cite journal |date=1984 |title=Belize |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aHpTAAAAYAAJ&q=belize+airport+most+heavily+defended |journal=Armed Forces |page=182 |access-date=3 May 2018 }} Most notable residents have been Headquarters British Forces Belize, No. 1417 (Tactical Ground Attack) Flight RAF operating Harrier jump jets, No. 1563 (Helicopter support) Flight RAF, resident Anti-Aircraft Squadrons of the RAF Regiment, resident helicopter units of the Army Air Corps, HarDet Belize, Butcher Radar and Belize Defence Forces, among others. Price Barracks is a military installation located just north of the airport, which was formerly known as Airport Camp, the headquarters of British Forces Belize.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}

Historical airline service

In 1950, TACA Airlines (which is now Avianca Honduras) was operating weekly nonstop flights to New Orleans and San Salvador as well as weekly direct one stop service to Managua with Douglas DC-4 propliners.{{Cite web |date=Oct 19, 1950 |title=TACA International Airlines International Schedule |url=https://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/complete/ta50/ta50-2.jpg |website=Airline Timetable Images}} TACA subsequently began operating Vickers Viscount turboprops on a weekly southbound service flying a routing of New Orleans - Belize City - Guatemala City - San Salvador - Tegucigalpa - Managua - San Jose, Costa Rica - Panama City, Panama.{{cite web |date=December 1, 1962 |title=TACA International Airlines timetable |url=http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/ta6212.htm |website=Airline Timetable Images}} In 1953, British West Indian Airways (BWIA, which is now Caribbean Airlines) in association with British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC, which is now British Airways) was operating one flight a week to Belize from Kingston, Jamaica via an intermediate stop in Grand Cayman with a Vickers VC.1 Viking twin-prop aircraft with this flight offering connecting service via Kingston from a BOAC flight that operated a routing from London, England via stops in New York City, Nassau, Bahamas and Montego Bay, Jamaica.{{Cite web |date=1 July 1953 |title=BWIA Timetable |url=https://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/complete/bw53/bw53-1.jpg |website=Airline Timetable Images}} BWIA in conjunction with BOAC would later operate weekly nonstop service between the airport and Kingston with Vickers Viscount turboprop aircraft.{{Cite web |date=September 1, 1963 |title=British West Indian Airways Fall/Winter Schedules |url=https://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/bw/bw6309/bw6309-3.jpg |website=Airline Timetable Images}} Thirty years later in 1983, four airlines were operating jet service into the airport according to the Official Airline Guide (OAG) including Air Florida with nonstop Boeing 737-200 flights from Miami and San Pedro Sula, Servicio Aereo de Honduras (SAHSA) with nonstop Boeing 727-100 flights from Houston (via Houston Intercontinental Airport), New Orleans and San Pedro Sula, TACA Airlines International with nonstop Boeing 737-200 and British Aircraft Corporation BAC One-Eleven flights from Houston (via Houston Intercontinental Airport), Miami, New Orleans and San Salvador, and Transportes Aereos Nacionales (TAN Airlines) with nonstop Boeing 737-200 flights from Miami and San Pedro Sula while local air carrier Maya Airways was operating domestic service in Belize with Britten-Norman Islander twin-prop aircraft.{{cite web |title=Airlines and Aircraft Serving Belize City Effective July 1, 1983 |url=https://www.departedflights.com/BZE83intro.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150311185156/http://www.departedflights.com/BZE83intro.html |archive-date=11 March 2015 |website=Departed Flights}} Also according to the OAG, by 1989 TACA had introduced wide body Boeing 767-200 nonstop service to Miami in addition to its Boeing 737-200 flights with other service to Miami at this time being operated by Eastern Airlines with Boeing 727-200s as well as TAN with Boeing 737-200s.{{cite web |title=To Miami International Airport (Page 1 of 2) Effective January 15, 1989 |url=https://www.departedflights.com/MIAI89p1.html |website=Departed Flights}}

Belize Airways Ltd. was a scheduled passenger airline based at the airport which operated flights to Miami, San Pedro Sula, San Salvador and La Ceiba with Boeing 720 and stretched British Aircraft Corporation BAC One-Eleven series 500 jetliners operated at various times during its existence from 1977 to 1980 according to its timetables.{{Cite web |date=Dec 1, 1977 |title=Belize Airways, Ltd. International Schedule |url=https://www.timetableimages.com/i-s/st7712a.jpg |website=Airline Timetable Images}}{{Cite web |title=Belize Airlines Ltd. Timetable |url=https://www.timetableimages.com/i-s/st80ca.jpg |website=Airline Timetable Images}}

