7 Best Plus Cheapest Cabo Airport Transfers: The Scoop

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So you’ve booked your vacation to Los Cabos. And you’re already picturing the sun, sea, margaritas and fun activities this Mexican resort area offers!

Now it’s time to figure out your Cabo airport transfers.

What’s the best way to get from the Los Cabos International Airport (SJD) to your hotel or resort? What’s the cheapest?

Most visitors take a taxi, rent a car or book one of the many semi-private or private Los Cabos airport shuttles. If you’re feeling adventurous, there’s also the public bus, Ruta del Desierto.

As frequent travelers to Cabo, we’ve tested nearly every way to get from the airport to our accommodations.

Below, we’ve rounded up the top seven transfer options – plus the cheapest – to help get you to where you need to go.

A Cabo Airport Shuttle vehicle in Puerto Los Cabos
An airport transfer vehicle in Puerto Los Cabos

Featured reader comments

You can never get too much information when it comes to traveling. This is great information! Thanks for the reviews and links. We’re going with AllWays for [our] trip.
J.d.
Thanks for this blog article, it was really really helpful!

This will be our first time in Cabo. We had a mix up with our hotel reservation, so we needed an affordable shuttle (going one way) and picked TransCabo for our morning flight tomorrow.
sarah

The prices shown below are in U.S. dollars. The transfer companies may change them at any time, so you’ll want to double-check the rates before making a booking.

Can you book airport transportation in Los Cabos last minute?

We understand that local regulations don’t allow booking “hotel to airport” shuttle service in Cabo within 72 hours of your departure.

You can book an airport transfer from the airport to your hotel the day before you arrive in Cabo.

But you can’t book a one-way return transfer from your hotel back to the airport last minute. You must book 3 days or more in advance.

Tip: You’ll probably want to book return airport transfers (unless you have alternative arrangements for getting back to the airport).

Shared shuttles vs. private transfers

A shuttle driver picking up a passenger at the airport in Cabo
A transfer driver picking up a passenger at the airport in Cabo (Credit: TransCabo)

Shared shuttles

Shared shuttle transportation (sometimes called “semi-private transportation”) usually involves a large SUV for 5 or more people or even a 10-person van, shared with another group or a couple of other pairs.

At the airport, you might have to wait around for a while – sometimes up to 40 minutes – until all the passengers organized for your shuttle have arrived and are ready to roll.

The shuttle will stop at a few hotels to drop off its passengers. Depending on where you’re staying, your hotel might be the first stop – or the last.

How you’re charged: Rates are per person.

Large white van with Gray Line Los Cabos driver in a lime green shirt standing beside it
For shared transportation, Gray Line offers great rates on airport transfers in Cabo (Credit: Gray Line)

Private transfers

Larger vehicles are also usually used for private Cabo airport transportation services, something like a sleek Suburban or a roomier Toyota Hiace van. (The SUVs tend to have more comfy seating than the vans.)

For a smaller vehicle, Gray Line Los Cabos (jump to #7 below) – offers private transfers in a Tesla for up to 3 passengers.

As private transfers are just for you (and your traveling companions), you’ll be chauffeured straight to your hotel – no stops – meaning you can be sipping margaritas on the beach within an hour after landing in Mexico!

For the fastest VIP service – or if traveling as a family or group – a private transfer is the way to go. Once you have 3 people, it starts to cost about the same as a shared shuttle. For 4 or more, a private transfer is typically cheaper than a shared one.

How you’re charged: The rate is for your group – whether that’s just you, you and a plus-one, or your whole family or group of friends.

Different zones: Rates depend on the resort area

Couple in beach chairs on the golden sand Medano Beach, looking out over the turquoise sea at the rocky formations of Land's End
Many visitors like to stay in Cabo San Lucas at a resort along Medano Beach

Most of the Los Cabos airport transportation companies tailor their rates based on your destination, dividing the region into distinct zones.

Here’s a quick breakdown to help you navigate:

  • San Jose del Cabo – The zone closest to the airport (so the least expensive to reach), it covers hotels in the charming town of San Jose del Cabo, plus nearby beach resorts like Cabo Azul and Hyatt Ziva.
  • Puerto Los Cabos – About a 5- to 10-minute drive east of San Jose del Cabo, this area includes upscale spots like Hotel El Ganzo, Marriott Los Cabos and the Ritz-Carlton.
  • Cabo San Lucas – This zone includes hotels in the town of Cabo San Lucas, plus resorts along Medano Beach, such as Pueblo Bonito Rose and Villa del Arco.
  • Tourist Corridor – The 20-mile Los Cabos Corridor between San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas is sprinkled with luxury beachfront hotels (like The Cape, a Thompson Hotel), all-inclusive digs (like Grand Velas Los Cabos) and adults-only resorts (like Marquis Los Cabos).
  • Pacific Side – On the Pacific Ocean side of Cabo San Lucas, this zone is home to large condo-style resorts like Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach and Playa Grande. (As it’s a few minutes’ further away from the airport than Medano Beach and the town, transfers typically cost a tad more).
  • Diamante – The furthest area from the airport, Diamante is located north of Cabo San Lucas on the Pacific Ocean side of the Baja California Peninsula. It’s where you find Nobu Hotel and the Hard Rock Hotel, among others. (Generally, the most expensive transfers are to Diamante.)

Note: We use “Cabo” and “Los Cabos” interchangeably here. Both terms (as we use them) refer to the whole resort area of Los Cabos in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur.

For more information, see our guide on Los Cabos vs. Cabo San Lucas (on our other CaboVisitor blog).

What’s the cheapest Cabo airport transfer?

In this section, several of the “cheapest” transfer options listed below can be booked through Viator, a TripAdvisor company.

