Getting here
Leave in the morning. Be on the beach by sunset.
That is not a slogan, it is a timetable. Miami to Managua is two hours thirty-five. Managua to San Juan del Sur is about two hours of road. From Houston or Miami you can be in the water the day you leave home.
Every city on this map is placed from its airport's real coordinates, and every block time is a live published schedule read on 24 August 2026 — not copied from a route directory. The basemap itself is illustrated rather than surveyed, so treat the coastlines as decoration and the numbers as the record. Schedules change; check the airline before you book.
The day, hour by hour
From Miami. Times are the shape of the day, not a specific flight.
- MorningWheels up from Miami or Houston.
- 2h 35m laterOn the ground in Managua. Miami is 2h35; Houston 3h23.
- About 2 hoursSouth through Rivas — 130 km of paved highway. Shared van about $45, private car about $100.
- AfternoonSan Juan del Sur. The house is another 5 to 15 minutes.
- SunsetThe Pacific faces west here. You will not miss it.
Every nonstop route out of Managua
| Destination | Country | Airline | Nonstop time |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIA · Miami | United States | American, Avianca | 2h 35m |
| IAH · Houston | United States | United | 3h 23m |
| YUL · Montreal | Canada | WestJet | — seasonal · December to April |
| MEX · Mexico City | Mexico | Aeroméxico | 2h 50m |
| GUA · Guatemala City | Guatemala | Copa | 1h 16m |
| SAL · San Salvador | El Salvador | Avianca | 55m |
| SJO · San José | Costa Rica | Copa, Avianca, SANSA | 1h 03m |
| PTY · Panama City | Panama | Copa | 1h 40m |
Block times are live published schedules read on 24 August 2026. Fort Lauderdale, Tegucigalpa and Caracas are listed as Managua destinations in several route directories, but a nonstop search returns nothing for any of them — so they are named here rather than sitting in the table as though you could fly them. Montreal is seasonal and does not appear in an August search. Schedules change; confirm with the airline.
And what there isn't
The honest half, because you will find it out anyway.
What works
- Nonstop from Miami and Houston
- Montreal nonstop in season, December to April
- One-stop from most of the US through Panama City, San Salvador or Miami
- Land at midday, swim the same afternoon
What doesn't
- No nonstop from Europe, Asia or Australia — those are connecting trips
- No nonstop from the US west coast
- Roughly 18 departures a day against Liberia's hundreds a week
- Fewer seats means less price competition on peak dates
The houses at the end of that drive
- $194,000 — Move-in ready, ten minutes from town, Las Delicias · San Juan del Sur
- $245,000 — Four bedrooms and a pool, five minutes from town, Prado Hills · San Juan del Sur
- $299,000 — Four bedrooms in a gated community with beach access, Bosques del Mar · Playa Marsella
- $339,000 — New construction, never lived in, Congo Hills · near Playa Remanso
- $675,000 — Nine acres, ocean view, owner financing, 15 minutes from San Juan del Sur
Questions
Is there a direct flight to Nicaragua from the United States?
Yes — Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Houston all have nonstop service into Managua. Miami is about 2 hours 40 minutes and Houston about 3 hours 55 minutes. Montreal runs seasonally from December to April.
How far is San Juan del Sur from Managua airport?
About 130 km, and roughly two to two and a half hours by road. A shared van runs about $45 and a private car about $100.
Can I really fly in and be at the beach the same day?
From Miami or Houston, comfortably. A morning departure lands you in Managua around the middle of the day, and the drive south puts you in San Juan del Sur in the afternoon — with the sunset still ahead of you. From Europe, Asia or Australia it is a connecting trip and it is not a one-day journey.
How does Managua compare with flying into Liberia, Costa Rica?
Liberia has far more service — hundreds of flights a week against roughly 18 departures a day from Managua across 11 destinations. If schedule depth matters more to you than anything else, that is a real point against Nicaragua, and we would rather say so.
Also worth reading: vs. Costa Rica → · the surf forecast →