Getting around · San Juan
Getting to and from SJU: taxi, rideshare, transit & the cell-phone lot
The quickest way to San Juan airport is usually a taxi or a rideshare: a metered taxi gets you to Old San Juan, and Uber & Lyft pick up in a marked pickup zone. Picking someone up? Note that SJU has no posted cell-phone waiting lot, so plan your loop to the curb. 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 SJU TSA wait times today before you decide when to leave.
- Terminals
- 4
- Checkpoints
- 2
- PreCheck
- Yes
- CLEAR
- Yes
- Global Entry
- On site
- Wait data
- Predicted
Taxis from SJU — fare and where to find the stand
Typical taxi fare
Metered
to Old San Juan
Drive time
20–35 min
9 mi to Old San Juan
A taxi is the simplest door-to-door option and needs no app. Fares to Old San Juan are on the meter, so the total depends on traffic and your exact address.
Official Taxi Turistico (white tourist taxis) rank directly in front of Terminals A and B on the arrivals level. Use only the official Taxi Turistico stand and confirm the posted zone fare before departing.
The SJU cell-phone waiting lot
SJU doesn't post a dedicated cell-phone waiting lot. No dedicated free cell phone waiting lot is published for SJU; meet arriving passengers curbside on the arrivals level or use the short-term parking garage.The safest move is to wait off-site and time your loop to the curb so you're not circling.
Leaving a car for the trip instead of getting dropped off? It's worth checking the lots: compare SJUparking by price & distance.
Where to catch Uber & Lyft at SJU
Uber operates at SJU with app-based pickups on the arrivals-level curb outside baggage claim; Lyft availability in Puerto Rico is limited. Tourist taxis and Uber are separate services; do not follow drivers who solicit inside the terminal - use the official taxi stand or your ride app.
Dropping off? Drop off on the upper Departures level curb; active loading only. SJU has 4 terminals (A, B, C, D), so confirm your airline's before your driver commits to a curb — find your terminal at SJU.
Driving to SJU — routes & drive time
SJU sits about 9 miles from Old San Juan, a drive of roughly 20–35 minutes via PR-26 (Baldorioty de Castro Expressway) west toward Condado and Old San Juan; Isla Verde sits just east of the airport — 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 SJU by train or transit
Public transit to SJU is limited and the Tren Urbano rail does not reach the airport; most travelers use tourist taxis, Uber, or hotel shuttles, though some AMA public buses serve the nearby Isla Verde area.
Hotel and city shuttles to SJU
Many San Juan hotels and resorts offer shuttle or car service, and shared-ride vans serve the arrivals level. 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 SJU?
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 SJUparking by price & distance — the closest lot isn't always the one that costs the least.
Accessibility and late-night rides at SJU
Accessible taxis and vehicles can be requested; the terminal is step-free with elevators.
Late or overnight arrival? Tourist taxis and Uber operate late (a $1 taxi night surcharge applies 10pm-6am); public bus service is very limited overnight.
Returning a rental on the way out? On-airport and nearby off-airport rental agencies; follow Rental Car Return signs, with shuttles to off-site lots. (We cover where to return a car, not where to book one.)
Pickup zones and curb rules change — we verified SJU'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 STT (St. Thomas), about 68 miles from SJU 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 SJU — check current waits before switching airports.
Before you go SJU
SJU TSA wait times todaySee today's security wait by checkpoint, then time your ride to the airport.Getting-around FAQ SJU
How much is a taxi to or from SJU?
Taxis to Old San Juan are metered, so the fare depends on traffic and the exact address. Official Taxi Turistico (white tourist taxis) rank directly in front of Terminals A and B on the arrivals level.
Where do you catch Uber and Lyft at SJU?
Uber operates at SJU with app-based pickups on the arrivals-level curb outside baggage claim; Lyft availability in Puerto Rico is limited. Tourist taxis and Uber are separate services; do not follow drivers who solicit inside the terminal - use the official taxi stand or your ride app. Open the app after you land and follow its pickup pin, not the curb out front.
Where is the SJU cell-phone lot?
SJU doesn't have a posted cell-phone waiting lot. No dedicated free cell phone waiting lot is published for SJU; meet arriving passengers curbside on the arrivals level or use the short-term parking garage.
How far is SJU from Old San Juan?
SJU is about 9 miles from Old San Juan — roughly 20–35 minutes by car depending on traffic, via PR-26 (Baldorioty de Castro Expressway) west toward Condado and Old San Juan; Isla Verde sits just east of the airport.
Is there a train from SJU to Old San Juan?
Not directly. Public transit to SJU is limited and the Tren Urbano rail does not reach the airport; most travelers use tourist taxis, Uber, or hotel shuttles, though some AMA public buses serve the nearby Isla Verde area.