Viator offers a lowest price guarantee. They also offer free cancelation up to 24 hours before the transfer – and you can “book now, pay later.”

We use Viator all the time to book tours and transfers, and they’re a great option, especially if you don’t feel comfortable giving your credit card to an unknown company. (But we also share options for booking directly with various transfer companies.)

Cheapest shared shuttles

Round-trip shared shuttles

Round-trip shared shuttle to Cabo San Lucas

The cheapest shared round-trip airport shuttle to resorts in Cabo San Lucas that we’ve found is $43.08 USD p.p. (booked through Viator).

The transportation provider is Epic Los Cabos.

They’ve received a “Badge of Excellence” from Viator – meaning their “experience is highly rated by travelers” and has met “top quality standards.”

You’ll travel in an air-conditioned minivan. Your maximum wait time at the airport will be 30 minutes.

Round-trip shared shuttle to Diamante hotels

Epic Los Cabos also offers the cheapest round-trip shared shuttles to two popular hotels in the Diamante area.

For just $43.08 p.p., you can enjoy round-trip airport transfers to and from the Nobu Hotel or Hard Rock Hotel.

(You can use this company to book airport transfers to other areas in Los Cabos too, for example, resorts along the Tourist Corridor.)

Round-trip shared shuttle to San Jose del Cabo

If you’re going to San Jose del Cabo, you can snag a round-trip shared airport transfer to and from your resort for $36 p.p., traveling in a minivan or SUV.

The service is provided by Gray Line Los Cabos, a trusted international transportation and tour provider. They’ve been operating in Cabo since 2002 and have hundreds of 5-star reviews on Viator.

We’ve used them too – you can read our full review under #7 Gray Line Los Cabos below.

A greeter at the Los Cabos airport in a burgundy shirt with the logo "Epic" on it, pulling two suitcases
An Epic Los Cabos greeter helping us with our bags for a recent transfer from the airport

One-way shared shuttles

At certain hotels (like Club Cascadas de Baja), you can only arrange a one-way ride from the airport to your hotel. (You can’t book a transfer back to the airport.)

And sometimes, a one-way shared transfer from the airport is all you want. (Maybe you plan to squeeze the most out of your last day and would prefer a private transfer back to the airport?)

One of the cheapest one-way shared shuttles to Cabo San Lucas

It costs $25 USD a person for a one-way shared shuttle from the airport to Cabo San Lucas with Gray Line Los Cabos (booked through Viator).

We used Gray Line for a one-way transfer on a recent trip to Cabo. While no-frills, our transfer went smoothly and our wait time before the shuttle left the airport was relatively short (see our review under #7 Gray Line Los Cabos below).

One of our readers has also commented that he takes Gray Line and is happy with them. (See the Comments section at the end of our post.)

More inexpensive shared shuttles

Cabo Transfers (see #1 below) also offers inexpensive airport transfers for a single person or a couple in a shared shuttle.

Their cost is $22 a person (one-way) to Cabo San Lucas or $44 (round-trip). You book through their website, not with Viator.

You can save even more if you’re okay booking with Cabo San Lucas Tours (a third-party discount tour operator). Their cost is $18 per person for a one-way transfer to Cabo San Lucas, and you’ll go with TransCabo (see #2 below).

Cheapest private airport transfers

Round-trip private transfers

Round-trip private transfers to Cabo San Lucas

You can book private round-trip transfers for a group of up to 5 people to hotels in Cabo San Lucas for $180 through Viator.

If you book directly through the transfer company’s website (see #6 Cabo Airport Shuttle below), the round-trip rate is $155.

One-way private transfers

One-way private transfers (up to 5 people)

You can book a private one-way airport transfer in Cabo for just under $75.00. The cost is the same for one person, two people or up to 5 passengers (through Viator). You’ll travel in a mini-van with Legacy Transportation Los Cabos.

Note: This price doesn’t apply to resorts on the Pacific Ocean side or in the Diamante area.

One-way private transfers (up to 2 people) to Pacific Side hotels

For a private transfer in a mini-van (Toyota Hiace or similar), Cielito Lindo offers a good rate of $90 for solo travelers or a couple heading to Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach or other Pacific Side hotels. See our review of #3 Cielito Lindo below.

One-way private transfers (up to 10 people)

If you have a group of 9 or 10 people – and you’re staying in one of the areas furthest away from the airport (say, on the Pacific side or in Diamante) – your best bet is Ballard Tour Services. Their cost for a private one-way transfer from the airport to any resort in Los Cabos is $162.

You’ll ride in a Suburban or Toyota Hiace, and you’ll be treated to complimentary drinks.

Taxi from the airport to Cabo San Lucas

Los Cabos airport transportation: Taxi
A typical taxi in Cabo San Lucas

Taxis in Los Cabos are large blue or turquoise (occasionally white) vans that seat 8 to 10 people. But, gulp, Cabo taxi fares are comparatively steep.

A taxi from the international or SJD airport to Cabo San Lucas will cost you a minimum of $80 USD. This cost covers up to 4 people. Each extra person is $20 p.p.

If you’re traveling as a couple, that cost is about double the price of a shared airport shuttle.

Frankly, we don’t think a taxi ride is the best Cabo airport transportation option.

Cabo airport bus: Ruta del Desierto

The Ruta del Desierto bus runs daily to and from the Cabo airport
The Ruta del Desierto bus runs daily to and from the Cabo airport

Is there a public bus that goes from the airport to Cabo San Lucas?

And does the bus also do the return trip and go from Cabo San Lucas back to the airport?

The short answer is “Yes.”

We’ve ridden the regular public bus in Cabo many times – for example, to go snorkeling at Santa Maria Beach and to travel between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo.

