Juan Manuel Galvez International Airport (RTB) Guide: Coxen Hole / Roatan, Honduras

Juan Manuel Galvez International Airport is the gateway to Roatan, West Bay, West End, diving resorts, cruise add-ons, and Bay Islands beach trips. RTB is close to the island’s main towns but not always close to your resort, so taxi, shuttle, or rental planning matters as much as the flight price.

This guide is written for travelers who want the useful details first: the real airport name, where it sits, how much to budget for transport, what to expect in the terminal, where to search for flights, and which services to arrange before landing. Prices and routes are updated for June 2026 and should be treated as practical planning ranges rather than fixed promises.

Quick airport facts

Item	Details
Full airport name	Juan Manuel Galvez International Airport
Short codes	RTB / MHRO
Also searched as	Roatan Airport, Juan Manuel Galvez Airport, RTB Airport, Roatan International Airport
City and country	Coxen Hole / Roatan, Honduras
Practical address	Juan Manuel Galvez International Airport, Coxen Hole, Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras; coordinates 16.316799, -86.523003.
Distance to city	About 2 km from Coxen Hole, around 20-30 minutes from West End, and about 30-45 minutes from West Bay depending on traffic.
Updated	2026-06-15

Best for: Roatan, West Bay, West End, dive resorts, Bay Islands holidays, and direct North America beach flights.
Main route logic: Honduras domestic links plus U.S./Canada seasonal service, Belize/Central America links, and regional island flying.
Airport style: small island airport with taxis, shuttles, rental cars, basic food/retail, and heavy resort pickup traffic.
Planning rule: pre-arrange resort transfer for West Bay/remote stays; taxis are easy but prices should be agreed first.

Address and location

Use Juan Manuel Galvez International Airport (RTB) for flight searches and Roatan Airport, Juan Manuel Galvez Airport, RTB Airport, Roatan International Airport as backup search wording in maps, hotel messages, and taxi conversations. The practical address is:

Juan Manuel Galvez International Airport, Coxen Hole, Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras; coordinates 16.316799, -86.523003.

About 2 km from Coxen Hole, around 20-30 minutes from West End, and about 30-45 minutes from West Bay depending on traffic. For a serious itinerary, save the airport coordinates offline, download the city area in Google Maps or Organic Maps, and keep your hotel address in both English and the local language where possible.

How to get from the airport to the city

Option	Typical time	Approximate cost	Best use
Taxi to Coxen Hole	5-10 min	Often USD 10-20	🚕 Best local transfer.
Taxi/shuttle to West End	20-30 min	Often USD 20-35	🚕 Best dive-town transfer.
Taxi/shuttle to West Bay	30-45 min	Often USD 30-50+	✅ Best resort transfer.
Rental car/scooter	10-60 min by route	Varies by season	🚗 Best for island freedom if insured.

Roatan taxi and resort-transfer prices vary by destination, luggage, time, and whether you are going to West End, West Bay, French Harbour, or an east-island property. Confirm the fare before loading bags.

Transport tips

🧾 Confirm the fare before loading luggage, especially when there is no visible meter or posted rate.
📍 Save the exact hotel pin offline; airport drivers may know districts better than street names.
💵 Carry small local cash for the first transfer, baggage carts, snacks, or phone calls.
🌐 Install an eSIM before departure so you can message your driver immediately after landing.

Public transport and metro

Roatan has no airport metro. Use taxi, resort transfer, shuttle, rental car, or domestic onward flight.

Where public transport exists, it is usually best for daylight arrivals with light luggage. For late flights, family travel, heavy bags, or first-time visits, a taxi, hotel transfer, or pre-booked private driver is usually worth the extra cost.

Taxi prices and transfer strategy

Taxi prices around airports are rarely as neat as an official table. Time of day, luggage, driver availability, fuel prices, and whether the destination is inside or outside the central city all matter. The ranges above are realistic planning budgets, but the best practice is simple: agree the fare before moving, keep your phone map open, and avoid changing money with random drivers.

For smoother arrival logistics:

🚕 Use official taxi ranks or a hotel-arranged driver where available.
🧳 Pre-book a transfer if you land late, carry equipment, or travel with children.
🚗 Compare rental cars before arrival with DiscoverCars if you need regional freedom.
🏨 Use Expedia to check hotels near the airport and in the city before choosing a transfer.

Airport facilities, shops, and restaurants

Small international terminal with check-in, baggage, immigration/customs, cafes/snacks, duty-free/souvenir retail, car rental, taxis, parking, and assistance services.
Saturday and seasonal North America flight days can feel much busier than the terminal size suggests.
Dive travelers should verify baggage rules for gear and small connecting aircraft.
Roads can be narrow and dark; late arrivals are easier with a resort-arranged driver.

