These 4 Airlines Just Added Nonstop Flights to Belize This Winter

Combining both the spirit and sensibility of the Caribbean and Central America, Belize is now easier to access and more alluring than ever, thanks in large part to four airlines now offering nonstop flights to the destination.

This Saturday, Jan. 15, Southwest starts up its nonstop service from Denver on Saturdays, adding to its daily service from Houston's William P. Hobby airport. Last month, Frontier Airlines started its new nonstop service on Saturdays year-round from both Denver and Orlando, joining Alaska Airlines' recently debuted seasonal service, which takes off four times a week from Los Angeles and twice a week from Seattle. Earlier in 2021, American Airlines also increased its nonstop service from Los Angeles — a five-hour flight — on Saturdays.

In addition to more nonstop routes, Belize is also primed for a number of new and revamped resorts. Last month, Best Western Grand Baymen Gardens Resort opened its doors, while the Bocawina Rainforest Resort kicked off an all-inclusive experience on its more than 7,000 acres of land, complete with waterfalls and an ancient Mayan City. On the books for 2022 are the openings of Hills and Valley, which will feature rain forest glamping in A-frame cabins; the only-accessible-by-boat oceanfront Margaritaville Resort Belize; resort condo by a sealife-filled lagoon at Palm Reef Resort; and white-sand flanked Belize Marriott Ambergris Caye Resort & Residences near San Pedro town.

For those looking to plan a little further out, 2023 will bring the sustainability-focused Four Seasons Resort and Residences Caye Chapel on a private island in Belize's largest marine sanctuary with an institute by Fabien Cousteau, plus an 18-hole Greg Norman-designed golf course. The much-anticipated Six Senses will arrive in 2025 on the remote Cayo Rosario island within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hol Chan Marine Reserve.

To keep visitors as safe as possible during the pandemic, Belize has enacted a Tourism Gold Standard program highlighting hotels, tour operators, restaurants, and other travel companies that meet health and safety standards. International tourists are required to book one of the certified hotels and present a confirmation of stay during immigration check when arriving in Belize. The required forms will be provided on the inbound flight to the country and all international travelers arriving through Belize City's Philip Goldson International Airport will need to present a negative PCR test from within the previous 96 hours or negative Antigen test from within 48 hours of travel. Travelers age 5 or older who don't test ahead of time will be given a COVID-19 test at the airport for a $50-per-person fee.

The state department currently has Belize on a Level 4 'Do Not Travel' advisory, including a travel health notice for "very high level of COVID-19 in the country," according to the CDC, adding that the risks are lower for those who are fully vaccinated.