How we know: Sources are listed at the end. Weather figures are official climate normals; route and entry facts come from the cited pages. Wildly does not publish fare averages in prose; live prices are on the linked route pages.
Colombia sits on the equator, so temperature barely changes through the year; what changes is rain. Bogotá, Medellín and the coffee region have two dry seasons (roughly December–March and July–August) and two wet ones (April–May and October–November). Cartagena and the Caribbean coast have one long dry season from December to April. The dry months are the "best time" for weather, but they are also when Colombians travel, so the quieter, cheaper windows are the transitional months on either side.
Bogotá and Cartagena weather by month
1991–2020 climate normals from Colombia's Instituto de Hidrología, Meteorología y Estudios Ambientales (IDEAM), as published on the cities' Wikipedia climate pages. Bogotá is at 8,350 ft; Cartagena is at sea level.
| Month | Bogotá high / low | Bogotá rain | Cartagena high / low | Cartagena rain | |---|---|---|---|---| | January | 68 / 44°F | 1.3 in | 88 / 75°F | 0.0 in | | February | 68 / 46°F | 2.0 in | 88 / 76°F | 0.0 in | | March | 68 / 47°F | 3.3 in | 88 / 77°F | 0.1 in | | April | 67 / 49°F | 4.6 in | 89 / 78°F | 0.7 in | | May | 67 / 49°F | 4.3 in | 90 / 79°F | 4.6 in | | June | 66 / 48°F | 2.3 in | 90 / 79°F | 3.6 in | | July | 65 / 47°F | 1.9 in | 90 / 78°F | 4.8 in | | August | 66 / 47°F | 1.7 in | 90 / 79°F | 5.0 in | | September | 67 / 46°F | 2.2 in | 90 / 78°F | 5.2 in | | October | 67 / 47°F | 4.3 in | 89 / 78°F | 9.3 in | | November | 67 / 47°F | 4.2 in | 89 / 78°F | 7.0 in | | December | 68 / 46°F | 2.4 in | 89 / 77°F | 1.8 in |
Two things stand out. Bogotá is cool all year (highs in the mid-60s, lows in the 40s) and its wettest months are April–May and October–November. Cartagena is hot all year and essentially rainless from December through March, with October by far its wettest month. Medellín, at roughly 4,900 ft, sits between the two in temperature and follows Bogotá's rain pattern.
Season by season
December–March (main dry season, peak). Best weather countrywide, but also Colombian school holidays (mid-December to late January) and the Christmas–New Year travel peak. Cartagena's old town is at its busiest and hotel rates are at their highest. The Barranquilla Carnival falls in February or early March and fills the coast that weekend.
April–May (first rainy season). Afternoon showers in the Andes, humidity rising on the coast. Crowds thin noticeably after Easter week (Semana Santa, itself a domestic travel peak). Everything stays open; you just plan around afternoon rain.
June–August (short dry season). The "veranillo" brings drier weather to Bogotá, Medellín and the coffee region. Colombian schools break from mid-June to mid-July, and Medellín's Feria de las Flores runs in early August, so this is a second, smaller domestic high season.
September–November (second rainy season). The wettest stretch, especially October on the Caribbean coast. Fewest visitors and the quietest hotels. Late November, when the rain breaks and before the December rush, is a good window for a coast-plus-city trip.
Getting there from the US
Bogotá El Dorado (BOG) is the main gateway; Medellín (MDE) and Cartagena (CTG) also have US nonstops. According to the El Dorado airlines-and-destinations list, American flies nonstop from Dallas/Fort Worth and Miami; Delta from Atlanta; United from Houston and Newark; and Avianca from Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, New York–JFK, Orlando and other US cities. Copa connects most of the US through Panama City.
Miami and Fort Lauderdale have the most competition, which is why South Florida is usually the cheapest place to start. For today's prices see Miami to Bogotá, JFK to Bogotá, LAX to Bogotá, Fort Lauderdale to Cartagena and Miami to Medellín.
When fares tend to be lowest
US–Colombia demand peaks when the Colombian holiday calendar and the US one line up: Christmas through mid-January, Semana Santa, and the June–July school break. The rainy transitional months, late April–May and September–November, are when published fares are usually softest. That is also when Colombian domestic tourism is quietest, so hotel rates tend to follow.
Pick a target from the route page and set a price alert. Wildly checks the routes you track every day and emails you when the fare drops to your target.
Entry requirements for US citizens
US passport holders can enter Colombia visa-free for tourism, with a stay of up to 90 days granted on arrival and extendable to a maximum of 180 days in a year, according to Wikivoyage. Two practical points from the same source: airlines require proof of onward travel before boarding, and every traveller must complete the online Check-Mig form between 24 hours and 1 hour before the flight. Confirm current rules with Migración Colombia before you fly.
Where to go, by month
- December–March: Cartagena, Santa Marta and Tayrona National Park in their dry season; Bogotá and Medellín at their clearest.
- June–August: The coffee region (Salento, Manizales, Armenia) and the Andean cities during the short dry season; Medellín for the Feria de las Flores in early August.
- April–May and September–November: Cities and the coffee region with afternoon showers and far fewer visitors; avoid the Caribbean coast in October if you can.
- Year-round: San Andrés and Providencia are warm all year, with the same wet-season caveat as the mainland coast.
FAQ
What is the cheapest month to fly to Colombia? There is no single winner every year. The shoulder months (late April–May, September–November) are usually the softest for fares; check the route page for your airport and set an alert rather than relying on a rule.
Is the rainy season a bad time to visit? Not for cities. Rain usually comes as afternoon showers, and mornings are often clear. The exception is the Caribbean coast in October and November, which are genuinely wet.
Do US citizens need a visa for Colombia? No, for tourist stays up to 90 days. You do need to complete the Check-Mig form online before your flight and carry proof of onward travel.
Bogotá or Medellín first? Bogotá has the museums, the historic Candelaria district and the widest choice of US flights; Medellín is warmer, easier to walk, and closer to the coffee region. Most one-week itineraries pair one of them with Cartagena.