Airlines and destinations

=Passenger=

{{Airport-dest-list

| Air Canada Rouge | Seasonal: Toronto–Pearson{{cn|date=February 2025}}

| Alaska Airlines{{cite web |url=https://www.routesonline.com/news/29/breaking-news/297061/routes-in-brief-novembers-rolling-daily-updates/ |title = Routes In Brief: November's Rolling Daily Updates {{!}} Routes}}| Los Angeles
Seasonal: Seattle/Tacoma{{cn|date=February 2025}}

| American Airlines | Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami
Seasonal: Charlotte

| Copa Airlines | Panama City–Tocumen

| Delta Air Lines | Atlanta
Seasonal: Minneapolis/St. Paul{{cn|date=February 2025}}

| JetBlue | New York–JFK{{cite press release|url=https://news.jetblue.com/latest-news/press-release-details/2023/JetBlue-Expands-Caribbean-Network-Adding-Service-to-Belize-and-St.-Kitts-Out-For-Sale-Starting-Today/default.aspx|title=JetBlue Expands Caribbean Network, Adding Service to Belize and St. Kitts, Out For Sale Starting Today|work=JetBlue Newsroom|date=June 6, 2023|access-date=October 30, 2023}}

| Maya Island Air | Caye Caulker, Caye Chapel, Corozal, Dangriga, Placencia, Punta Gorda, San Pedro

| Southwest Airlines | Houston–Hobby
Seasonal: Baltimore,{{Cite web |url= https://thetravelsisters.com/southwest-international-destinations/ |title= All Southwest Airlines International Flight Destinations |access-date=February 22, 2024}} Denver

| {{nowrap|Sun Country Airlines}} | Seasonal: Minneapolis/St. Paul{{cn|date=February 2025}}

| {{nowrap|TAG Airlines}} | Guatemala City

| Tropic Air | Cancún, Caye Caulker, Chetumal, Corozal, Dangriga, Placencia, Punta Gorda, Roatán, San Pedro, San Pedro Sula, San Salvador (suspended)

| United Airlines | Houston–Intercontinental
Seasonal: Chicago–O'Hare,{{cn|date=February 2025}} Denver,{{cn|date=February 2025}} Los Angeles,{{cn|date=February 2025}} Newark,{{cn|date=February 2025}} San Francisco{{cite web|url=https://myemail-api.constantcontact.com/Belize-and-United-Airlines-Announce-New-Non-stop-Flight-from-San-Francisco.html?soid=1105674443419&aid=u-ALj_B_c34|title=Belize and United Airlines Announce New Non-stop Flight from San Francisco}}

|WestJet | Seasonal: Calgary,{{cn|date=February 2025}} Toronto–Pearson{{cn|date=February 2025}}

}}

class="collapsible uncollapsed" style="border:1px #aaa solid; width:50em; margin:0.2em auto"

! Domestic destinations map

{{Location map+ |Belize |width= 500 |float=center

|caption=Domestic destinations
{{font color | blue | Blue}} = Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport
{{font color | red | Red}} = Year-round destination
{{font color | green | Green }} = Seasonal destination

|places=

{{Location map~ |Belize |lat=17.539167 |long=-88.308333 |position=left |label={{nowrap|Belize City Intl}}|caption=|mark= Blue pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |Belize |lat=17.734722 |long=-88.033333 |position=right |label={{nowrap|Caye Caulker}}|caption=|mark= Red pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |Belize |lat=17.683333 |long=-88.044444 |position=right |label={{nowrap|Caye Chapel}}|caption=|mark= Red pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |Belize |lat=18.381944 |long=-88.411111 |position=left |label={{nowrap|Corozal}}|caption=|mark= Red pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |Belize |lat=16.9825 |long=-88.230556|position=right |label={{nowrap|Dangringa}}|caption=|mark= Red pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |Belize |lat=16.537222 |long=-88.361111|position=right|label={{nowrap|Placencia}}|caption=|mark= Red pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |Belize |lat=17.913889 |long=-87.971111 |position=right |label={{nowrap|San Pedro}}|caption=|mark= Red pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |Belize |lat=17.5175 |long=-88.195833 |position=right |label={{nowrap|Belize City Municipal}}|caption=|mark= Red pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |Belize |lat=17.185833 |long=-89.009722 |position=right |label={{nowrap|San Ignacio}}|caption=|mark= Red pog.svg }}}}

class="collapsible uncollapsed" style="border:1px #aaa solid; width:50em; margin:0.2em auto"

