Getting around · Burlington
Getting to and from BTV: taxi, rideshare, transit & the cell-phone lot
The quickest way to Burlington airport is usually a taxi or a rideshare: a metered taxi gets you to Downtown Burlington, and Uber & Lyft pick up in a marked pickup zone. Picking someone up instead? Wait free at the Cell Phone Waiting 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 BTV TSA wait times today before you decide when to leave.
- Terminal
- 1
- Checkpoints
- 2
- PreCheck
- Yes
- CLEAR
- No
- Global Entry
- Off site
- Wait data
- Predicted
Taxis from BTV — fare and where to find the stand
Typical taxi fare
Metered
to Downtown Burlington
Drive time
10–20 min
3.5 mi to Downtown Burlington
A taxi is the simplest door-to-door option and needs no app. Fares to Downtown Burlington are on the meter, so the total depends on traffic and your exact address.
Taxi queue at the curb outside baggage claim, across from the main terminal doors. Airport-regulated meter is $4.00 to start, $3.50 per mile, $0.50 per minute, with an $11.00 minimum and a $4.00 airport surcharge; a $4.00 night surcharge applies 10pm-5am. Call an operator such as Star Cab at 802-238-4135.
The BTV cell-phone waiting lot
Picking someone up? Wait free at Cell Phone Waiting Lot. Free waiting area near the terminal off the airport access road. There's a posted limit of about 30 minutes, so wait there until your traveler has their bags and is at the curb. Wait in the free lot until your passenger calls, then pull to the terminal curb; do not leave the vehicle unattended.
Leaving a car for the trip instead of getting dropped off? It's worth checking the lots: compare BTVparking by price & distance.
Where to catch Uber & Lyft at BTV
Uber and Lyft pick up and drop off at the curb outside the terminal building. Rideshare uses the same terminal curb as private pickups; follow your app pin to the arrivals roadway rather than the taxi queue.
Dropping off? Drop departing passengers at the main terminal curb. Burlingtonhas a single terminal, so there's no wrong-curb risk — any door gets you to check-in and security.
Driving to BTV — routes & drive time
BTV sits about 3.5 miles from Downtown Burlington, a drive of roughly 10–20 minutes via Airport Drive to Williston Road (US 2) west into downtown; I-89 for regional connections — 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 BTV by train or transit
GMT buses stop at the terminal; Route 11 links the airport to the Downtown Transit Center on St. Paul Street in about half an hour.
Fare: Standard fare $2.00, capped at $4.00 per day; reduced fare $1.00 for youth, seniors, and riders with disabilities.
Hotel and city shuttles to BTV
Several area hotels run their own courtesy shuttles; there is no single consolidated shuttle operator. 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 BTV?
The rule of thumb: a round-trip ride is one fixed cost, while parking adds up by the day. For a quick 1–2 day trip, parking usually costs less; for a longer trip, a round-trip taxi or rideshare often comes out ahead.
Want the exact trade-off for your dates? compare BTVparking by price & distance — the closest lot isn't always the one that costs the least.
Accessibility and late-night rides at BTV
GMT buses are wheelchair accessible, and accessible parking and curbside access are available at the terminal.
Late or overnight arrival? Buses do not run overnight, so late arrivals should pre-arrange a taxi or rideshare; a $4.00 taxi night surcharge applies 10pm-5am.
Returning a rental on the way out? Return at the on-terminal rental counters (Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, National) to the adjacent airport garage. (We cover where to return a car, not where to book one.)
Recently changed: GMT reinstated fares on May 20, 2024, at a $2.00 base with a $4.00 daily cap. Pickup zones and curb rules change — we verified BTV'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 ALB (Albany), about 123 miles from BTV 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 BTV — check current waits before switching airports.
Before you go BTV
BTV TSA wait times todaySee today's security wait by checkpoint, then time your ride to the airport.Getting-around FAQ BTV
How much is a taxi to or from BTV?
Taxis to Downtown Burlington are metered, so the fare depends on traffic and the exact address. Taxi queue at the curb outside baggage claim, across from the main terminal doors.
Where do you catch Uber and Lyft at BTV?
Uber and Lyft pick up and drop off at the curb outside the terminal building. Rideshare uses the same terminal curb as private pickups; follow your app pin to the arrivals roadway rather than the taxi queue. Open the app after you land and follow its pickup pin, not the curb out front.
Where is the BTV cell-phone lot?
Cell Phone Waiting Lot — Free waiting area near the terminal off the airport access road. It's free, and you wait there until your traveler texts that they have their bags.
How far is BTV from Downtown Burlington?
BTV is about 3.5 miles from Downtown Burlington — roughly 10–20 minutes by car depending on traffic, via Airport Drive to Williston Road (US 2) west into downtown; I-89 for regional connections.
Is there a train from BTV to Downtown Burlington?
Not directly. GMT buses stop at the terminal; Route 11 links the airport to the Downtown Transit Center on St. Paul Street in about half an hour.