Cabo San Lucas Airport - Insider's Tips for the First Time Traveler

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If you have not had a chance to exchange your currency for pesos, there is a currency exchange window located right near the port of entry. Make sure to get some pesos for tips and the taxi or bus ride to your Cabo San Lucas hotel or resort.

Checking passports at the Cabo
San Lucas airport. Photo by Laura Ramirez.
After going through the port of entry line, you'll claim your luggage. If you have more than you can carry, there are valets with sturdy luggage carts who will help for tips. A typical tip is $1 for every two bags.

After all your luggage has been collected, you will pass through customs. Los Cabos International Airport uses a random screening method to determine a luggage search. There is a traffic light at the customs gate. One of the individuals in your family must press a button. If the traffic light is green, you are free to go. If the light shows red, your luggage is subject to a search.

Once you get through Cabo San Lucas airport customs, you must walk through a room that is full of people trying to sell you something or get you to attend a time share presentation. In my opinion, this constant solicitation—in the airport, on the beaches, at restaurants and along the street—is the one thing that is tiresome about Cabo San Lucas. If you show any interest, then you will be descended upon by sales people, like vultures upon a dying cow. Although these people can be annoying and even rude, don't make comments back to them, as my husband once did, or the whole lot will get involved. If you are interested in seeing a couple of time share presentations, feel secure that the companies represented by these salesmen and women are reputable. If you are not interested, simply nod and walk past with a smile.

After you pass through what I refer to as "the solicitation room" of the Cabo San Lucas airport, you'll find yourself in an outer room that opens (at last!) to the exit. In this outer room, you will once again be solicited by people who are trying to book you on a taxi or bus ride to your hotel. Bus rides are typically cheaper because there are more passengers amongst which to divide the fare. Cab rides are usually the most expensive. You can also share a taxi van with other travelers whose hotel is located on the way to yours.

One thing we typically do on our first cab ride from the Cabo San Lucas airport into to town is stop at the grocery store. I highly recommend you do the same. Your driver will wait for you while you buy all the food items you'll need for the next few days. Since there are grocery stores along the Corridor, this will save you a round trip taxi fare to the market later. You'll arrive at your hotel resort with all your luggage and groceries and the hotel valet will carry them to your room. Make sure to tip him well. After you're in the room, unpack all the luggage and put away the food and then you can relax.

Make sure you put your tourist card in a safe place because you will need it in order to get your boarding pass to leave Cabo San Lucas.

About two days before it's time for your vacation to end, go to the hotel front desk and ask if they have a sign-up sheet for transportation to the Cabo San Lucas airport. You'll list the day of departure, the time, flight and number of people in your party. This way, a bus or taxi will pick you up on the day of your departure and take you straight to the Cabo San Lucas airport. Give yourself some extra time, as the bus or taxi may pick up other vacationers along the way.

On the way back to the airport, it helps to know that there are two terminals. One houses Delta, Alaska Airlines and Frontier and the other has US Airways, Mexicana and Delta. (Be advised: last time we flew home on the Delta CRS 900. It had three seats across on each side of the airplane, very little room and hardly any room for overhead storage. My advice: stay clear of this airplane.)

Once at the airport, get in line, check your baggage (know that it will be searched) and get your seat assignments. You can also exchange your pesos for dollars (or any other currency) at this time. You'll need your airline tickets, passport and tourist card. After you have taken care of this, you can relax.

If you need some last minute gifts, the Cabo San Lucas airport has a variety of stores that sell perfume, liquor, jewelry, tee-shirts and novelties duty-free. Be aware that many of these items cost less in town. There is also a bar and some fast food restaurants, like Dominoes. Like any airport, the food is over-priced, but if you're hungry, this may be your last chance to eat, unless you're into airline snacks.

Before your flight leaves Cabo, you can change all your pesos back to the currency of your country if you wish. Or do as we do—save it for next year's trip!

To make hotel reservations (or check out prices and availability) based on your budget, the number in your party and your travel plans, use the convenient Find Hotels button below:

To learn which airlines fly to Cabo from your city, read Cabo San Lucas airport - flight to Cabo San Lucas

Cabo San Lucas

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