It’s cheap and perfectly safe.

(We’ve also taken the bus between several colonial Mexican cities – and that service was like flying business class. Really!)

Traveling within Mexico? Check out our post on the excellent long-distance Mexico buses

About the Ruta del Desierto bus

The Ruta del Desierto bus is the inexpensive public bus in Cabo, and it runs every day to and from the Cabo airport.

You can hop on it at either Terminal 1 (domestic terminal) or Terminal 2 (international terminal) and ride it all the way into Cabo San Lucas.

The bus isn’t fancy. But it’s air-conditioned, reasonably comfortable and very easy on the wallet :-).

It makes several stops.

Depending on traffic, the travel time on the bus to get from the airport to the town of Cabo San Lucas is about an hour to 75 minutes.

If you’re going to the airport from Cabo, budget about 90 minutes to be safe.

Bus from Cabo airport

The Ruta del Desierto bus stop at Terminal 1 of the Los Cabos airport
Bus stop at SJD Terminal 1

If coming in on an international flight (arriving in Terminal 2), you need to go up one floor to the Departures Level.

There’s an escalator that goes upstairs. Look to the left after passing the timeshare sales vendors.

Up top, exit the doors and go outside, and you’ll see the bus stop by the curb to the right, at the far end of the terminal.

If flying into the domestic terminal (Terminal 1), there’s a Ruta del Desierto bus stop right outside.

Bus to Cabo airport

When returning home and going back to the Cabo airport, you can catch the bus at the stop in front of the Puerto Paraiso Mall.

Cost of the airport bus?

The cost is 90 pesos (about $4.50 USD) per person.

If you need Mexican pesos, there’s a Banamex ATM machine on the Arrivals Level of Terminal 2, just after customs.

For more information on Ruta del Desierto, check this thread on TripAdvisor.

If you understand Spanish, here’s the bus line’s Facebook page. (Facebook also does a credible job at translating into English.)

We haven’t personally taken the bus to or from the airport. So we’ve relied on reader input and comments, combined with other research, to give you the scoop on taking the bus.

Best way to get from the Cabo airport to your hotel?

Passengers wait under the awnings outside Terminal 2 for their transportation from the Cabo airport
Passengers wait under the awnings outside Terminal 2 for their transportation from the Cabo airport

When planning your trip to Cabo, we think it’s smart to reserve one of the Los Cabos or Cabo San Lucas airport shuttle services (covered above or below) in advance.

Taxis are expensive (so we don’t recommend them) and the bus is slow and inconvenient.

A semi-private or private transfer with a reputable company is the fastest and most hassle-free option, offering great value for money. Plus, you’ll enjoy the best customer service available.

Los Cabos airport shuttle reviews: 7 good companies

We’ve personally tried all but one of the seven different Los Cabos and Cabo San Lucas airport transfers recommended below.

The only exception is All Ways Cabo Transportation (#4). While we haven’t used their service yet, they consistently earn glowing reviews on TripAdvisor, so we’ve included them in this round-up, alongside our other top picks.

1) Cabo Transfers

Cabo Transfers vehicles

Kick off your travel sandals, sit back and enjoy the ride! Cabo Transfers offers a professional, quality transfer service within Los Cabos.

We’ve used them several times on our many visits to this desert-meets-the-sea resort destination.

Their website is easy to use. Simply click on their “Book Now” button, plug in your transfer type (“Private airport transfer” or “Airport shuttle transfer”), indicate whether you want a one-way or round-trip service and your hotel, and you’ll be given a quote.

You’ll be asked for your flight arrival and departure information, and they’ll email you confirmation of your transfer(s) with pick-up times and details noted.

When traveling as a couple (without other family members or companions), we’ve usually booked the shared shuttle and never had to wait very long – most recently, it was just a 10-minute wait. (Their website mentions the wait time could be 30 to 40 minutes, however.)

Sometimes we’ve been the only clients and enjoyed private airport transportation for a shared shuttle price!

George in the Cabo Transfers van at the airport
George in the Cabo Transfers van at the airport (we’re waiting for other passengers to hop in for the shared ride)

For their private transfers, vehicle choices include a Suburban or Expedition (up to 6 passengers), Toyota Hiace (up to 10 passengers) or Ford Transit (up to 16 passengers). They come with free WiFi and TV screens in the seat backs if you want to watch a video.

All vehicles are air-conditioned and have working seatbelts. They’re clean, comfortable and stocked with ice-cold bottled water, beer and soft drinks (extra cost, depending on the service).

Drivers are courteous and polite (and enjoy practising their English on you).

As well as airport transfers, the company offers other driving services; we once used them to transfer from the Grand Velas Los Cabos to another resort.

Cabo Transfers can help you with grocery shopping
Cabo Transfers offers the option of doing a grocery stop on the way to your resort (for a private ride)

Services

They offer both shared (semi-private) and private transfers.

Sample rates

One-way shared shuttle
  • San Jose del Cabo hotels = $18 p.p.
  • Puerto Los Cabos hotels = $20 p.p.
  • Tourist Corridor hotels = $20 p.p.
  • Cabo San Lucas hotels = $22 p.p.
  • Pacific Side hotels = $25 p.p.
  • Diamante hotels = $28 p.p.
Round-trip shared shuttle

Cabo Transfers’ round-trip shuttle fares are double the one-way cost, except for Diamante area hotels, where the round-trip cost (at $50 p.p.) is a few dollars less than double.

