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How To Get From Guatemala Airport To Antigua At Night | 4 Safe Transportation Options

This post is all about how to get from the Guatemala City Airport to Antigua late at night.

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If you’re arriving to Guatemala at night, you may be wondering how you can safely get to Antigua from the airport. In this guide, I’ll go over 4 safe transportation options for late night arrivals to Guatemala City.

On our latest trip to Guatemala, our flight was scheduled to arrive at 10:30pm. It ended up being delayed about two hours so we didn’t arrive until 12:30am.

Either way, we knew we weren’t going to be able to take the shuttle from Guatemala airport to Antigua at night. The shuttles stop running around 9pm and don’t start up again until 6am.

When researching the best way to get from Guatemala airport to Antigua at night, I realized there were almost NO blog posts about the topic.

Now that we’ve made the trip, I decided to fill you in on everything you need to know about late night arrivals to Guatemala.

Here are the best ways to get from the Guatemala City airport to Antigua late at night.

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Should You Head Straight To Antigua Or Stay Overnight In Guatemala City?

If you’re arriving late at night, you may be wondering if you should head straight to Antigua or stay overnight in Guatemala City.

If you’ll be heading to Antigua next anyways, I recommend just heading there right away when you arrive.

There’s not much to see in Guatemala City and it is known for being unsafe for tourists.

Antigua is a much safer destination than Guatemala City. Whenever I’m in Guatemala, I typically head straight to Antigua.

No matter what time you arrive in Guatemala, there are transportation options to get to the old city.

If you’re going to be heading to another destination in the morning, you may want to stay overnight in Guatemala City.

The first time I was in Guatemala, my first stop on my trip was Rio Dulce. I stayed overnight in the city because it’s closer to Rio Dulce than Antigua.

However, a lot of places are similar distances from Guatemala City and Antigua. For example, Lake Atitlan is a very similar distance from Antigua and Guatemala City.

If that were my first stop, I would definitely just head to Antigua right away for safety reasons.

Antigua is the biggest tourist hub in Guatemala so you’ll be able to find shuttles and tours going just about anywhere in the country.

How Far Is Antigua From The Guatemala City Airport?

The distance from Guatemala Airport to Antigua is about 45 kilometers (28 miles).

Depending on your method of transportation, it should take you 45 minutes to an hour to get to Antigua from Guatemala City.

If there is a lot of traffic, it can take as long as a couple of hours to get between the two. Luckily, if you’re arriving to Guatemala Airport at night, you shouldn’t hit much traffic on the drive to Antigua.

Transport Options For Guatemala Airport To Antigua At Night

Arriving to Guatemala at night is a lot different than arriving during the day. In the daytime, there are shared and private shuttles that regularly leave from the airport.

The shuttles stop running at about 9pm, so if you arrive later than that you’ll need to use alternate transportation methods.

If you’re arriving to Guatemala City late at night, there are 4 main ways to get to Antigua:

  • Uber
  • Taxi
  • Private Driver
  • Hotel Shuttle

Some of these transportation methods are a lot more straightforward than others.

I’ll break down exactly what you need to know about each method below.

Uber

If you’re arriving to Guatemala late at night, my number one transportation recommendation is to take an Uber to Antigua.

Uber is available in Guatemala and it can be cheaper than other transport options, especially if you are splitting the cost with a travel partner.

You’re probably wondering – how much is an Uber from Guatemala City Airport to Antigua at night?

An Uber from the airport to Antigua will typically cost anywhere from 160Q ($21) to 270Q ($35), depending on traffic and the time of day.

When we traveled to Antigua, Guatemala in February 2022, we paid 160Q ($21) for an Uber from the Airport to Antigua at 12:30am.

For two people, this was by far the cheapest option for traveling from the Airport to Antigua late at night.

If you’re going to be using Uber to get to Antigua, you’ll need to have an internet connection.

I’ve seen people say that there is not WiFi at the airport, but we were able to connect to a free WiFi network by entering our names and emails.

If you are unable to connect to the WiFi and you don’t have an international data plan, the next best option is to take a taxi.

