With more than one million international travelers coming to Guatemala in the first four months of 2026, the tourist numbers are a clear indication that the Central American nation known for its Mayan history and volcanic landscape is in the middle of a tourist boon that will only continue to gain momentum.
In January 2026, United Airlines started running a new flight to Guatemala City from Houston (IAH) while Colombian flag carrier Avianca is also currently offering a new seasonal route to the country’s capital city from San Francisco International (SFO) until the start of September.
With the low-cost airline based out of Denver launching its first flight to Guatemala in 2025 to tap into what at that point was largely an underserved market for U.S. airlines, it now flies into La Aurora International Airport (GUA) from Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Miami, and Orlando.
Frontier Airlines to launch new flight to Guatemala City from LAX in December 2026
This week, the airline also confirmed a new seasonal route from LAX that will run from Dec. 17 and until January 2027.
The budget airline confirmed that it will run the flight to aviation outlet AirlineGeeks but has not announced it publicly or clarified why it will only offer it for such a short time period.
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The late December to early January time is when many leave for sun-seeking holidays while members of the diaspora also travel between the two countries to visit family. It is also unclear whether the seasonal route is a pilot run that will show Frontier whether to launch it on a permanent basis.
The flight will run on an Airbus A320neo plane with room for up to 180 passengers and leave Los Angeles at 9:51 a.m. to arrive in Guatemala City just under five hours later at 4:48 p.m. The return flight will leave Guatemala City at 7:38 p.m. local time and come back to Los Angeles at 11:30 p.m.
From other cities in the U.S., Frontier’s flights to Guatemala start at $157 in one direction without any baggage.
Frontier Airlines
Why Guatemala might be the hottest new travel destination for 2026 and beyond
Competitors have also praised Guatemala City as a rapidly-evolving market and popular travel destination.
“The launch of this route responds to customer demand for more connectivity options between key destinations and is part of Avianca’s strategy to continue strengthening its international network with an efficient and reliable operation,” Alejandro Benítez, senior vice president of corporate development for Avianca, said in a statement on the airline’s new route to the country in February 2026.
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The country also won the title of the “Best Hidden Gem” category at the Travel Awards ceremony held by airline booking platform eDreams Travel earlier this year.
“Guatemala stood out for the increasing attention it has received from international visitors interested in discovering local culture, natural attractions, gastronomy, and less crowded destinations,” eDreams wrote of the winner that overtook South Korea, New Zealand, Almaty, and Senegal for its spot at the top.
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