One-way private transfers

The rates below are per vehicle for up to 5 passengers in an Escalade/Navigator:

  • San Jose del Cabo hotels = $110
  • Puerto Los Cabos hotels = $124
  • Tourist Corridor hotels = $124
  • Cabo San Lucas hotels = $130
  • Pacific Side hotels = $143
  • Diamante hotels = $181
Round-trip private transfers

Round-trip rates (per vehicle) for up to 5 passengers in an Escalade/Navigator are:

  • San Jose del Cabo hotels = $207
  • Puerto Los Cabos hotels = $234
  • Tourist Corridor hotels = $234
  • Cabo San Lucas hotels = $239
  • Pacific Side hotels = $259
  • Diamante hotels = $337

A grocery stop (available for private transfers) costs $40 for one hour of shopping at a supermarket close to your resort.

Costco and Walmart are on the way if you’re staying in Cabo San Lucas. (Stock up on your favorite Mexican fruit – limes! – for mixing those all-important tequila drinks.)

Bottom line?

Cabo Transfers offers great rates and excellent service for shared transfers. (They might stop at up to three hotels, but never more than four.)

It’s $22 p.p. ($44 a couple) for a one-way shared transfer from the airport to a Cabo San Lucas hotel.

See their website here

2) TransCabo

Los Cabos airport transportation
A TransCabo driver in his bright orange shirt

One of the first companies to get into the business of driving guests around in the area, TransCabo offers a premium service for airport transportation in Cabo.

They have a fleet of over 50 recent models in different sizes (all clean and air-conditioned).

TransCabo representatives are easy to spot. When you leave the airport, just look for their bright orange shirts. Their professional drivers help you with your luggage and offer you bottled water.

For the shared airport shuttle, no more than 10 people per van are booked, with no more than three stops. And, again, you could luck out and end up having the vehicle to yourself (in effect a private transfer for the shared shuttle cost)!

Services

TransCabo offers both shared and private shuttle services.

Sample rates

One-way shared shuttle
  • San Jose del Cabo hotels = $20 p.p.
  • Tourist Corridor hotels = $22 p.p.
  • Cabo San Lucas hotels = $26 p.p.
  • Diamante hotels = $34 p.p.
Round-trip shared shuttle

Round-trip rates are double the one-way rates.

One-way private transfers (per vehicle)
  • Tourist Corridor hotels = $130 (for up to 6 people in a Suburban)
  • Tourist Corridor hotels = $125 (for up to 10 people in a mini-van)
  • Cabo San Lucas hotels = $140 (for up to 6 people in a Suburban)
  • Cabo San Lucas hotels = $135 (for up to 10 people in a mini-van)
  • Diamante hotels = $170 (for up to 6 people in a Suburban)
  • Diamante hotels = $165 (for up to 10 people in a mini-van)

If you need an infant or baby car seat, it should be reserved in advance. (Ask TransCabo for the cost of this.)

Note: If you book your transfer through Cabo San Lucas Tours – a third-party tour operator which uses TransCabo – you’ll save about 30%. Here’s the Cabo San Lucas Tours’ webpage for airport shuttles.

Bottom line?

TransCabo are trusted and reliable (receiving a 2024 Traveler’s Choice award from TripAdvisor).

They also offer good rates for private transfers in a van for large groups of 10 people. (The one-way cost from the airport to Cabo San Lucas works out to $13.50 p.p. if you have 10 people in a van.)

See their website here

3) Cielito Lindo

Cielito Lindo is a great option if you’re traveling as a single person or a couple and you want private car services from the airport to Cabo.

As with all agencies and companies here, reservations must be booked in advance.

Cielito Lindo requires 3 days’ notice for individuals and 7 days’ notice for groups. You’ll receive email notification about how to meet the driver, who’ll be waiting for you outside the airport terminal.

Your vehicle will be meticulously clean – and a welcome bottle of cold water will be waiting for you.

As Cielito Lindo is a travel agency, they also offer other services. For instance, they can stock your villa with groceries before you arrive. (Maybe you need avocados to make guac and your other favorite Mexican food dishes!)

Cielito Lindo can also take you on private sightseeing trips to Todos Santos and La Paz.

Services

Only private SUV or van services are offered. (You can’t book a shared airport shuttle.)

Sample per-vehicle rates

One-way private transfers
  • Tourist Corridor hotels = $79.50 (for up to 2 passengers in a mini-van)
  • Tourist Corridor hotels = $110 (for up to 4 passengers)
  • Tourist Corridor hotels = $140 (for up to 6 passenger)
  • Tourist Corridor hotels = $115 (for up to 10 passengers in a min-van)
  • Cabo San Lucas hotels = $84.50 (for up to 2 passengers in a mini-van)
  • Cabo San Lucas hotels = $125 (for up to 4 passengers)
  • Cabo San Lucas hotels = $130 (for up to 10 passengers in a mini-van)
  • Cabo San Lucas hotels = $190 (for up to 16 passengers in a Sprinter)
  • Pacific Side hotels = $90 (for up to 2 passengers in a mini-van)
  • Pacific Side hotels = $135 (for up to 4 passengers)
  • Pacific Side hotels = $140 (for up to 10 passengers)
Round-trip private transfers

Round-trip rates are double the one-way rates.

A half-hour grocery shopping stop arranged in advance costs $45 (one hour for $60).

Bottom line?

Cielito Lindo offers one of the cheapest private one-way Los Cabos airport transfers for a single person or a couple.

See their website here

4) All Ways Cabo Transportation

All Ways Cabo Transportation comes highly recommended on TripAdvisor.
This company offers one of the best services for private transportation from Cabo’s airport

All Ways Cabo Transportation has more than 10 years of experience in the business, getting excellent reviews on TripAdvisor.

Their fleet of vehicles includes Suburbans (least expensive – up to 5 passengers), premium Cadillac Escalades (up to 5 passengers), vans (9 passengers), limousines (10 passengers) and Sprinters (16 passengers).

