Cabo Airport transportation guide: VIP transfers, Uber tips, and bus transport instructions

Looking for the best Cabo Airport transportation? Our local drivers can take you to and from downtown to your resort but before you book, here is some important arrival information.

Welcome to Cabo, traveler! We’ve been living in Cabo San Lucas for a while and we always get this question: “how do I get to my hotel from Los Cabos Airport?!”

If it’s your first time visiting our area, here are the best Cabo Airport transportation options with our local drivers. If you are not booking with us, still read on as we’ve given alternative ways how to get to your hotel via rental car, bus, or Uber.

Should you need help with booking, you can always get in touch with our office, hola[at]mexicoinsider[dot]mx, and look for Maria or Loys. Now let’s get started in planning your airport transfer!

You might also like:

• Los Cabos Travel Guide
• Be a smart traveler: the term “Cabo,” explained
• Mexico Insider’s best things to do in Cabo San Lucas
• Editor’s Pick: 10 best resorts in Cabo San Lucas
• Where to eat good steak in Cabo San Lucas
• 10 best resorts in San Jose del Cabo

🛬 How do I get to my hotel from Los Cabos Airport?

To get to your hotel from Los Cabos Airport, you can pre-order a VIP taxi service here. Cabo Airport transportation prices vary by destination (Cabo San Lucas or San Jose del Cabo) so make sure you know the area of your hotel/resort.

Other ways to get to your hotel include taking an Uber outside of the airport or via public bus.

🚫 Is Uber allowed at Cabo Airport?

Uber is not allowed to enter Cabo Airport so it will be impossible to hail one when you arrive. You can only take an Uber to Cabo Airport (for departures) but they are not allowed to pick up passengers at the arrivals gate.

To take an Uber from the airport, you have to go out of the airport and order your Uber at the designated spot. Oxxo and Europcar are good pick-up points although Uber does not work in these two spots 100% of the time.

💲 How much is an Uber from Cabo to the airport?

From Cabo San Lucas, Uber to the airport can cost up to US$40 (around 800 Mexican pesos) which is more or less the same for San Jose del Cabo. Ubers are NOT allowed to pick up passengers at the airport but they are allowed to drop off passengers so you don’t have to worry – the Uber will drop you off at the arrivals gate.

🙋 Does Cabo have Uber or Lyft?

Cabo uses Uber all over the city but not from the airport. You can take an Uber to the airport without problems but they can never pick you up at the arrivals gate.

If you are staying in downtown San Lucas, you don’t need to use Uber at all as everything is within walking distance. If you do need to Uber, the normal rates are less than US$10 within Cabo San Lucas.

💵 Do you tip taxi drivers in Cabo?

If it’s a pre-booked Cabo airport transportation, then you have to tip the driver at least 10%. If you are using an Uber, you can tip the driver using the Uber app although it is not mandatory/required.

✈️ Los Cabos Airport transportation: quick info

Before booking your Los Cabos Airport transportation, please be mindful of the following:

• The airport that serves Los Cabos is San Jose del Cabo International Airport (SJD). There are many direct flights from major cities in the US and Canada – you don’t need to stop in Mexico City.
• Where are you staying? San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas areas have different airport transfer prices.
• Los Cabos Airport is about a 45-minute drive to Cabo San Lucas downtown.
• Los Cabos Airport is about a 25-minute drive to San Jose del Cabo downtown.

💲 How much does Cabo Airport transportation cost?

Cabo Airport transportation costs don’t have a fixed rate. It all depends on the area and resort that you will be staying in. The normal rate to Cabo San Lucas is from US$70 – US$150 while the same applies for San Jose del Cabo even if they have a difference in distance.

The car types can be Sedan, van, or mini-bus. All Cabo Airport transportation prices are per car/ride, not per person. You can even book a bus for up to 25 people as most transportation companies can cater to big groups/traveler types.

🚕 How to get from Cabo Airport to hotel transportation

By rental car

Los Cabos and Baja California Sur are car areas and public transportation can be a little challenging. Most people who live in this area own a car as it is the easiest way to get around.

If you are staying in Los Cabos for more than 3 days, it is best to rent a car at San Jose del Cabo Airport so you can go visit neighboring towns like Todos Santos, El Pescadero, and La Paz.

If you are staying in downtown San Lucas, you don’t need a car as everything is within walking distance. For those who have a reservation in San Jose del Cabo, you can easily take an Uber around.

Car rental prices at San Jose del Cabo International Airport start at US$55 per day. In order to rent a car in Los Cabos, you need to have a passport and a valid driver’s license.

You will be also required to pay a deposit (from US$500) using a credit card. The deposit will be returned to your credit card when the car is returned (without damage).

By Uber

Please note that Uber is not allowed inside Los Cabos Airport although this is the cheapest way to get to your resort or hotel. Ubers charge around US$25-US$40 for a one-way ride.

Unfortunately, it is difficult to get an Uber at Los Cabos Airport. You have to walk out of the airport (with all your suitcase) and the walk is quite long (about 15 minutes).

As long as you are already outside Los Cabos Airport, the Uber app will work. You can only order the Uber once you are at the designated pick-up spot. For starters, try to order it by the Oxxo or Europcar. Sometimes it works, more often, it doesn’t.

By private driver (certified)

The reason why Uber is not allowed inside Los Cabos Airport is that airports in Mexico only allow those who have a permit. These permits are usually issued to big transportation companies which gives them the exclusivity of providing service in Mexican airports.

We have many local drivers in Los Cabos and we also have different price ranges that will be discussed in the latter part of this article. Certified airport drivers are allowed to wait for you at the arrivals gate, holding a sign with your name on it. You won’t have a hard time searching for them!

By bus

As soon as you exit Los Cabos Airport arrivals, you will see a purple and yellow bus at the bus stop. This goes straight to Cabo San Lucas and briefly passes San Jose del Cabo.

The price of the bus is about US$4 (one-way) and the ride takes 1.5 hours. This bus stops a lot so expect some delays but the bus is comfortable and has an area where you can store your luggage.

Always ask the driver to inform you that you are already near Cabo San Lucas, especially if you don’t know the correct bus stop to get to your hotel.

The best and most centric stop is the Puerto Paraiso Shopping Mall in downtown Cabo San Lucas. Once you are at the mall, you can walk to your hotel or simply order an Uber at the bus stop.

🚘 Affordable Los Cabos Airport transfers

We have a few local drivers around Los Cabos who can pick you up at the airport and take you to your hotel safely. We do not have a calendar in our booking system but please take note that these reservations are on instant confirmation.

Once we receive your order, our office manager will get in touch with you via e-mail to ask for the necessary details for your arrival. As soon as we have all the information we need, we will match you with the best drivers we have in town.

✈️ Ready for your trip to Los Cabos? If you need more information about the best Cabo Airport transportation, we’d be happy to update this post – just leave your questions in the comment box or join our social media communities below where we answer questions for FREE.

Trisha Velarmino

Trisha traveled to Mexico in 2018 and after a year, she found herself obtaining a 4-year residency visa in Mexico. She is the Editor-in-chief for our Living in Mexico Series which has helped over 3,000 Americans move to Mexico with ease. Trisha currently resides in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur.