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Getting There

A number of US and Mexican airlines fly to Puerto Vallarta from the States; most flights from the East Coast, though, require transfers at Midwestern cities.

Some of our preferred carriers include Alaska Airlines, which flies nonstop from the western U.S., including cities like Los Angeles, Seattle, and San Francisco. American Airlines has daily nonstop flights from Dallas/Fort Worth, in high-season only, and five days a week from Chicago O’Hare. You can also fly nonstop from Houston on Continental or America West from the Western U.S. There’s also Frontier that flies nonstop from the Denver hub, USA 3000 that flies direct from Midwestern cities, Delta, Northwest, and Sun Country Airlines. Mexican carriers like Aeromexico fly from multiple US and Mexican cities, including Los Angeles, Guadalajara, La Paz, León, Mexico City, Morelia, and Tijuana. Mexicana offers nonstop flights from Los Angeles, Chicago, Mazatlán, and Mexico City. Flying time from New York is about 6.5 hours; from Los Angeles about 3 hours.

Another option that may save you expenses is to book an air-and-hotel package. Dozens of travel providers offer affordable vacations to Puerto Vallarta; many are all-inclusive and include all meals and drinks to boot. Just be careful when choosing your hotel option; many packages include Hotel Zone hotels, which are located far from Puerto Vallarta’s charming Centro – you may find yourself spending most of your time at your hotel as a result. Here are a few of our favorites: Expedia, Pleasant Holidays, Liberty Travel, Orbitz, Travelocity, SunTrips, and Funjet Vacations.

Getting Into and Around Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta’s airport is only about 6 miles north of downtown so getting to and from the airport is a snap. Taxis and minivans will take you right to your door; fares to Marina Vallarta and the Hotel Zone range from $10-15, rides downtown (Centro) are about $20, and further south to hotels near Mismaloya go for about $30. Airport cabs price their fares by zone; the best way to save some cash on the ride is to hail a yellow city cab across the highway from the airport – use the overpass to get there – you'll pay approximately $6 instead of the airport taxi $20. Local buses, marked Olas Atlas or Centro, will also get you where you want to go for only 40 cents.

Once you’re settled at your hotel and ready to explore, you can hop on one of the city buses (be sure to read the destinations scribbled on the windows to check for your stop) that travel up and down the main thoroughfare (Carretera Aeropuerto). Bus stops are located every two or three blocks along this street and others around town, and are marked by blue-and-white signs. Driving in Puerto Vallarta – especially in peak-season when the roads are jam-packed – can be pretty daunting for the average suburban driver. Car rentals also tend to be expensive (about $40-$50 a day) but if you’re planning to do a lot of exploring of the city’s north and south, it may be the most convenient solution. There are plenty of rentals to choose from: Avis, 322/221-1112; Budget, 322/223-1354; Hertz, 322/221-1413, to name a few.

See Puerto Vallarta Travel Guide