Six Ways to Get from Guatemala Airport to Antigua

Wondering how to get from Guatemala City Airport to Antigua? Here’s our story of taking a taxi ride and a shuttle bus from Guatemala Airport to Antigua when we were travelling in Guatemala this year.

If you’re flying into La Aurora Airport in Guatemala City, chances are you’re not hanging around for very long. Guatemala City is not the most welcoming place for travellers, and by all accounts there isn’t much to do there.

Instead, Antigua is often the first stop for backpackers and travellers in Guatemala, especially for those without a rigid travel plan. This is mostly because of its proximity to Guatemala City (and therefore La Aurora Airport), its relative safety for travellers, and the range of activities you can do from Antigua including the very popular Acatenango Volcano Hike.

These recommendations of how to get from Guatemala Airport to Antigua are based on our trip this year. I’ll tell you how we travelled from Guatemala City Airport to Antigua, and then explain how I wish we’d done things now that we have some more experience of travelling in Guatemala.

For me, the easiest answer is “book a shared shuttle bus in advance”, but let me run through the options and explain why…

🚌 Click here to book: shuttle service from Guatemala Airport to Antigua here

Or, jump straight to a travel guide:

Guatemala Airport to Antigua by Chicken Bus

Guatemala Airport to Antigua by Shared Shuttle

Guatemala Airport to Antigua by Private Taxi

Guatemala Airport to Antigua by Uber

Guatemala Airport to Antigua by Pre-Booked Shuttle

Guatemala Airport to Antigua by Private Transfer

Information about Guatemala Airport

Location: La Aurora International Airport (GUA) is located in Guatemala City, roughly 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Antigua.

Arrival Experience: The airport is relatively small but can be busy, especially during peak travel times.

Currency Exchange and ATMs: There are currency exchange counters and ATMs inside the airport, but they usually dispense large bills, which can be hard to use on local transport, and don’t offer good exchange rates or charges.

Wi-Fi Access: Free Wi-Fi is available in the airport, but connection drops once you exit the terminal.

Safety: While the airport itself is safe, exercise caution when leaving the terminal, and try not to go alone at night.

Information about Antigua

Antigua is a beautiful colonial town about an hour’s drive from Guatemala City (although this can vary wildly thanks to traffic problems coming in and out of Guatemala City. Known for its vibrant culture, cobblestone streets, and well-preserved Spanish architecture, it’s one of the top destinations for travellers and backpackers in Guatemala.

Safety: Compared to Guatemala City, Antigua is considered relatively safe for tourists. The central area is generally secure, with a visible police presence, but it’s still advised not to walk alone at night time.

Main Attractions: Antigua is famous for its historical sites, including the Santa Catalina Arch, the ruins of old churches and convents, and vibrant markets. Many visitors also use Antigua as a base to hike the Acatenango and Pacaya volcanoes.

Dining and Nightlife: Antigua has a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, and bars, especially given its size. The city is known for its lively but relaxed nightlife.

Transportation within Antigua: While Antigua is compact and walkable, tuk-tuks and taxis are readily available for short trips or to reach nearby areas.

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Six Ways to Get from Guatemala City Airport to Antigua

Get to Antigua by Chicken Bus 

The Chicken Bus is the travellers’ affectionate way of referring to the local buses in Central America. They range in quality, price and danger, so do your research before you get on. For example, local buses in Costa Rica are so safe it’s almost like getting on a bus at home. Buses in Nicaragua, however, I’m not sure I’d dare to step foot in. 

The Chicken Bus in Guatemala (don’t call it that in front of the locals, by the way) is somewhere in between, and you can get a better feel for them by reading my article on how Ellie and I took the chicken bus from Antigua to Lake Atitlán. They are the cheapest way to travel in Guatemala, but you need to have your wits about you!

I haven’t taken the chicken buses from Guatemala Airport to Antigua, and I wouldn’t recommend it as your first activity in this beautiful country (especially if it’s your first time here). You should definitely get one at some point, purely for the experience, but you definitely want to do it early in the day, when you’re not feeling tired, and you have your bearings a little more in Guatemala. 

If you are feeling adventurous, here’s how to do it: 

Firstly, you need to get some local currency (Guatemalan Quetzals), and preferably in small denominations. You can change money or withdraw cash in the airport, but both of these options usually land you with large bills and there isn’t really anywhere in the airport to get change.

