If you’ve flown Tropic Air to Ambergris Caye, you know the drill: you land on a short strip right in San Pedro Town and you can practically walk to your hotel. That could change down the road. Belize’s government is studying whether to replace the downtown airport with a new one farther north on the island, and Tropic Air’s CEO has come out swinging against the idea.
Let’s be clear up front: nothing has been decided, and nothing changes for a trip you’ve already booked. But if you visit Ambergris Caye a lot, this is worth keeping an eye on.
What’s being proposed (as of November 2026)
- A new airport north of town. The San Pedro Sun reports that a 2025 Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) document names a preferred site near Secret Beach, on land belonging to the Belize Social Security Board.
- A rough timeline, not a commitment. According to that document, construction would start in 2027 and finish in 2029, and the current John Greif II airport would close around 2030. Tropic Air’s CEO also cites 2030 as the target.
- Still a study. On October 29, Prime Minister John Briceño said “no decision has been made as yet,” per The Rio Times. He said the IDB is still finishing its site study, which then goes to the minister, the airlines and the San Pedro Town Council.
- Big unknowns. The total cost hasn’t been disclosed, construction financing hasn’t been confirmed, and there’s no decision date.
Briceño’s argument is that the current airport can’t be expanded to handle larger planes. The downtown site would likely be redeveloped for real estate if the new airport opens, according to the IDB plan as reported by the San Pedro Sun.
Why Tropic Air is pushing back
Tropic Air CEO Max Greif says the current airport is safe and that the airline has asked the government for data showing it’s overly congested. He also says the proposal “creates a tremendous amount of uncertainty.”
His main point is about planes. Tropic Air flies Cessna Grand Caravans, which Greif puts at about US$3.5 million each. A bigger turboprop like an ATR 72 costs around US$25 million by his figures, and he argues it isn’t suited to the short hops between San Pedro and the mainland. Greif says Tropic Air is now taking a “much more cautious and conservative position” on long-term investments, though he also points to the airline’s strong balance sheet. Breaking Belize News also reports he’s warned that moving the airport north could hurt businesses across the island.
This comes right after Tropic Air closed its Punta Gorda station on November 1. Maya Island Air has picked up that route, with government support in the form of duty-free diesel, according to The Rio Times.
What it means for you and your Sky Rewards
For now, nothing. Tropic Air is still flying to the downtown San Pedro airstrip, and your Sky Rewards account works the same as before. If the new airport happens on the timeline in the IDB document, you’re looking at the end of the decade before anything changes.
If it does happen, the biggest practical change would be the ride after you land. Secret Beach is well north of San Pedro Town, so instead of a short walk or golf cart ride, a lot of visitors staying in town or south of it would need a longer transfer. Hotels and rentals up north would come out ahead. If you’re picking a spot to buy a vacation rental with an eye on the next decade, that’s something to factor in.
Our take
We wouldn’t change a single travel plan over this yet. It’s a study with no decision, no confirmed construction money and no disclosed price tag, and plans like this often slip or change shape.
What we would watch is how Tropic Air responds. When an airline’s CEO says it’s pulling back on long-term investments, that can mean fewer new planes or routes in the meantime, and Tropic Air just dropped Punta Gorda. If you’re building up Sky Rewards points for future Belize trips, that’s not a reason to panic, but it is a reason not to sit on them for years. Use them on trips you’re actually planning.
Honestly, the downtown airstrip is one of the things that makes San Pedro feel easy. If it goes away, a lot of repeat visitors will notice. We’ll update you when the IDB study is released or the government makes a call.
Related on Points Capital: Tropic Air’s Sky Rewards: How Belize’s Airline Loyalty Program Works After Replacing TropicMiles and Miami (MIA) as a Points Gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean (2026).
Source: The San Pedro Sun; The Rio Times; Breaking Belize News.
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