León to Santa Marta flights
Santa Marta lies 1,387 km (862 mi) east of León, +1 h on the clock. What the numbers say about getting there, and where to book.
A nonstop flight would take about 2 h 32 min gate to gate, based on the distance and typical cruise speed with taxi and climb allowed for; connecting itineraries add the layover on top.
Open Santa Marta in Google Maps
| León | Santa Marta | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Nicaragua | Colombia |
| Population | 144,538 | 499,192 |
| Elevation | 102 m (335 ft) | 14 m (46 ft) |
| Time now | UTC-6 (America/Managua) | UTC-5 (America/Bogota) |
| Nearest large airport | MGA, 84 km out | BAQ, 75 km out |
Clocks in Santa Marta are 1 h ahead of León right now, so a 2 h 32 min journey lands 3 h 32 min later by the destination clock.
What changes when you arrive in Santa Marta
Crossing from Nicaragua into Colombia: money changes from the Cordoba to the Peso (COP); the dialling code becomes +57; the emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648825.
Airports at each end
Leaving León
León is served by one airport with scheduled flights. The closest large one is Augusto C. Sandino (Managua) International Airport (MGA), 84 km (52 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 8,012 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft.
Arriving in Santa Marta
Santa Marta is served by 2 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ), 75 km (47 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 9,842 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft. The alternatives are Simón Bolívar International Airport (SMR, 14 km).
| Airport | Code | From centre | Longest runway | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport | BAQ | 75 km (47 mi) | 9,842 ft | 98 ft |
| Simón Bolívar International Airport (regional) | SMR | 14 km (9 mi) | 5,577 ft | 22 ft |
Book a flight to Santa Marta
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Flights are sold here by AirOrSeaTravel through our booking partner, Nuitée, which takes the payment; the ticket is issued by the airline. How this works.
Staying in Santa Marta
Our booking partner lists 1,847+ places to stay in Santa Marta (statistics below are from the first 1,000). Of the 677 with a star rating, the largest group is 4-star (305), and 12 are five-star. Across 196 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 8.5 out of 10. Guests have left 131,170 reviews in total.
Book a hotel in Santa Marta
Live rooms and prices from our booking partner, booked and paid for here. Free cancellation is marked where it applies.
Common questions
How far is Santa Marta from León?
1,387 km (862 mi) in a straight line, east of León.
How long does it take to get from León to Santa Marta by air?
About 2 h 32 min, estimated from distance and typical speeds for a nonstop flight. Timetables and traffic decide the real figure.
Is there a time difference between León and Santa Marta?
Santa Marta is 1 h ahead at the moment (America/Bogota against America/Managua).
Which airports are used for León to Santa Marta flights?
Typically Augusto C. Sandino (Managua) International Airport (MGA) to Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ); Santa Marta also has SMR.
What currency do I need in Santa Marta?
The Peso (COP).
Where can I stay in Santa Marta?
Our booking partner lists 1,847+ places to stay in Santa Marta, bookable on this site.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.