Major international airlines fly into Guatemala City and Flores. Most flights to the country pass through the North American hub cities of Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Houston, Mexico City or Miami. The departure tax is $30.

To enter the north of the country by land means entering from Mexico by lengthy bus or train journeys. Buses from El Salvador travel directly to Guatemala City, while buses from Honduras and Belize stop at the border. You can also enter the country by sea, traveling from Punta Gorda in Belize to Puerto Barrios or Lívingston. There is also a boat from Lívingston to Omoa in Honduras.

Internal flights operate return flights from Guatemala City to Flores, Huehuetenango, Copán Puerto Barrios and Quetzaltenango. There's also a service between Puerto Barrios. Buses link most places cheaply and relatively painlessly, although roads in El Petén often turn into muddy mires or disappear altogether during the rainy season. There are minibuses operating between some of the more popular tourist sites. Some of Guatemala's national parks are only accessible by boat.