Getting around · Anchorage
Getting to and from ANC: taxi, rideshare, transit & the cell-phone lot
The quickest way to Anchorage airport is usually a taxi or a rideshare: a taxi runs about $17–$25 to Downtown Anchorage, and Uber & Lyft pick up in a marked pickup zone. Picking someone up instead? Wait free at the Cell Phone Lot. Below: every way to and from the airport, what it costs, whether to park or grab a ride, and how to fold the drive into your Leave-By Time so you reach security with room to get through the line. Check ANC TSA wait times today before you decide when to leave.
- Terminals
- 2
- Checkpoints
- 2
- PreCheck
- Yes
- CLEAR
- No
- Global Entry
- On site
- Wait data
- Predicted
Taxis from ANC — fare and where to find the stand
Typical taxi fare
~$17–$25
to Downtown Anchorage
Drive time
15–20 min
6 mi to Downtown Anchorage
A taxi is the simplest door-to-door option and needs no app. Expect about $17–$25 to Downtown Anchorage on the meter, before tolls and tip — more in heavy traffic.
Taxis are available 24/7 at designated pickup zones outside both the South and North Terminals. Metered taxis reach downtown Anchorage in about 15-20 minutes for roughly $17-22.
The ANC cell-phone waiting lot
Picking someone up? Wait free at Cell Phone Lot. In a designated area of the DOT&PF Central Region Headquarters parking lot, about two minutes from both the South and North Terminals; free. Wait there until your traveler texts that they're at the curb, then loop in once. Wait free in the lot (about 15 spots on weekdays, 30-plus evenings and weekends) until your passenger has bags and calls, then pick up outside baggage claim.
Leaving a car for the trip instead of getting dropped off? It's worth checking the lots: compare ANCparking by price & distance.
Where to catch Uber & Lyft at ANC
Uber and Lyft pick up at both terminals; at the North Terminal, rideshare pickup is on the ground level at Door 2 on the inner lane.
Dropping off? Drop off departing passengers on the upper Departures curb. ANC has 2 terminals (North, South), so confirm your airline's before your driver commits to a curb — find your terminal at ANC.
Driving to ANC — routes & drive time
ANC sits about 6 miles from Downtown Anchorage, a drive of roughly 15–20 minutes via International Airport Road east to Minnesota Drive north into downtown Anchorage, about 6 miles — closer to the high end at rush hour. That drive time is the first input into your Leave-By Time, so the calculator counts it backward from your flight along with today's security wait and the walk to your gate.
Getting to ANC by train or transit
No rail serves ANC. People Mover bus Route 40 serves the North and South terminals and connects to the downtown Transit Center, running every 15 minutes on weekday daytimes and every 30 minutes evenings (until about 2am) and weekends.
Fare: Standard People Mover fare; check People Mover for current fare.
Hotel and city shuttles to ANC
Many Anchorage hotels run courtesy shuttles, and an inter-terminal shuttle connects the South and North terminals. If a shuttle is part of your plan, add its ride time to your Leave-By Time — it's easy to forget the 15–20 minutes between the curb and the terminal.
Park or ride to ANC?
Here's the math. Parking starts around $9/day, while a round-trip taxi or rideshare to Downtown Anchorage runs about $42. So a round trip by car comes out ahead once you're away more than about 5 days — for a quick trip, parking usually costs less; for a long one, getting a ride does.
Want the exact trade-off for your dates? compare ANCparking by price & distance — the closest lot isn't always the one that costs the least.
Accessibility and late-night rides at ANC
People Mover buses are wheelchair accessible; accessible taxis and vans can be requested at the terminals.
Late or overnight arrival? Taxis and rideshare operate 24/7; People Mover Route 40 runs until about 2am with reduced frequency.
Returning a rental on the way out? On-airport rental car facility at the South Terminal; follow Rental Car Return signs. (We cover where to return a car, not where to book one.)
Pickup zones and curb rules change — we verified ANC's ground-transport details as of July 1, 2026. Always check the in-app pickup pin and posted signs when you land.
Flying out of a nearby airport instead?
If a fare or a schedule points you elsewhere, the closest airport we cover is FAI (Fairbanks), about 260 miles from ANC in a straight line. The same math on this page — drive time, ride cost, security wait — decides whether the extra distance is worth it.
Other airports nearby
Straight-line distance from ANC — check current waits before switching airports.
Before you go ANC
ANC TSA wait times todaySee today's security wait by checkpoint, then time your ride to the airport.Getting-around FAQ ANC
How much is a taxi to or from ANC?
A metered taxi to Downtown Anchorage typically runs about $17–$25, before tolls and tip and more in heavy traffic. Taxis are available 24/7 at designated pickup zones outside both the South and North Terminals.
Where do you catch Uber and Lyft at ANC?
Uber and Lyft pick up at both terminals; at the North Terminal, rideshare pickup is on the ground level at Door 2 on the inner lane. Open the app after you land and follow its pickup pin, not the curb out front.
Where is the ANC cell-phone lot?
Cell Phone Lot — In a designated area of the DOT&PF Central Region Headquarters parking lot, about two minutes from both the South and North Terminals; free. It's free, and you wait there until your traveler texts that they have their bags.
How far is ANC from Downtown Anchorage?
ANC is about 6 miles from Downtown Anchorage — roughly 15–20 minutes by car depending on traffic, via International Airport Road east to Minnesota Drive north into downtown Anchorage, about 6 miles.
Is there a train from ANC to Downtown Anchorage?
Not directly. No rail serves ANC. People Mover bus Route 40 serves the North and South terminals and connects to the downtown Transit Center, running every 15 minutes on weekday daytimes and every 30 minutes evenings (until about 2am) and weekends.