Drivers are on-time and courteous, and you’re welcomed with beer, water and often bubbly too!

Champagne service on a Cabo airport transfers
Champagne service!

All Ways offers other driver services in Cabo as well.

Perhaps you want to do a day trip from Cabo San Lucas? Maybe to explore Los Barriles or Todos Santos? Booking this kind of service means you can have a hassle-free time, without the bother of renting a car.

Services

All Ways only offers private transfers (no shared shuttles).

Sample per-vehicle rates

One-way private transfers
  • Cabo San Lucas hotels = $100 (for up to 4 passengers in a Suburban)
  • Pacific Side hotels = $100 (for 2 passengers in a Suburban) or $120 (for 4 passengers)
Round-trip private transfers
  • Cabo San Lucas hotels = $180 (for 2 passengers in a Suburban) or $208 (for 4 passengers)
  • Pacific Side hotels = $190 (for up to 4 passengers in a Suburban)

Bottom line?

This company offers a break on the cost for round-trip Cabo airport transfers.

Rather than competing on price, All Ways Cabo Transportation aims for the sweet spot – great service at a fair cost. Beer and cold water is included, always… (Oh, bad pun!)

See their website here

5) Blue Dreams

A Blue Dreams vehicle at Marquis Los Cabos
A Blue Dreams vehicle at Marquis Los Cabos

Blue Dreams is a private transfer company that started in Cancun in 2005.

They now also operate in Los Cabos.

It’s used by select luxury resorts like Grand Velas Los Cabos to transfer their guests. (The Grand Velas used Blue Dreams to pick us up from the airport for our stay at the all-inclusive resort.)

Expect to be welcomed with a chilled facecloth and cold bottle of water, followed by a very comfortable ride.

Services

Only private shuttles services are offered.

Sample rates

Below are per-vehicle sample rates for up to 5 passengers:

One-way private transfers
  • San Jose del Cabo hotels = $80
  • Tourist Corridor hotels = $150
  • Cabo San Lucas hotels = $125
  • Pacific Side hotels = $130
  • Diamante hotels = $170
Round-trip private transfers
  • San Jose del Cabo hotels = $160
  • Cabo San Lucas hotels = $245
  • Diamante hotels = $340

Bottom line?

Blue Dreams is a good choice when only the best service will do (and price is no barrier).

See their website here

6) Cabo Airport Shuttle

Cabo Airport Shuttle SUV
Some of Cabo Airport Shuttle’s vehicles

This company is another excellent low-cost transportation service that we’ve used for private transfers from the airport.

They aim to offer the fastest airport transfers in Cabo by investing in radios.

This means the greeter at the airport with the Cabo Airport Shuttle sign can radio the driver to pick you up immediately, without relying on WiFi for What’s App (which sometimes goes down at the airport) or spotty cell service.

We certainly found our ride easy and seamless, with no hanging around at the airport, waiting for a pick-up.

Cabo Airport Shuttle driver and vehicle
Our friendly driver on a Cabo Airport Shuttle transfer

They’ve been in business for several years now and are expanding, counting some 30+ vehicles in their fleet – Escalades, Suburbans, Ford Transit vehicles and so on.

Their drivers wear dark green shirts and black pants (the greeter with the company sign wears the same uniform).

They’re courteous (our driver was very pleasant), and the vehicles are clean. In fact, the black Escalade we rode in recently looked brand new.

When settled in your vehicle, you’ll find complimentary chilled beer and water bottles waiting for you in a cooler.

Cabo Airport Shuttle services
A happy couple getting a transfer from the airport (drinks included!)

Oh, and the drivers are super helpful too. One customer reports that after he accidentally left his phone in the vehicle, the driver quickly brought it to him at his hotel.

You can book online through their easy-to-use website, over the phone or via email. The company is extremely prompt in responding.

Services

The company only offers private airport transfers.

Sample rates

Below are some examples of their per-vehicle rates for up to 5 passengers in a Suburban.

Prices are, of course, higher if you want a larger vehicle for a bigger group (for example, a Ford Transit for up to 11 passengers or a mid-size Sprinter for up to 16 passengers).

One-way private transfers
  • San Jose del Cabo hotels = $65
  • Tourist Corridor hotels = $75
  • Cabo San Lucas hotels = $85
Round-trip private transfers
  • San Jose del Cabo hotels = $115
  • Tourist Corridor hotels = $145
  • Cabo San Lucas hotels = $155

Bottom line?

Cabo Airport Shuttle offers excellent, fast and reliable private airport transportation services for solo travelers, couples, families and small groups.

See their website here

7) Gray Line Los Cabos

Gray Line Los Cabos is the cheapest airport transfer company in Cabo.
The Gray Line Los Cabos employees who transferred us to our hotel on a recent trip to Cabo San Lucas

Gray Line Los Cabos is part of the international transportation and tour provider, Gray Line, which has been in business since 1910.

We booked a shared airport transfer recently with them through Viator (receiving our tickets and confirmation online).

As instructed, upon exiting the airport terminal, we looked for the Gray Line Los Cabos agents. We couldn’t find them in the sea of people all waiting for transfers. So we asked another transfer company greeter for help and he pointed out the Gray Line greeters wearing their company’s lime green, blue and white shirts.

After checking in with them, we waited for about 20 minutes before setting off on our transfer. We were accompanied by three other couples in a clean white newish van (with air conditioning and functioning seatbelts).

Ours was the last hotel stop (so there were four hotel stops in total) – and this added another 20 minutes of additional driving time to our transfer.

We’d call this shuttle ride more of a no-frills transfer. We weren’t offered a complimentary bottle of water or beer. But the driver was friendly and drove safely within the speed limit.

Services

Gray Line offers both shared shuttle and private transfer services.