Leaving the airport, you can easily follow signs or ask someone where the bus terminal is. Honestly, you may get a funny look or two, or even have people tell you that taking the bus is not a good idea. (Don’t say I didn’t warn you!). 

It will not be hard to find the right bus: Drivers will stand around (loudly) inviting you onto their bus to Antigua. 

The ride will cost you 20-30 Quetzales; there’s no official price, and your driver might try to rip you off for clearly being tourist.

Keep your belongings close, keep your wits about you, and whatever you do, if you don’t feel safe, do not get off in the middle of nowhere. You’ll soon realise you were safer on the bus. 

Going off-topic a little: leaving the tourist trail in Guatemala can be dangerous. The country is still relatively new to its booming tourist trade, and although the cities and locals on the ‘tourist trail’ have made the country a beautiful and relatively safe place to be, going off the beaten track is not a good idea and you could easily find yourself in a spot of danger.

Get to Antigua by Airport Shared Shuttle

Originally, this was the option I had planned for. Shared shuttles from Guatemala City Airport to Antigua are 15$USD (cash only) per person, but here’s the catch: they don’t go until they have at least four people (enough to fill a taxi). You could end up in luck, with four or more people walking straight off your plane and in the direction of the airport shuttles. 

Or, like me, you could end up being the only one in the waiting area, wondering when on earth the next plane is going to come in… 

I was supposed to wait 2 hours in the airport for Ellie to arrive so we could travel to Antigua together. Then, at least the shuttle would be half-full! However, I actually arrived in Antigua slightly before my scheduled time and Ellie arrived a little later… that is to say, 24 hours later. (She got stuck in Houston after her first flight was delayed).

You get the on-demand shared shuttles and taxis from the Yellow “Airport Taxis” booth in the airport, which will either be just to your right or facing you directly, depending on which arrivals exit you come out of. There will likely be someone leaning out of the booth and waving, inviting you to order a taxi. No, it’s not a scam, those are the real airport taxis! 

All of these shuttles and taxis will take you straight to your accommodation for a fixed price.

🚌 Book in advance: Shuttle service from Guatemala Airport to Antigua

⬇️ Step-by-step, pre-book your shuttle from Guatemala City Airport to Antigua

Get to Antigua by Private Taxi

When I spoke to the woman at the shuttle/taxi booth, she told me that I could also opt to share a taxi with someone if we were both willing to split a 50$ taxi ride 50/50. This option became more and more appealing the longer I waited, and the longer I spent looking at the 60$ Uber ride on my phone. It was around 5.30pm: prime rush hour. 

I crossed my fingers when I saw someone else walk up to the airport taxi booth. It wasn’t long until the woman came running over to me and asked if I wanted to share a private taxi with this guy (25$ each). After 30 hours of travel from Lisbon, it was an easy decision to cough up the extra 10$, and having a private taxi definitely beats a shuttle bus when you’re stuck in traffic for 2.5 hours (!). Speaking of rush hours and travel time: the airport taxis and shuttle buses are a fixed price, so you won’t pay more if you do end up stuck!

Later, the lovely gentleman I shared a taxi with asked why I was in such a rush. I looked at him, confused, and he told me the lady at the airport taxi booth had told him I wanted to share a taxi because I was in a rush. 

I don’t know for sure, but I have a suspicion that this guy was about to get a taxi for himself, and the woman in the booth did me a solid and convinced him to share with me because I was “in a rush”. She didn’t get any extra from that sale… I like to think she just did it to be kind.

🇬🇹 More on Guatemala: What to Take on the Acatenango Volcano Hike

Get to Antigua by Uber

As I mentioned above, if you’re landing in rush hour, local time, an Uber is going to be expensive (especially if there’s only one of you). If Ellie hadn’t missed her connection in Houston and I’d waited hours for her to arrive, we may have found a much more reasonably priced Uber later in the evening. This could have ended up the cheapest option for us (other than the bus, which you should not attempt after dark!), but alas, like the best laid travel plans, it didn’t work out the way that we hoped. 

The rush hours local time are between around 7-10 am and 4-8 pm. Outside of these times, you may have more luck ordering an Uber.

If you do want to go with this option, there is Airport WiFi (which is easy to connect to and reliable), but beware that you’ll lose connection the second you leave the building. I’d always recommend going prepared with a travel plan from your phone provider or an eSIM, at least for the first day in a new country.

I’m using an Airalo eSIM on my current trip through Central America, and it’s worked perfectly. (A little too perfectly, actually, you wouldn’t believe how much data you can eat through on a long-distance bus ride!)