The smart rule at RTB is to treat the terminal as a transfer point rather than as a shopping destination. Eat before arriving when possible, keep a refillable bottle where security rules allow, and bring a small power bank. If you have a long delay, an airport-area hotel or city hotel is usually more comfortable than waiting in the terminal.

Airlines and where the airport flies

Route tools show Roatan with a useful mix of domestic Honduras service and international beach routes. Search La Ceiba, San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa/Palmerola, Guanaja, Belize City, San Salvador, Guatemala City, Miami, Houston, Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Minneapolis, Toronto, Montreal, and seasonal Canada/U.S. links.

Aerolíneas Sosa, CM Airlines, American Airlines, United, Delta, Sun Country, Air Canada, WestJet, Tropic Air, TAG/Avianca-style Central America links, and seasonal leisure carriers are the first names to compare by date.

Cheap routes to check first

Roatan to La Ceiba or San Pedro Sula: key domestic Honduras checks.
Roatan to Miami, Houston, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Minneapolis, Toronto, or Montreal: major North America benchmarks.
RTB versus SAP/XPL plus ferry or domestic flight: compare total transfer time for Bay Islands trips.

Cheap airport strategy is different from simply sorting by lowest fare. Always compare the final cost after checked baggage, seat selection, payment fees, transfer costs, and missed-connection risk. A slightly more expensive flight into the correct airport can be cheaper than a low base fare that forces a long taxi ride or overnight hotel.

Where to buy flights and hotels

Start with broad searches, then verify the exact airport code before paying. This is especially important in cities with more than one airport or with airport transitions.

Need	Recommended booking link	Why it matters
Internet on arrival	🌐 Yesim eSIM	Install before flying so maps, airline apps, WhatsApp, and hotel messages work as soon as you land.
Flights and hotels	🏨 Expedia flights and stays	Useful for comparing nearby hotels, airport overnights, and onward tickets in one search.
Tours and transfers	🎟️ Viator tours and airport transfers	Best for guided city tours, day trips, private arrival transfers, and skip-the-line activities.
Rental cars	🚗 DiscoverCars	Compare local and international rental agencies before accepting a walk-up airport rate.
Travel medical insurance	🛡️ SafetyWing	Check coverage, exclusions, and country wording before travel, especially on complex itineraries.
Support this airport-guide project	🤝 Patreon: HEDONISMcloud	Helps keep airport guides updated with fares, route changes, and city transport notes.

eSIM, internet, insurance, and car rental

🌐 Internet: install Yesim eSIM before the flight. Airport Wi-Fi can be slow, blocked by SMS verification, or unavailable exactly when you need maps.
🛡️ Insurance: compare policy wording with SafetyWing. Read exclusions for the destination, adventure activities, medical evacuation, political/security events, and pre-existing conditions.
🚗 Cars: compare vehicles on DiscoverCars before arrival. Airport counters can run out of automatic cars or quote higher walk-up rates.
🎟️ Tours: use Viator for airport transfers, city tours, day trips, and guided experiences when independent transport is inconvenient.

Practical arrival checklist

Before you fly	Why it matters
Check the IATA code on the ticket	Prevents booking a hotel or transfer for the wrong airport.
Save airline, hotel, and driver contacts offline	Messaging apps may not work until data is active.
Carry local cash	Useful for taxis, snacks, and small airport expenses.
Recheck live departures	Regional schedules can change more quickly than major-hub schedules.
Keep insurance documents accessible	Helps at medical facilities and during airline disruption.

Safety and travel notes

Roatan is tourism-oriented, but use known taxis, avoid flashing valuables, and be cautious driving unfamiliar island roads at night.

The most reliable traveler is the boringly prepared traveler: documents printed, data working, transport confirmed, hotel address saved, and enough time between every moving part of the itinerary.

Short airport excursion idea

If you have a long layover or an overnight stop, choose one simple plan rather than trying to see everything. Stay close to the city center or a known hotel district, keep the return transfer booked, and avoid cutting the return to the airport too close. In smaller airports, a missed flight may mean waiting a day or more for the next practical departure.

Frequently asked questions

How far is Juan Manuel Galvez International Airport from Coxen Hole / Roatan?

About 2 km from Coxen Hole, around 20-30 minutes from West End, and about 30-45 minutes from West Bay depending on traffic.

How much is a taxi from RTB airport?

Typical taxi planning ranges are shown in the transport table above. The safest method is to confirm the price before loading luggage and to use a hotel-arranged driver when arriving late or visiting for the first time.

Are there restaurants and shops at Juan Manuel Galvez International Airport?

Yes, but the depth of choice depends on the airport size and operating schedule. Expect practical cafes or snack options at smaller airports and a better range at major hubs. Carry backup snacks and water for delays.

Which airlines should I check first?

Is there a metro to the airport?