Sample rates

One-way shared shuttle

The following are their rates for booking a one-way shared shuttle from the airport:

  • San Jose del Cabo hotels = $18 p.p.
  • Puerto Los Cabos hotels = $22 p.p.
  • Tourist Corridor hotels = $22 p.p.
  • Cabo San Lucas hotels = $25 p.p.
  • Pacific Side hotels = $29 p.p.
Round-trip shared shuttle

The following are Gray Line’s rates for booking a round-trip shared airport transfer:

  • San Jose del Cabo hotels = $36 p.p.
  • Puerto Los Cabos hotels = $44 p.p.
  • Tourist Corridor hotels = $44 p.p.
  • Cabo San Lucas hotels = $50 p.p.
  • Pacific Side hotels = $58 p.p.

Bottom line?

Gray Line Los Cabos offers great rates if you’re a solo traveler or couple looking for an inexpensive shared shuttle service.

You can book through Viator using the above links or through their website.

Cabo airport location

Where’s the airport?

There are two airports serving Los Cabos.

The Los Cabos International Airport is Cabo’s main airport and the airport you’re likely to fly into; the Los Cabos airport code is SJD.

This international airport is about 28 miles from Cabo San Lucas (a 40- to 45-minute drive) and eight miles from San Jose del Cabo (20-minute drive).

(There’s also a much smaller airport closer to Cabo San Lucas for very small aircraft; the Cabo San Lucas International Airport code is CSL. Below, we only talk about SJD.)

Where do you meet your driver?

Los Cabos Airport map, showing where you get picked up

You’ll meet your driver outside the airport.

Exit Terminal 2 at the airport, cross the road and you’ll see two outdoor bars to your left and a row of numbered awnings on the right for the airport shuttles.

Find the number of the awning your transfer company gave you.

Typically, you’ll see a greeter or attendant holding up their company’s sign. Go to them, and they’ll phone or radio the shuttle driver to pick you up.

Beware the sales people selling timeshares!

After you’ve collected your baggage at the Los Cabos airport, you must pass by a slew of timeshare vendors before you exit.

Don’t get waylaid by them – unless you want a free taxi ride (and a tour or other incentive) in exchange for giving up a half-day of your precious vacation time to attend a timeshare presentation in Cabo.

The transfer company greeters are all outside the terminal doors. Locate your greeter and/or driver, and soon you’ll be on your way to a sunny Cabo holiday!

Note: The timeshare vendors are clever!

As you glance around, unsure about how exactly to exit the airport, they will approach you and ask if you need help finding your driver. Following them is an invitation to getting ensnared in discussions with them.

If you’re not interested in talking about timeshares, simply say “no thank-you” and continue walking straight through and out of the airport.

Recommended reading: Want to know how to bargain in Mexico the right way?

Uber in Cabo San Lucas

What about Uber in Los Cabos?

Can you get Uber in Cabo San Lucas or San Jose del Cabo?

In October, 2018, the company started to operate in the two towns of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo – yeah!

Apparently, more than 1,500 drivers have registered to offer Uber services.

The situation with Uber is complicated, however.

If you Google, you’ll find sites saying it’s “illegal” and not authorized to operate.

The taxi union is very strong in Los Cabos. They are unhappy about Uber coming to Cabo and they’re still doing all they can (unsuccessfully) to prevent Uber from gaining a foothold in Los Cabos.

But the fact is it exists in Cabo – and lots of visitors use Uber (including us).

For the most part, Uber works well within Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo.

We use it to go from our Medano Beach resort in Cabo to restaurants.

We also use Uber (no problem) to help transport our groceries from the Selecto Chedraui grocery store in the Puerto Paraiso Mall in Cabo San Lucas to our Medano Beach resort. The Uber driver typically arrives within 4 minutes. And the cost is about $7 USD (plus tip).

Note: There’s no Uber at the Cabo airport

Unfortunately, you can’t currently use Uber from the airport.

It can also be difficult to use Uber to get to the airport.

That said, we do know of people who’ve successfully taken Uber to the airport (at a cost of about $48 USD from resorts on Medano Beach in Cabo San Lucas).

Cabo airport transportation to your hotel
A shared or private transfer is the best way to get to your resort!

That’s it for our guide on Cabo’s airport shuttles and rides

Hopefully you’ve found this helpful…

Have you used any of them? What company do you think offers the best Cabo San Lucas airport transportation service?

Let us know! You can share your thoughts and read others’ views in the Comments section below.


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Best Cabo airport transportation
Best Los Cabos airport transfers

Our top travel tips and resources

General trip planning: TripAdvisor is a helpful starting point, offering loads of user reviews on hotels, restaurants and things to do.

Hotels: Booking.com is our go-to for scoring a “wow” hotel – or at least a decent one – often at lower rates than the hotel’s own website. We especially like Booking’s flexible cancellation policy! (You may prefer Expedia for booking hotels in the U.S. or Mexico.)

Vacation homes, condos and rentals: We prefer and use Vrbo (Vacation Rentals by Owner).

Flights: For the cheapest flights, search on Google Flights or Expedia. (Just be aware Expedia tickets are often non-refundable. If you want more flexibility, it’s usually worth booking directly with the airline, even if it costs a bit more.)

Airport lounge access: We love (and have) Priority Pass for comfy lounge seats, free snacks and drinks, complimentary WiFi and sometimes even showers and spa services!

Tours: For the best local food, walking and other guided tours, plus skip-the-line tickets to attractions, check out Viator (a TripAdvisor company) and GetYourGuide.

Car rental: Renting a car is often a great way to explore off the beaten path. Discover Cars searches car rental companies so you get the lowest rates.

eSIMS: Stay connected affordably with Airalo eSIMS covering 200+ countries and trusted by 10 million+ users, including us! (No more huge roaming bills!)