! Central America destinations map

{{Location map+ |Central America |width= 500 |float=center

|caption=Central America destinations
{{font color | blue | Blue}} = Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport
{{font color | red | Red}} = Year-round destination
{{font color | green | Green }} = Seasonal destination

|places=

{{Location map~ |Central America |lat=17.539167 |long=-88.308333 |position=right |label={{nowrap|Belize City Intl}}|caption=|mark= Blue pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |Central America |lat=13.440833 |long=-89.055556 |position=left |label={{nowrap|San Salvador}}|caption=|mark= Green pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |Central America |lat=9.071389 |long=-79.383611 |position=right |label={{nowrap|Panama City–PTY}}|caption=|mark= Red pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |Central America |lat=16.913889 |long=-89.866389 |position=right |label={{nowrap|Flores}}|caption=|mark= Red pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |Central America |lat=14.581667 |long=-90.526667 |position=left |label={{nowrap|Guatemala City}}|caption=|mark= Red pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |Central America |lat=16.317222 |long=-86.522222 |position=right |label={{nowrap|Roatán}}|caption=|mark= Red pog.svg }}}}

class="collapsible uncollapsed" style="border:1px #aaa solid; width:50em; margin:0.2em auto"

! Canada, United States, and Mexico destinations map

{{Location map+ |North America |width= 500 |float=center

|caption=Canada, United States, and Mexico destinations
{{font color | blue | Blue}} = Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport
{{font color | red | Red}} = Year-round destination
{{font color | green | Green }} = Seasonal destination

|places=

{{Location map~ |North America |lat=17.539167 |long=-88.308333 |position=right |label={{nowrap|Belize City Intl}}|caption=|mark= Blue pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |North America |lat=43.676667 |long=-79.630556 |position=right |label={{nowrap|Toronto–YYZ}}|caption=|mark= Green pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |North America |lat=32.896944 |long=-97.038056 |position=left |label={{nowrap|Dallas/Fort Worth–DFW}}|caption=|mark= Red pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |North America |lat=33.9425 |long=-118.408056 |position=left |label={{nowrap|Los Angeles–LAX}}|caption=|mark= Red pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |North America |lat=37.620811 |long=-122.380049 |position=left |label={{nowrap|San Francisco–SFO}}|caption=|mark= Green pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |North America |lat=25.793333 |long=-80.290556 |position=left |label={{nowrap|Miami}}|caption=|mark= Red pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |North America |lat=35.213889 |long=-80.943056 |position=right|label={{nowrap|Charlotte}}|caption=|mark= Green pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |North America |lat=33.636667 |long=-84.428056 |position=right |label={{nowrap|Atlanta}}|caption=|mark= Red pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |North America |lat=29.984444 |long=-95.341389 |position=right |label={{nowrap|Houston–IAH}}|caption=|mark= Red pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |North America |lat=44.881944 |long=-93.221667 |position=left |label={{nowrap|Minneapolis/St Paul}}|caption=|mark= Green pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |North America |lat=18.504667 |long=-88.326847 |position=left |label={{nowrap|Chetumal}}|caption=|mark= Red pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |North America |lat=21.036667 |long=-86.876944 |position=right |label={{nowrap|Cancún}}|caption=|mark= Red pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |North America |lat=41.978611 |long=-87.904722 |position=left |label={{nowrap|Chicago–ORD}}|caption=|mark= Green pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |North America |lat=40.6925 |long=-74.168611 |position=right |label={{nowrap|Newark}}|caption=|mark= Green pog.svg }}

{{location map~ |North America |lat=47.4488 |long=-122.309444 |position=right |label=

{{nowrap|Seattle/Tacoma}}|caption=|mark= Green pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |North America |lat=51.1225 |long=-114.013333 |position=right |label={{nowrap|Calgary}}|caption=|mark= Green pog.svg }}

{{Location map~ |North America |lat=39.855193|long=-104.673849|position=right|label={{nowrap|Denver}}|label_size=90 |marksize=7|caption=|mark= Green pog.svg }}}}

=Cargo=

{{Airport-dest-list

|Amerijet International |Miami

}}

Accidents and incidents

On 17 April 2025, a US national hijacked Tropic Air Flight 711 flying from Corozal to San Pedro, stabbing and injuring two passengers. He was shot dead by another passenger after the aircraft made an emergency landing at the airport.{{Cite news |date=April 17, 2025 |title=Plane passenger shoots, kills US hijacker on Belize flight |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/plane-passenger-shoots-kills-us-hijacker-on-belize-flight/ERQ4ZOKMQ5FFJH7FZU2A2XHLNI/ |access-date=April 17, 2025 |work=Agence France-Presse |publisher=New Zealand Herald}}

Statistics

References

External links

{{Commons category-inline|Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport}}
[http://www.pgiabelize.com/ Official website]

Category:Airports in Belize

Category:Belize District

Category:Belize Rural Central