4/ 5 reviews
Easy in & out
“The process can go quick because they have several windows open and someone to guide you to the next available window.”
Jody Martinez5★ on Google
Airports / Belize / BZE
Large airport · BZE
Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport.
Belize City, Belize · 15 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
4.1/5
Google rating
1,178 ratings
0
Operators based
15
Elevation ft
Scheduled service
Belize City, BelizeELEV 15 FTLarge airportScheduled service
4.1
Google rating
1,178
Google reviews
ratings on Google
15
Field elevation
feet above sea level
6
Nearest alternate
nm to TZA
Field standing
6 nm
To the nearest alternate
Sir Barry Bowen Municipal Airport (TZA), 6 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (MZBZ / BZE) sits in Belize City, Belize, where it functions as a large commercial airport. Field elevation is 15 feet above sea level. Scheduled carriers operate here, and the field also sees regular private and charter activity.
While no charter operators list BZE as their home base, the field is reachable for repositioned charter aircraft from nearby bases. The closest alternate fields are Sir Barry Bowen Municipal Airport (TZA, 6 nm), Caye Chapel Airport (CYC, 17 nm), and Caye Caulker Airport (CUK, 19 nm). The field has a single 9,678-foot paved runway, long enough for charter aircraft up to VIP airliners.
Trip costs from BZE are driven by the aircraft category flown and how far it must reposition. You may also see the field referenced as Belize International and Ladyville. Browse operators flying from the area or estimate a trip cost from BZE to plan your flight.
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What fliers highlight.
From the stored review texts
3/ 5 reviews
Terminal & facilities
“Food choices are limited after security and the terminal can be very crowded in the morning.”
Krish Sailam4★ on Google
2/ 5 reviews
Staff & service
“Border officers are kind and friendly, other airport staff too.”
Алексей Шевченко5★ on Google
Themes counted by keyword across Google review texts for Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport, every quote is verbatim from a real review.
Field capability
ICAO
MZBZ
IATA
BZE
FAA / Local
MZBZ
Elevation
15 ft
Coordinates
17.5400° N · 88.3036° W
Airspace
G · GolfClass G, GolfUncontrolled field, no tower. Pilots self-announce and sequence themselves on the common traffic advisory frequency.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Large
Scheduled svc
Yes
Elevation vs Belize fields
state range 2–40 ft
At 15 ft, BZE sits higher than 78% of the 9 Belize fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 9,678 ft
- 07/259,678 ft × 148 ftAsphaltLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 9,678 ft
BZE's 9,678 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners.
- Turboprop3,000 ft
- Light Jet3,500 ft
- Midsize Jet4,500 ft
- Super-Midsize Jet5,000 ft
- Heavy Jet5,500 ft
- VIP Airliner6,000 ft
Class minimums are sea-level planning rules of thumb. A specific aircraft's balanced-field length varies with weight, temperature, and field elevation. Confirm performance with the operator.
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 6nmTZASir Barry Bowen Municipal AirportBelize City
- 17nmCYCCaye Chapel AirportCaye Chapel
- 19nmCUKCaye Caulker AirportCaye Caulker
- 29nmSPRJohn Greif II AirportSan Pedro
- 34nmDGADangriga AirportDangriga
- 50nmSJXSartaneja AirportSartaneja
Location
Open the full mapMZBZ · Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport · Belize City, Belize
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from BZE on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Miami (MIA) | 667 nm | 1h 57m |
| Palm Beach (PBI) | 714 nm | 2h 4m |
| Houston (HOU) | 821 nm | 2h 19m |
| Austin (AUS) | 916 nm | 2h 32m |
| Dallas (DAL) | 1,028 nm | 2h 47m |
| Nashville (BNA) | 1,119 nm | 3h 0m |
| Washington DC (IAD) | 1,405 nm | 3h 40m |
| Chicago (ORD) | 1,467 nm | 3h 49m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use BZE?
- Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport's longest paved runway is 9,678 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners. Lighter classes (turboprops, light and midsize jets) operate comfortably; confirm exact performance for a specific tail with the operator, since balanced-field length shifts with weight, temperature, and elevation.
- What is the longest runway at BZE?
- Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport has one runway; the longest measures 9,678 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- What is the nearest major airport to BZE?
- The closest alternate is Sir Barry Bowen Municipal Airport (TZA), about 6 nm away, followed by Caye Chapel Airport (CYC) at 17 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from BZE to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Miami about 1h 57m (667 nm), Palm Beach about 2h 4m (714 nm), Houston about 2h 19m (821 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.