Travel insurance: SafetyWing is designed for frequent travelers, long-term adventurers and digital nomads. It covers medical expenses, lost checked luggage, trip interruption and more. We also have and recommend Medjet for global air medical transportation.

Travel gear: See our travel shop to find the best luggage, accessories and other travel gear. (We suggest these comfy travel sandals for city walking, the beach and kicking about.)

Need more help planning your trip? Check out our travel tips and resources guide for airline booking tips, ways to save money, how to find great hotels and other crazy useful trip planning info.

If you make a booking or purchase through our site, we may earn a small commission (at no cost to you). Thanks!


Photo credits: 5 to 7, 10, 14, 23, 25 to 28 © Janice and George Mucalov, SandInMySuitcase | 2 Cabo Airport Shuttle | 8, 9 Ruta del Desierto | Other Cabo airport shuttle photos courtesy the respective shuttle companies


About the authors

Janice and George Mucalov are award-winning travel journalists who’ve explored all seven continents. They share destination guidesluxury hotel reviewscultural adventurescruise insightstravel tips and more on their luxury travel blog, Sand In My Suitcase. See About.

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50 Comments

  1. We’ve used Cabo San Lucas Tours for airport shuttles the last 4 times we’ve gone to Cabo San Lucas and never had a problem.

    After going outside the airport, we just have a drink while waiting for the shuttle. After all, we are on vacation, so there is no rush. Since we stay at the Royal Decameron, we are usually the first stop.

    We’re going again in Sept. and already booked them. You can’t beat the rate.

  2. You can never get too much information when it comes to traveling. This is great information! Thanks for the reviews and links.

    We’re going with AllWays for an August 2023 trip.

    1. We always like lots of information too, so we can make (hopefully!) better decisions for us :-).

  3. What is the cab cost from San Jose del Cabo to Cabo San Lucas? We have a group of 12 staying in San Jose, but would like to do a few days in Cabo.

    Also, do you have any clue on the bus cost from San Jose to Cabo and the time to get there?

    Thanks!

    1. Hi Ben,

      You’re probably looking at about $60 to $70 USD for a cab from San Jose del Cabo to Cabo San Lucas.

      As for the bus, it’s 40 Mexican pesos (just under $2.50 USD) p.p. and it takes about 40 minutes, depending on how many stops there are.

      Hope this helps :-).

  4. Too much information here.
    I take Gray Line (reserve online) to and from my Cabo condo (or hotel). It costs $15 each person, one way to San Jose del Cabo, from the airport.

    1. Yes, sometimes shorter is sweeter :-).

      So we’ve made the Gray Line option more clear, right at the beginning of this post.

  5. Just an FYI: The first private transport you have listed no longer does grocery stops. Apparently the government doesn’t allow it anymore, so I assume the others would all be the same.

    Anyway, helpful article!!

  6. Thanks for this blog article, it was really really helpful! This will be our first time in Cabo. We had a mix up with our hotel reservation, so we needed an affordable shuttle (going one way) and picked TransCabo for our morning flight tomorrow.

  7. Great info.

    Your taxi prices are airport to downtown, however. We are only going about 25 km to Casa del Mar. Should be cheaper, right?
    We were going to get a rental for $350/week instead.

    However, maybe taxi to hotel, then Uber from there for downtown and golf courses. Do golf courses provide pickup?

    Thanks for the info.

    1. Ahhh… You’re staying at a lovely place in Los Cabos! Casa del Mar is on the Tourist Corridor, but closer to San Jose del Cabo, so yes, the taxi will be a little cheaper from the airport than to Cabo San Lucas.

      Once at your resort, you be may successful with Uber to go to San Jose or Cabo towns, but it’s tricky (you may have to meet the Uber driver out on the street, not at the resort’s lobby entrance).

      You’d have to check with the golf courses directly to see if they offer pick-up; because of the strong taxi union, we doubt it, but ??

      $350 a week for a rental car is a good price in the current circumstances, BTW. You may know there’s a serious rental car shortage all over the place as a result of the pandemic. Agencies got rid of their cars, and now they can’t buy new ones as car parts are lacking. In Hawaii, for example, you can’t get a rental car for love or money! So you might want to get the car, which gives you the freedom to come and go as you wish (especially if you think you’ll be out and about a lot), saves you any potential hassles with Uber and is a fixed cost.

      But if you’re only leaving the resort once or twice during the week, taxis could be cheaper. And of course, you can try Uber, and if that doesn’t work well for you, revert to taxis, but know they are expensive.

      Hope this helps! And have a wonderful holiday!

  8. Amazing! I know nothing about traveling through Mexico, what a wonderful-looking place to explore. Thanks for the information about traveling from the Cabo airport.

  9. Thank you so much for the information. I booked cheap transportation thanks to your post. Thank you also for the info about the bus, we will be using that also. …wish there was a post about affordable things to do there ?

    1. So glad you found the information here helpful!

      Yes, Cabo is an upscale holiday destination. But there are actually lots of free and affordable activities in Cabo! For example, check out our posts on the following:

      ~ Snorkeling at Santa Maria Beach – you can take the bus there and snorkel for free
      ~ 12 Best Beaches in Cabo San Lucas – the beaches are free :-)
      ~ Art and Wine at Art Walk – it’s free on Thursday evenings in winter

      Have a great Cabo holiday!

  10. Recently with the COVID situation we been looking for private transportation in Los cabos. We found Cabo Shuttle has very good rates in addition to being quite careful with their units and we as their clients.

  11. Wonderful post. Thank you Janice and George. Good tips, great info and hyperlinks to boot. Our first trip to Cabo is coming up in a couple of weeks in Feb 2020. Bumping into your webpage will prove useful!