Taxi

Another option for getting to Antigua from Guatemala City at night is to take a taxi. There will be at least one taxi driver waiting at the exit of the airport, even very late at night.

Airport taxis should charge you $35 or about 270Q to take you from Guatemala airport to Antigua at any time of day.

Taxis are a great option if you want a comfortable ride and can afford to spend a little bit more on transportation.

Private Driver

The most expensive option for getting from the Guatemala Airport to Antigua at night is to book a private driver. Viator has a few options for private transfer services that will pick you up late at night.

You’ll tell your driver your arrival time and they’ll be waiting at the Guatemala City airport to pick you up.

Most drivers will wait for you with your name on a sign so you can easily find them. They’ll drop you off directly at your hotel in Antigua.

Hotel Shuttle

Depending on where you’re staying in Antigua, your accommodations may provide a shuttle from the airport.

Make sure you arrange this ahead of time and that they’re okay with you arriving late at night.

Where To Stay In Antigua

If you’re heading straight to Antigua at night, you’re going to want to have a place to sleep when you get there! Luckily, there are SO many great accommodation options in Antigua Guatemala.

Here are some of my favorite places to stay in Antigua:

Maya Papaya Hostel

Maya Papaya is one of the top rated hostels in Antigua Guatemala.

  • They’re located very close to historic churches, the famous arch, and tons of bars and restaurants.
  • There are plenty of fun hangout areas, an outdoor bar, and a full breakfast included in your room rate.
  • Shared dorms cost around $17 per night and private rooms start at $44.

Selina Antigua

Selina is one of the best hostels in Antigua. I’m staying at Selina Antigua while writing this and I’m having a great experience.

  • Great location near the famous yellow arch and plenty of cafes and restaurants.
  • Coworking space for digital nomads
  • Swimming pool, yoga classes, nightly activities, and plenty of tours and shuttles that can be booked at the front desk.
  • A bed in a shared dorm typically costs $14 per night and a private room starts at $48.

Porta Hotel Antigua

If you’re looking for some luxury, Porta Hotel is a beautiful choice in Antigua Guatemala.

  • Amazing location in within walking distance of all of the main churches, restaurants, and colonial buildings of Antigua.
  • The hotel features two swimming pools, a wellness center, and fitness equipment.
  • They also offer an airport shuttle that can be arranged ahead of time.
  • Rooms at Porta Hotel go for around $150 per night.

Where To Stay In Guatemala City

If you decide to stay overnight in Guatemala City when you arrive, I highly recommend booking accommodation that has transportation from the airport included. This will make it easier and safer to get to your hotel or hostel late at night.

Here are some good options for accommodation with airport transfers in Guatemala City:

Hostal Guatefriends

Hostal Guatefriends is located just 800 meters from the Guatemala Airport.

  • They offer transfers from the airport between 3:00pm and 12:00am. If you are arriving after midnight, you could easily Uber or taxi to the hostel.
  • Dorms cost around $18 and a private room starts at $39 per night.
  • Your room rate comes with a free breakfast!

Hostal Los Lagos

Hostal Los Lagos is another hostel that is really close to the Guatemala City airport.

  • They offer a free shuttle service from 5:00am to 11:00pm. If you arrive outside of those hours, you could take a taxi or Uber.
  • Dorms cost about $20 and a private room starts at $39 per night.
  • Breakfast is included.

Hyatt Centric Guatemala City

The Hyatt Centric Guatemala City is a great option for something a bit more luxurious.

  • There’s an outdoor swimming pool, bar, and a fitness center onsite.
  • You can arrange a (paid) airport shuttle with the hotel.
  • Rooms start at $119 per night and the hotel has a 9.1 rating on Booking.com.

Final Thoughts

If you’re to Guatemala arriving late at night, there’s not a lot of information out there about transportation options to Antigua.

Hopefully this post helped you figure out the best transportation options for you.

I highly recommend trying to connect to the airport WiFi or an international data plan and taking an Uber. It was affordable, comfortable, and we felt very safe.

If you’re not able to get internet, be prepared to pay a little bit more money for a taxi or private driver service.

This post was all about how to get from Guatemala Airport to Antigua at night.

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