Cartagena makes it easy to turn a quick idea into a real trip. The airport sits close to the city and serves a wide mix of domestic and international routes, so you can go from the old town’s cobbles to a boarding gate in no time.
Rafael Núñez International Airport carries the code CTG and ICAO SKCG, and it is located in the Crespo neighborhood about 4 kilometers north of the city center. Reported 2024 figures show it handled over 7.5 million passengers, ranking third in Colombia by traffic, which translates to plenty of choice for travelers and frequent frequencies across popular routes. The single terminal keeps things simple, with recent upgrades to check in areas, duty free, and clear signage, so moving from curb to gate is straightforward.
For price conscious travelers, this connectivity means short domestic hops, quick regional links, and longer point to point options are all on the table, which is exactly where Kiwi.com’s flexible search and travel hacks shine when you want cheap flights from Cartagena.
From quick domestic business trips to beach breaks and long haul adventures, CTG’s nonstop map covers a lot of ground. Expect short hops to major Colombian hubs, easy regional city links, and seasonal long haul runs that change through the year.
Domestic staples connect Cartagena to Bogotá and Medellín multiple times per day, with typical flight times around 1 hour 25 minutes to Bogotá and about 1 hour 15 minutes to Medellín, subject to change. San Andrés Island is a favorite short break at roughly 1 hour 25 minutes, subject to change. These routes are commonly operated by carriers such as Avianca, LATAM, and JetSmart, subject to schedule changes. Regional and near international options include Panama City at about 1 hour 30 minutes, Miami around 3 hours 30 minutes, and Lima about 3 hours 35 minutes, subject to change. Copa Airlines links to Panama City, while other international services vary by season and day, subject to change.
Longer routes ebb and flow, but examples include New York City around 4 hours 30 minutes, Toronto about 5 hours 20 minutes, Montreal about 5 hours 25 minutes, Madrid around 9 hours, and Amsterdam about 10 hours, subject to change. If Europe is on your radar, you can also browse ideas starting from Amsterdam. Some carriers such as Air Transat and Arajet have offered seasonal links into North America and the Caribbean, and services into Canada appear seasonally, all subject to change. Timetables and frequencies vary throughout the year, so treat these as examples and check live availability when you search.
A little timing goes a long way if you want the best deals. Prices rise around holidays and weekends and ease on midweek departures, and flexibility on dates usually unlocks more options.
As a general rule, looking 4 to 6 weeks ahead for domestic trips and 2 to 3 months ahead for long haul can improve your odds of finding lower fares, though availability always varies. If you do not need to travel on exact dates, set flexible dates in your search and use Set a Price Alert to track fares. Alerts can arrive as push notifications in the Kiwi.com App, so you can book when the price shifts to a level you like.
Planning a multi city beach and city combo around the Caribbean and South America gets easier with the Nomad Search Tool which finds a cheap order for three or more stops based on your dates. All examples and availability are subject to change.
Cartagena’s air gateway is compact, close in, and designed to keep things moving. Here is what to expect before you fly and how to book smarter.
Rafael Núñez International Airport CTG, ICAO SKCG, sits in the Crespo neighborhood roughly 4 kilometers from the walled city. It uses a single terminal for both domestic and international flights, with upgraded check in areas, expanded duty free, lounges, family spaces, and accessible services. The terminal layout is straightforward, so connections within the building are usually simple. Ground transport is quick due to the short distance, and a taxi or ride hailing trip to the center often takes a short time depending on traffic, which can vary through the day.
Air service is a mix of budget and full service carriers. That mix is ideal for combining airlines into one trip using Kiwi.com’s self transfer hack. With self transfer, we can stitch together separate tickets on different airlines into a single itinerary that reaches your destination even if no through ticket exists. Explore more possibilities and money saving techniques with Kiwi.com Travel Hacks, including self transfer, hidden cities, and throwaway tickets. For added reassurance, the Kiwi.com Guarantee includes automatic check in, 24 hour chat support, and Disruption Protection that helps if carrier changes stop your trip in its tracks. Schedules, facilities, and services are subject to change.