Cheap Flights from Houston to Cartagena
Houston (IAH) → Cartagena (CTG) · 3–6 hours
Flights from Houston (IAH) to Cartagena (CTG) are operated by JetBlue, American, Delta, United, Southwest, Frontier and Spirit among others, with nonstop, with heavy seasonal capacity from December to April. Total journey time is typically 3–6 hours. You depart from George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and arrive at Rafael Núñez International (CTG).
| Departure airport | George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) |
|---|---|
| Arrival airport | Rafael Núñez International (CTG) |
| Main airlines | JetBlue, American, Delta, United, Southwest, Frontier and Spirit |
| Routing | Nonstop, with heavy seasonal capacity from December to April |
| Journey time | 3–6 hours |
| When to book | Three to five months ahead for the December-to-April high season, and six or more for Christmas and New Year; the June-to-November low season is both cheaper and, from August to October, the part of hurricane season worth insuring against |
Flying out of Houston Intercontinental
Houston Intercontinental is United's Gulf and Latin America hub, and its Middle East service makes it a strong one-stop gateway to South Asia — Gulf carriers connect IAH onward to virtually every Indian and Bangladeshi city through their own hubs. Sugar Land, Katy and Pearland hold one of the largest South Asian populations in the South, and the corridor is competitive enough that consolidator fares out of IAH often beat the published fare from a nominally better-connected coastal airport.
What to know before you fly to Cartagena
Entry requirements for US travellers
US citizens require no visa for short tourist stays in Colombia. The online Check-Mig form is required before departure and return. Cartagena is hot and humid year-round — plan accordingly.
Best time to go
December to April is the dry season and the peak, with the most reliable beach weather and the highest prices. The rains run roughly May to November, heaviest in October, and fares fall accordingly. Christmas, New Year and the January Hay Festival are the sharpest peaks.
Airports and arrival
Rafael Núñez International (CTG) is unusually close to the city — about fifteen minutes to the walled city, which is a rarity. Some US routes are seasonal, so a connection through Bogotá is often the more reliable option outside the winter.
Baggage
Beach-trip baggage is light, which makes the low-cost carriers genuinely competitive here — but only if you stay inside their limits. We will tell you plainly when the cheap fare is the right answer.
Airlines from Houston to Cartagena
Itineraries offer nonstop, with heavy seasonal capacity from December to April.
Getting the best price to Cartagena
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Houston to Cartagena — frequently asked questions
Fares on the Houston–Cartagena route vary widely by season and how far ahead you book. We do not publish an estimate we have not measured for this pair; call our agents and they will quote the live consolidator fare for your dates.
Carriers on this route include JetBlue, American, Delta, United, Southwest, Frontier and Spirit. Others serve it on one-stop itineraries, and the cheapest is not always a name you would expect — the lowest fare we have tracked here was on a carrier outside that list more than once. Itineraries offer nonstop, with heavy seasonal capacity from December to April, and total journey time runs about 3–6 hours. Which carrier is cheapest changes with the season and the fare bucket rather than staying fixed, which is why we compare them all on every quote.
Plan on 3–6 hours from George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) to Rafael Núñez International (CTG), including time on the ground if your itinerary connects.
Book three to five months ahead for the December-to-April high season, and six or more for Christmas and New Year; the June-to-November low season is both cheaper and, from August to October, the part of hurricane season worth insuring against.
Yes — this route has nonstop service, with nonstop, with heavy seasonal capacity from December to April. Nonstop is not always the cheapest option: a one-stop itinerary on the same dates is frequently a few hundred dollars less, and on a journey of 3–6 hours that trade is worth pricing rather than assuming. Frequencies change by season, so call us for what is actually flying on your dates.
Bush Intercontinental (IAH) is Houston's international airport; Hobby (HOU) is domestic and largely Southwest. Nearly every long-haul option departs IAH, so the real question here is terminal rather than airport — international departures use Terminal D or E, and the inter-terminal transfer is worth building time for on a tight connection.
Less than on the long-haul routes, and we would rather say so. These corridors are served by low-cost carriers with genuinely competitive headline fares. Where we earn the call is the total: bag fees on these routes routinely exceed the fare gap, seat and change fees are aggressive, and for a family travelling heavy the cheapest advertised ticket is regularly not the cheapest trip. We price the whole thing. SkyKaro's agents are reachable 24/7, and nothing is charged until an agent has confirmed the itinerary and the price with you.