More flight and travel news stories
More useful links for North America
From the conspicuous New York skyline to the colonial gems of Cuba and all the way down to the lush rainforests of Panama, travellers taking flights to North America will be welcomed to a land of glorious contrasts. And the biggest countries, America and Canada, are blessed with multicultural societies and variegated landscapes making them undeniably the most diverse in the continent.
South of the US is Mexico, a country that effortlessly blends ancient and modern with its Mayan ruins and thriving modern cities. Further down, the countries in the central part of the continent: Costa Rica and Panama are equally as fascinating. Costa Rica has become a prime eco-tourism destination while Panama has some of the best birding and hiking in the region.
The Caribbean islands within North America – Puerto Rico, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Trinidad and Tobago – are a traveller's paradise. Unspoilt beaches, coral reefs and world-class resorts define these laid-back towns and the most popular of all the islands, the Bahamas, draws more than three million travellers to its islands each year.
Search and compare: cheap flights to North America
Back to top
Depending on the time of year you plan to book a flight to North America and the purpose of your trip, the two biggest countries in the continent, America and Canada, both have diverse weather conditions. During winter the eastern part of the US gets considerably colder than the West Coast and in Canada the weather is bitterly cold throughout the country. The best time to visit both countries is late spring and early fall.
Mexico and Panama have two seasons: dry and wet; the dry season lasts from mid-December until mid-April and the rainy season is from May to November. The Caribbean countries enjoy warm weather all year round with a few rainy spells in summer from May to November.
Given the vastness of the continent the easiest way to get around is by plane. In the US there are several low-cost airlines including Southwest, JetBlue, AirTran and Spirit Airlines while in Canada the domestic airlines are CanJet and Air Canada Jazz. Mexicohas two large private national carriers: Mexicana and Aeromexico and regional carriers Aerocaribe and Aero Mar, and Aeromexico Connect. The smaller countries including Cuba, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica and Panama all have good domestic flight networks.
Taxis are always a reasonable option while visiting any city, but to really experience the country and explore isolated towns and villages renting a car gives you the freedom to do so, but bear in mind that apart from the US and Canada road conditions can be poor. If you’d rather save on transport, buses are the most cost effective way to get around.
North America has some of the best diving in the world. Read our Top Ten Dive Sites travel tip for ideas on where to go.
Depending on which country or city a traveller is flying to, there are a number of airports in North America including:
Canada
Calgary International Airport (YYC)
Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL)
Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
Mexico
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport (GDL)
General Mariano Escobedo International Airport (MTY)
Cancún International Airport (CUN)
United States of America
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
La Guardia Airport (LGA)
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Miami International Airport (MIA)
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
* Required
Receive our weekly travel deals newsletter?
The best bargains and up-to-the-minute deals
Simone de BeauvoirWritten by French writer and feminist Simone de Beauvoir, this book is a wonderful and insightful travelogue of her journey around America in 1947.
Bill BrysonA humorous and highly entertaining collection of Bill Bryson’s best columns on the US from The Mail on Sunday.
Margaret AtwoodA funny yet heartbreaking story about Elaine, a controversial artist and daughter of a forest entomologist, who decides to return to Toronto where she once lived as a child.
Octavio PazWritten by Nobel Prize winner Octavio Paz, The Labyrinth of Solitude is a classic collection of nine essays beautifully portraying Mexican culture and history.
Reinaldo ArenasWritten by celebrated Cuban writer Reinaldo Arenas, Before Night Falls is a powerful memoir about the author’s poverty-stricken childhood, his days spent as a rebel fighting for Fidel Castro, and his difficult life as a homosexual in revolutionary Cuba.
More travel tips
Close
Destination guides to countries and cities worldwide www.wordtravels.com
Guide to more than 200 airports around the world www.worldairportguide.com
Cheap airline tickets to domestic and worldwide destinations www.cheapflights.co.uk