5 Things Travelers Need To Know When Arriving At Los Cabos Airport This Summer

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Last Updated 11 months ago

The Los Cabos airport is set to get rather busy this summer as more and more tourists arrive at the destination.

The airport has broken its record for the number of travelers served year over year for the last couple of 12-month periods. 2023 will likely break the record set in 2022. 

The increasing number of passengers makes it essential for travelers to know how to navigate the airport efficiently in order to be on their way to their hotel or vacation rental as soon as possible.

Here are 5 things travelers should know when arriving at the Cabo airport this summer:

Most Passengers Will Likely Arrive At Terminal 2 Walking Through The Currency Exchange Gauntlet

Currently, there are only 2 terminals at the Cabo airport. Terminal 1 serves domestic flights and some international ones as well.

For the most part, though, Terminal 2 handles all of the international flights. The odds are most passengers on international flights will arrive at Terminal 2. 

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As you make your way past customs and to the baggage claim area, you’ll see the gauntlet of currency exchange businesses.

It could be a good idea to have some pesos in your wallet. What we wouldn’t recommend is exchanging all of the dollars that you have in cash for pesos right then and there.

These businesses tend to offer some of the worst exchange rates in all of Cabo.   

Just Because You’ve Cleared Customs Doesn’t Mean You Can’t Be Checked By Immigration

As you walk out with your bags, you’ll have to go through one more security filter. You may just be waived on past immigration if you get the green light on that streetlight type of method they use to see who they’re going to check.

While it can be uncomfortable to have immigration searching through your clothes, you should have nothing to worry about if you don’t have anything you shouldn’t have in your bags.

You want to be aware, though, that you may be checked so that you don’t store away your passport and your baggage ticket in the depths of your bag.

You may still need those documents to leave the airport if you’re unlucky enough to be inspected by immigration.   

If You Rent A Car Make Sure The Company Has An Office Or Desk At The Airport

While it maybe isn’t completely necessary for your rental car company to have a desk at the airport, it can make the process easier if you are going to rent a car.

The ones that don’t have an office there will likely have someone there at arrivals waiting for you.

If you’re going to rent a car, ideally, you should understand the procedure behind it. Do you need to go find the desk at the airport to check in? 

Is there someone holding a sign with your name on it out there? It can get hectic as you cross into the arrival area, particularly with the timeshare salespeople waiting to pounce on tourists who are just getting to Cabo.

So knowing what you’re looking for and the process you need to follow can save you time and money. 

Not A Lot Of Food Options At Arrivals 

Many airports have most of their restaurants and food options set up in the departures area. That tends to make sense because you’ll likely be spending more time there than at the arrivals gate.

The thing with the Cabo airport is that it’s located about an hour’s drive from some of the main resorts in Cabo San Lucas.

You may want to pick up some snacks and go to the bathroom after your flight because you could still have quite the journey to go.

There’s a large supermarket along the 1 highway almost right outside the airport if you can’t find anywhere to grab a snack at the airport arrivals area. 

Don’t Leave The Airport Until You’ve Sent Important Messages Through The Free Wi-Fi

The Cabo airport offers free Wi-Fi. It could be a good idea to take advantage of that to send any important emails or texts while at the airport.

Especially if you’re not sure whether you’ll get coverage within Cabo from your regular cell service provider. Most American wireless service providers now either include some Mexico coverage or offer roaming prices at a discount for Mexico.

You just never know, though, what type of service you’re going to have. Particularly on the route to your hotel. You may want to let people know you’re ok before you leave the airport.