Cabo Airport to San José del Cabo Transfer
The shortest transfer on the cape, from SJD into the old town.
- Distance
- 6.9 miles
- Drive time
- About 15 min
- Highway
- MEX 1
- From, one way
- $150
The drive
SJD to San José, the short one
San José del Cabo is 6.9 miles south of the airport on MEX 1, about 15 min without traffic. It is the only town on the cape that is genuinely close to SJD, and that proximity is most of the reason people choose it.
The road runs straight down from the airport into the north side of town. There is no Corridor to cross and no coastal run, so the transfer is short enough that a delayed evening arrival is still an easy one.
This trip at a glance
- Distance
- 6.9 miles from SJD
- Drive time
- about 15 min without traffic
- Meeting point
- Outside the arrivals exit, with a name sign.
- Flight tracked
- 60 minutes free waiting from landing.
Prices
What an SJD to San José transfer costs
One price covers the vehicle. On a run this short, the base rate makes up most of the number, so the gap between a sedan and an SUV is small next to the difference in luggage room.
| Vehicle | Seats | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Sedan | Up to 2 | $150 | $300 |
| Premium SUV | Up to 5 | $165 | $330 |
| Executive SUV | Up to 5 | $195 | $390 |
| Sprinter Executive | Up to 12 | $455 | $910 |
| Sprinter Coach | Up to 14 | $455 | $910 |
| Executive Coach Bus | Up to 40 | $890 | $1,780 |
| Motor Coach | Up to 55 | $995 | $1,990 |
The town
San José has three quite different places to stay, and they are not all walking distance from one another.
The historic center sits around Plaza Mijares and the mission church, with the gallery district a few blocks north. The hotel zone runs along the beach to the south, a separate strip between the town and the estuary. Puerto Los Cabos, with its marina and La Playita, sits on the north-east edge beyond the estuary.
Give the property name rather than the town. "San José del Cabo" covers all three, and so does the municipal address of many Corridor resorts further west.
| Area | What it is | Landmarks |
|---|---|---|
| Historic center | The old mission town, restaurants and galleries, walkable. | Plaza Mijares, the mission church, the gallery district. |
| Beach hotel zone | Resorts on the sand between the town and the estuary. | Paseo Malecón San José, the estuary. |
| Puerto Los Cabos | A newer marina development on the north-east edge. | The marina, La Playita beach. |
Evenings
San José's gallery district holds a weekly art walk through the season, and the old town is at its best on those evenings. It is a short walk from the plaza hotels and a short drive from the beach ones.
The trade for staying here is distance from Cabo San Lucas. The marina and Medano Beach are 19 miles or so further along MEX 1, and a dinner there is a real drive each way. It is usually better booked as a return trip than improvised with a taxi at midnight.
An evening in San Lucas
- Book it as a return trip, with the pickup time agreed.
- The driver waits or returns — your choice at booking.
- Far easier than finding a taxi on the marina at midnight.
At SJD
GAP, which runs the airport, lists Terminal 1 for all domestic operations and some international flights, and Terminal 2 for international operations only. We read yours from the flight number.
The driver waits outside that terminal's arrivals exit with a sign showing your name. On a transfer this short, the terminal is most of the journey, so the free first hour after landing matters more than the drive.
Going home
This is the easiest return on the cape because the airport is so close — which is also why people leave it too late.
Work backwards from the airline's check-in cut-off, allow the short drive, and then the time the airline asks for an international departure. SJD's security lines can be long on a Saturday or Sunday, when most of the week's visitors fly out together.
Your driver collects you from the hotel entrance at the time on your confirmation.
Working back from the cut-off
- Start at the airline's check-in deadline.
- Add about 15 minutes of driving.
- Weekends at SJD are the busiest — add margin.
The estuary
Between the beach hotels and Puerto Los Cabos sits the San José estuary, a freshwater lagoon where the river meets the sea, with palm groves and a walking path along its edge. It is the reason the east side of town feels greener than anywhere else on the cape.
It also splits the town in two for a driver. The beach hotel zone and Puerto Los Cabos are on opposite sides of it, connected by a road around rather than across, so a hotel just "on the other side" of the lagoon is a longer drive than it looks.
For families and anyone arriving late or leaving early, the short run to the airport is the practical reason to be here. For anyone who wants the nightlife, San Lucas is the better base and the drive is the price of it.
San José, practically
- Closest to SJD
- The shortest airport run on the cape.
- The estuary
- Splits the beach zone from Puerto Los Cabos — it is a drive round, not across.
- Evenings
- Quieter than San Lucas; the art walk is the busy night.
Nearby
Every zone on the cape is on the same airport run.
Booking
The flight number, the terminal, the property name and the bag count.
A San José del Cabo transfer is quoted with tolls included. Tipping is optional; a child's car seat is free on request; cancel at no charge until the last day before pickup.
The Cabo airport transportation hub covers the cape, and the long run west is Los Cabos airport to Cabo San Lucas.
Frequently Asked Questions
6.9 miles south on MEX 1, about 15 min without traffic.
From $165 one way in a Premium SUV for up to five, or from $150 in a Business Sedan for two. Round trip is twice the one-way price.
Many Corridor resorts carry a San José del Cabo address because they are in the same municipality. Give the resort name and we will route to the right place.
Outside the arrivals exit, holding a sign with your name on it — not inside the terminal. Walk past anyone offering transport between baggage claim and the doors.
The operator describes Terminal 1 as serving all domestic operations and some international flights, and Terminal 2 as international only. Your airline decides — check the confirmation.
Yes. It is a real drive each way along MEX 1, and usually better booked as a return trip with the pickup time agreed than improvised at the end of the night.
We track it, so the pickup moves with the aircraft. Waiting is free for 60 minutes after landing.
Work back from the check-in cut-off: about 15 minutes of driving, then the airline's international requirement, and extra margin on a weekend when SJD is busiest.