This Popular Airport Is Considered One Of The Worst In All Of Central America

Airports are the necessary evil of travel. On one hand, you can sip a cocktail at 9 a.m. without anyone giving you the side-eye. On the other, nearly everything else about the experience is a nightmare. Long queues? Check. Subpar sleeping arrangements? Absolutely — unless you've got access to a swanky lounge. And if you thought just chilling at a random waiting area and charging your phone was a harmless alternative, think again — FBI warnings suggest otherwise. While some airports try to improve the passenger experience, others fall short. In Central America, Belize City's Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (BZE) has earned the unfortunate title of one of the region's worst.

Belize itself is undoubtedly a slice of paradise — so much so that people are packing up and moving there for good — but the airport experience leaves much to be desired, especially at BZE. In 2015, it landed fourth place on Sleeping in Airports' list of Worst Airports in the Caribbean and Central America, a dubious honor based on traveler complaints. Survey respondents griped about the airports being filthy, cramped spaces, painfully long lines, and delays that test even the calmest of nerves.

Even online reviews paint a similar picture. "My negative experience began at the airport where the customs agents were yelling and screaming at everyone at the top of their lungs," one Reddit user claimed, with another saying, "Worst international: Belize City — grimy, no good drinks, limited food." The silver lining? There's hope on the horizon. With rehabilitation and expansion projects underway, the future of BZE might be looking up.

In a bid to lure more travelers, the Belizean government has pulled out all the stops with a major revamp of BZE. In May 2023, Love FM reported that Enrique Hoare, managing director of the Belize Airport Concession Company, confirmed the launch of a highly anticipated expansion project. With a price tag of 60 million BZD (nearly $30 million USD), the makeover promises upgrades like larger spaces for customs and immigration, expanded areas for restaurants and shops, and beefed-up security systems. And that's just the beginning. The second phase is set to cost another 190 million BZD (roughly $94.2 million USD) and will include escalators, elevators, upgraded check-in facilities — the works.

Then, in July 2024, Belize Prime Minister John Briceño announced even more upgrades for BZE, along with plans for three brand-new airports to serve regional routes, per Breaking Belize News. The grand vision under #PlanBelize aims to handle a 300 percent increase in passenger numbers, all within the next 15 years. According to Briceño, the goal isn't just to boost tourism — it's about making travel in, out, and around Belize a smoother, more pleasant experience for both locals and visitors. "Effесtіvе іmрlеmеntаtіоn оf ІСАО'ѕ ѕtаndаrd аnd rесоmmеndеd рrасtісеѕ іѕ еѕѕеntіаl fоr hаrmоnіzіng аvіаtіоn rеgulаtіоnѕ аnd рrосеdurеѕ асrоѕѕ thе Аmеrісаѕ," he said. "Ву wоrkіng tоgеthеr to оvеrсоmе thе сhаllеngеѕ аnd bаrrіеrѕ tо соmрlіаnсе, wе саn ѕtrеngthеn оur аvіаtіоn ѕуѕtеmѕ аnd рrоmоtе ѕеаmlеѕѕ соnnесtіvіtу wіthіn the region."