Honolulu to Bogota Flights (HNL to BOG): Connections, Travel Time and Arrival Tips

No nonstop: one stop at a mainland US hub

There is no nonstop between Honolulu and Bogota, and the two cities sit far enough apart that every itinerary connects at least once on the US mainland. As of recent schedules, the workable combinations are:

• Via Los Angeles: Hawaiian, Delta, American, United or Alaska from HNL to LAX, then Avianca nonstop to Bogota. LAX has the most Hawaii flights and a direct Avianca link, so it is the most flexible routing.
• Via Houston: United from HNL to IAH, then United nonstop to Bogota. A single airline and a single terminal area.
• Via Dallas Fort Worth: American from HNL to DFW, then American nonstop to Bogota.
• Via Miami: American or Delta to Miami, then American, Avianca or LATAM to Bogota. Miami has the most Bogota flights but is the longest way round from Hawaii.

Two-stop itineraries via Mexico City, Panama City or San Salvador appear at lower fares. They add hours and a second foreign-airport connection, so take them only when the saving is large.

Travel time and distance

The great-circle distance from HNL to BOG is roughly 5,900 miles (about 9,500 km), though no flight follows that line. Plan on 15 to 20 hours of total travel: a five to eight hour flight to the mainland, a layover of two to four hours, and a five to seven hour flight to Bogota. Most Bogota departures from US hubs are in the evening or overnight, so you typically leave Honolulu in the morning or midday and land in Bogota early the next morning.

The return is similar in length but the time change works in your favour, and the long Pacific leg usually lands in Honolulu in the evening.

Departing from Honolulu

Daniel K. Inouye International has two main passenger terminals. Hawaiian uses Terminal 1; Delta, American, United, Alaska and most mainland carriers use Terminal 2. The two are connected by a walkway and the Wiki Wiki shuttle. Checked bags leaving Hawaii pass through a USDA agricultural inspection before you can drop them, so finish any fresh fruit and allow a few extra minutes.

Because your first leg is a domestic flight, two hours ahead is enough. Ask to have bags tagged through to Bogota if the whole trip is on one ticket, and check that your mainland connection is at least two hours; a late inbound from Hawaii into an evening Bogota departure that flies only once a day costs a full day if you miss it.

Connecting on the mainland

At LAX, Hawaii flights land at the terminal of the airline you flew, and Avianca departs from the Tom Bradley International Terminal, so expect a 15 to 25 minute airside walk and give yourself two and a half hours. At Houston, United's domestic and international gates are connected and the walk is short. At Dallas, American's terminals are linked by the Skylink train. Miami's American terminal is large and busy in the evening; two hours is the sensible minimum there.

Arriving at El Dorado and getting into Bogota

International flights at El Dorado use Terminal 1. Immigration can be slow when several US flights land together in the early morning; have your passport and the Check-Mig confirmation ready. Bogota sits at about 2,640 metres, and you will feel it when you pick up your bags, so take the first hour slowly.

The airport is about 15 km west of the main hotel districts in Chapinero and the north of the city:

• Authorised taxis: use the official taxi stand outside arrivals, where a dispatcher issues a ticket with the fare zone, or book through your hotel. Thirty to sixty minutes to Chapinero or Usaquen depending on traffic, which is heavy from mid-morning.
• Ride-hail apps: used widely in Bogota, with pick-up rules at the airport that change; follow the app's instructions.
• TransMilenio: a feeder bus connects the airport with the rapid-bus network. Cheap, but slow with luggage and not advisable at night.

When to fly and when to book

Bogota's weather is cool and springlike all year, with daytime highs around the mid-teens Celsius, so pack layers rather than beachwear. The drier months are December to March and July to August; April to May and October to November are the wettest. Colombian school holidays, Christmas and New Year, Easter week (Semana Santa) and the many long weekends push domestic travel and fares up, and Christmas and Easter fill the US flights too.

For travel from Honolulu, late January to March and August to September tend to be quieter. Book two to three months ahead for Christmas and Easter; six to eight weeks is usually enough otherwise.

Entry requirements and documents

As of recent rules, US passport holders do not need a visa for tourist visits to Colombia of up to 90 days, with a passport valid for the length of the stay. Colombia requires travellers to complete the Check-Mig online form through Migracion Colombia within the days before arrival and again before departure; airlines may ask to see the confirmation at check-in. Rules change and other nationalities differ, so check the Colombian consulate or Migracion Colombia before you book.

If you plan to continue to the Amazon or certain lowland areas, a yellow fever vaccination may be recommended or required; check current health guidance well ahead, because the vaccine needs time to take effect.

Time difference and the altitude

Bogota does not observe daylight saving and is five hours ahead of Honolulu all year. The overnight arrival after a long day means you land tired, and altitude makes that worse: headaches, poor sleep and breathlessness on stairs are common on the first day. Drink water, eat lightly, skip alcohol on the first evening and plan nothing strenuous. Most people adjust in two or three days.

What travellers on this route get wrong

The first mistake is a short mainland connection into a once-a-day Bogota flight. The second is forgetting Check-Mig and filling it in at the check-in desk under pressure. The third is packing for Colombia as if it were tropical; Bogota is a high, cool city where a jacket is used every evening. The fourth is going straight into a full day of sightseeing at altitude after a night without sleep.