📱 Before you go: Get your Airalo e-Sim here

Get to Antigua by Booking a Shuttle in Advance

Saving the best until (almost) last… after everything I’d learned on my journey so far, this was the advice I gave to Ellie when she squeezed on a flight from Houston to Guatemala the next morning. 

I’ve already mentioned that (at the time of writing, January 2024) the on-demand shuttle (for which you may get lucky, or you may have to wait), is $15. After a quick google search, I found shuttle services that you can pre-book with GuateGO for $20. For the extra $5 it wasn’t worth the wait, especially after a stressful delay and being stuck overnight in a dingy Houston motel…

Ellie had a seamless ride with GuateGO, so we can definitely recommend them. The best way to book them is through GetYourGuide, as you get free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. Another company I’ve found with good reviews (but that we have not used) is Adrenalina Tours. Both of them have a variety of departures to suit your arrival time.

🚌 Book your shared shuttle here

Of course, the problem with booking the shuttle buses in advance is that it may not wait for you if your plane is delayed, and they won’t give you your money back, either. Ellie was able to book hers just a few hours in advance as she sat waiting for the plane to take off (I offered to do it for her, I promise, but she’s a boss). Of course, there’s no guarantee that there will still be pre-bookable spots if you leave it this late, but at least she could be reasonably sure there wouldn’t be a huge delay to her flight. 

The great thing about the shuttle service from Guatemala City to Antigua is that they’ll drop you right at your final destination (i.e. your accommodation), just like a taxi. 

The less-great thing about the shuttle service is that you’ll have to wait for everyone else on the bus to get dropped off if your accommodation is on the wrong side of the city… 

🇬🇹 More on Guatemala: 15 Things to do in Panajachel, Lake Atitlán

Get to Antigua with a Private Transfer 

Of course the most expensive of all options (except maybe an Uber, depending on the time of day!), is booking a private service. 

If you’re arriving very early, very late, or don’t deal well with jet lag, taking a private driver from Guatemala City to Antigua may be the best option for you. 

The best way to do this is to ask your hotel or hostel to book you a ride, or to recommend you a trustworthy driver. If you’re lucky enough to already know a few people in Antigua or Guatemala City, you could ask them, too! I don’t know how much this would cost these days, but our hostel quoted us 300Q for a private shuttle service, so I imagine it would cost more than that! 

The great thing about this is that there will be someone waiting for you at the airport, they can have your flight number to be aware of any delays to your flight, and they’ll take you straight to your final destination without interruptions. If you’re looking for peace of mind to start your trip, this is the way to do it.

FAQs on the journey from Guatemala Airport to Antigua

What is the cheapest way to travel from Guatemala Airport to Antigua?

The cheapest way to travel is by taking a chicken bus, which costs between 20 and 30 Quetzales. However, I don’t recommended doing this straight off a flight, as taking the chicken bus can be challenging, requires extra vigilance, and this is not a very safe route to take by chicken bus.

Is it possible to take a shuttle from Guatemala City Airport to Antigua without pre-booking?

Yes, there is an on-demand shared shuttle service available from the airport taxi booth, costing around $15 per person. However, these shuttles only depart once they have at least four passengers, so you may need to wait if there aren’t many other people going in the same direction as you.

How does taking a private taxi compare to other transport options?

A private taxi from the airport to Antigua costs around $50; this option provides a more direct route with fewer stops and is ideal for travelers who don’t want to wait for other passengers.

Can I book a shuttle in advance to avoid waiting at the airport?

Yes, several companies, such as GuateGO and Adrenalina Tours, offer pre-bookable shuttles for about $20. Booking in advance can save you waiting time, but note that these shuttles may not provide refunds if your flight is delayed.

Is it safe to take an Uber from Guatemala City Airport to Antigua?

Taking an Uber is generally safe but can be expensive, especially during peak hours. If you arrive during rush hour, the fare may be similar to a private transfer. Make sure to connect to the airport WiFi to book the ride, but remember that you will lose connection once you exit the terminal.

Conclusion

Traveling from Guatemala City Airport to Antigua offers a variety of transport options to suit different needs, budgets, and comfort levels. Shared shuttles provide a convenient balance of cost and safety, while private taxis and transfers offer the highest level of convenience for those willing to pay a bit more. Booking in advance, particularly with reputable shuttle services, can make for a smoother arrival in Antigua. Whichever method you choose, a little planning will help you start your adventure in Guatemala with ease and peace of mind.