Phoenix to Bogota Flights (PHX to BOG): Connections, Flight Time and Arrival Guide

Phoenix to Bogota is a one-stop trip

As of recent schedules there is no nonstop between Phoenix and Bogota. Phoenix Sky Harbor's international network is built around Mexico, Canada and a handful of European routes, so Colombia means a connection. Because Phoenix is an American hub, the simplest routings stay on one airline:

• Via Dallas or Miami with American: American flies to Bogota from both hubs, and the Phoenix legs are frequent. Miami has the most Bogota departures; Dallas is the shorter total trip from Arizona.
• Via Houston with United: United flies Houston to Bogota, and the Phoenix to Houston leg is under three hours.
• Via Atlanta with Delta: Delta flies Atlanta to Bogota; the geography adds miles but the connection is reliable.
• Via Mexico City with Aeromexico: a different shape, heading south first, then on to Bogota. Aeromexico's Phoenix service is limited, so check it exists on your dates.
• Via Fort Lauderdale or Orlando with JetBlue: a low-cost option that can be much cheaper, usually on two separate tickets or with long layovers.

Avianca, Colombia's largest airline, does not fly to Phoenix but sells the Bogota legs from Miami, Dallas and other US gateways, so it may appear as the second half of an American itinerary.

Flight time and distance

The great-circle distance from PHX to BOG is roughly 3,150 miles (5,050 km). A nonstop would take about seven hours. With one stop, a realistic total is 9 to 13 hours southbound depending on the hub and layover. The Dallas to Bogota leg takes about 5.5 hours, Houston to Bogota about 5 hours, and Miami to Bogota about 3.5 to 4 hours.

Most southbound itineraries leave Phoenix in the morning or early afternoon and land in Bogota in the late evening. Some connect to the overnight departures from Miami and arrive before dawn. Northbound, the first Bogota departures leave very early, so the return is often an alarm-clock day with a Phoenix arrival in the afternoon or evening.

Leaving from Sky Harbor

Phoenix Sky Harbor has two terminals in use. American and its partners use Terminal 4, the largest; United and Delta use Terminal 3. The free PHX Sky Train links both terminals, the rental car centre and the Valley Metro light rail station at 44th Street and Washington, so you can reach the airport from downtown or Tempe without a car.

Terminal 4 security is slowest early in the morning when the bank of American departures leaves; two hours before a domestic first leg is usually enough with checked bags. If you are checking a bag through to Bogota, confirm at the counter that the tag shows BOG and that you will not need to collect it at the connecting airport, which is normal on a single ticket.

Arriving at El Dorado and getting into Bogota

El Dorado's international flights use Terminal 1, the main building. Terminal 2, known as the Puente Aereo, handles some Avianca domestic flights, which matters only if you continue to Medellin, Cartagena or Cali on a separate ticket. Immigration is organised and usually reasonable, but several US arrivals land within the same hour in the late evening and queues build.

The airport is about 15 km west of the city centre and only a little further from the northern business districts where most visitors stay:

• Taxi or ride-hail: 30 to 60 minutes to Chapinero, Zona Rosa or Usaquen depending on traffic. Use the authorised taxi stand inside the terminal, where a dispatcher issues a slip with the destination and estimated fare, or a ride-hail app from the signed pickup zone.
• TransMilenio: the airport feeder bus links to the bus rapid transit network at Portal El Dorado. It is cheap but not practical with bags or late at night.
• Hotel transfer: for a late-evening arrival, a pre-arranged driver is the least stressful choice.

Bogota's traffic is heavy from mid-afternoon into the evening. A late-night arrival avoids it.

Altitude, time zones and jet lag

Bogota sits at about 2,640 metres above sea level, higher than any major US city. Arriving from Phoenix, which is near sea level, most people feel short of breath on stairs, sleep poorly the first night and have a mild headache. Drink water, skip alcohol the first evening and keep day one gentle. Symptoms usually fade within a day or two.

Colombia stays on the same time all year, and so does Arizona, which means Bogota is two hours ahead of Phoenix in every season. Jet lag is not a factor on this route; the early departures and the altitude are what tire you.

When to fly and when to book

Bogota's weather is cool and spring-like year-round, with highs in the high teens Celsius and chilly nights. It has two drier periods, roughly December to March and July to August, and two wetter ones, April to May and October to November, when afternoon rain is near daily. Pack a jacket in every month.

Fares from Phoenix peak around Christmas and New Year, Easter week, and the mid-year school holidays in June and July, when Colombians travel heavily within the country. Flower festival season in Medellin in August pushes domestic connections. The softest periods are usually late January to early March, outside Easter, and September to early November. Book two to three months ahead for the peaks; four to six weeks is often enough otherwise.

Entry requirements and documents

As of recent rules, US passport holders can visit Colombia for tourism without a visa for stays of up to 90 days, with a passport valid for the length of the stay. Colombia requires every arriving traveller to complete the Check-Mig form online within the 72 hours before the flight, and airlines check for it at the departure gate in the US. Rules change, so confirm on the Migracion Colombia website before you travel. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for some lowland regions, so check health advice if you are continuing to the coast or the Amazon.

What travellers on this route get wrong

The first mistake is leaving Check-Mig until the airport, when the form will not accept a submission more than 72 hours out and the airport Wi-Fi is slow. The second is planning a packed first day; the altitude makes a long walking tour on arrival day miserable. The third is accepting a ride from someone who approaches you in the arrivals hall instead of using the authorised stand or a ride-hail app.