    1. Thanks for letting us know you find our Cabo airport tips useful. It’s always nice to hear from readers, especially kind words :-).

      Be sure to also check out our complete Los Cabos Travel Guide — packed with links to where to stay, best beaches, bargaining tips and more…

    2. I think the best deal to get to your destination from Cabo airport to Cabo San Lucas is offered by a company named Cape Transfers, Google them, the shuttle is $18 and the private for up to 4 is only $65, it was the best deal we found on the internet, you can thank me later ;)

  12. Hi,
    Do you know if I can catch that same bus from Cabo San Lucas back to the airport? And if so, are there bus stops to do that from?

    1. Yes, that Ruta del Desierto bus goes both ways between Cabo San Lucas and the airport, via San Jose del Cabo.
      In Cabo, the bus stop is in front of the Puerto Paraiso mall. So you can take the bus from there to the airport :-).
      It seems like quite a few folk are interested in taking the public bus, so we’ll expand this section and add additional information so hopefully it’s clearer – thanks for writing in…

  13. Great tips. There are so many providers at the airport and when you get through immigration it’s a madhouse. Why not give your readers the option to book with the airport taxi services?

    1. We do actually discuss taking a taxi – under the heading of “Other Los Cabos Airport Transportation Options.” We just think that a taxi is unnecessarily expensive and that there are better alternatives. That’s why we wrote this post :-).

  14. You forget about luxury options for transportation in cabo, for example Cabo Limousines is an excellent choice for luxury at a good rate ;)

    Another great company that has been in Cabo for a loooong time is Cape Transfers. it was formaly known as Cape Travel, they offer great cabo airport transportation options, for example their shuttle to cabo san lucas service is only 18 dollars, pretty good if you ask me, by the way uber is available now in cabo but unfortunatley they cannot pick passangers up from the airport due to mexican law :S

    1. Thanks for pointing out two other Cabo transportation options! It’s always good to have healthy competition for services :-).

  15. Thank you so much for this information regarding the airport transportation in Cabo San Luca. Really useful and helpful…

    1. We confess – we’ve never tried taking the local bus from the airport. But the public bus does run to and from the airport. If you’re searching for information, Google “Ruta del Desierto.” TripAdvisor also has a 2019 comment and question/answer thread on the Ruta del Desierto, which you might find helpful too.

      1. The first time I arrived at SJD airport, I read it only picked up at Terminal 1. However, I later learned it also picks up at Terminal 2 on the upper level. I have boarded it there many times, as recently as early May 2019. Don’t walk to Terminal 1. Just go upstairs, out the doors, and stand about 100 feet down the sidewalk to the right. In about 10-15 minutes, the bus will pull up and for only about 80 pesos, you’ll have a nice ride into Cabo San Lucas.

        1. Super fantastic to know from someone who has taken the local bus recently! Thanks for letting us know :-). We’ll add this information to the main content of our post.

    1. Thanks for sharing another good transportation service!

      The only thing, we believe, is that this company just does group transport, i.e., the cost is for a 6-person vehicle. So if you’re traveling as a couple, it’s more expensive than a group shuttle with the other transportation companies we recommend.

    2. Not sure about Allways, I believe they are artificially there, I know Transcabo and CaboTransfers for long and they gained their ranking with reputation and history. Allways one day appeared there and I have read a couple of weird reviews about them.

  16. Although, the transportation companies make it easier for you to transfer from the airport (San José del Cabo) to your hotel, mainly located in Cabo San Lucas, there are many other companies that help you a lot with the service, one of my favorite and that apart from those already mentioned, is Cabo San Lucas Transportation.
    Without a doubt in the city of the capes, you can find very good options in transportation

  17. Me and my family had traveled to Cabo a couple times, we visited Los cabos in November this year and we use Uber at downtown area, they are now available you only have to use the app!! It was a great experience since we didn’t have look for a cab, sadly they were not able to pick up us at airport. We contact Cabo Airport Private Transportation for arrival and departure. they were good, nice cars and low rates

    1. Hi Jhon,
      Thanks for sharing the news about Uber in Cabo. Yes, as of October, they’ve just started to operate (but we hear they sometimes don’t have a lot of drivers on the road). We’ll update our post to reflect the arrival of Uber :-).
      Thanks again for taking the time to comment!

  18. What’s the best way to get around once in Cabo? We would be traveling from Pueblo Bonito Pacifica to places like Flora Farms, El Farallon, etc.

    1. If you want to do some exploring, your best bet is to rent a car. Taking a taxi from Pueblo Bonito Pacifica to Flora Farms and back, for example, will set you back almost the same cost as a car rental for a few days. Book early, and you should get a decent rate. Have fun on your trip!

  19. What helpful information! Walking through those timeshare vendors can be daunting! Absolutely good advice to have a transportation arrangement in mind.

    1. In other cities (e.g., in Europe or Canada), it’s so common to take a taxi from the airport to your hotel. And prices can be reasonable. Repeat visitors to Los Cabos figure out the transportation options pretty quickly!

  20. What’s your opinion on renting a car in Los Cabos? It will just be my fiancé and I on our honeymoon and we’d like to spend some of our trip out sight seeing. Thanks!

    1. A car will be a big help if you want to go snorkeling, for example, at Santa Maria Beach before the tour boats arrive (See: ) or to visit Todos Santos (the artsy town).

      You might even want to drive up to La Paz — maybe to swim with the whale sharks there?

      On a Thursday evening, you can head into San Jose del Cabo for the free ArtWalk — that’s a fun event!

      So, yes, renting a car is a great idea for all of this :-). Enjoy your honeymoon! You’ll have a wonderful time :-).