Medellin Airports
There are two airports in Medellin.
1. International Airport
Jose Maria Cordoba Airport (MDE)The Jose Maria Cordoba Airport (MDE) is located 32 kms (20 miles) outside of the city with an average transit time of 40 minutes. The airport is used for both domestic and international flights. Inside the airport you'll find ATM’s as well as money exchanges (probably not the best rate). The airport has a basic selection of shops, cafes and restaurants.
Check the following map to see the current transit time between the airport and El Poblado.
Getting to and from the International Airport Medellin
Outside the Jose Maria Cordoba airport there will be plenty of taxis waiting to take you to Medellin. We recommend taking the larger, white airport taxis since they are generally more comfortable and may allow more baggage space. Only regulated taxis are allowed to pick up passengers at the airport, so there should never be any safety issues getting a taxi at the entrance of the airport.
The fare to and from the airport is a fixed fare updated annually, currently 98,000 Colombian Pesos during 2023. You should never be asked to pay any extra for tolls or luggage. Tipping is optional and not expected.
To get back to the airport it's best to book an official airport taxi and not a little domestic yellow one. One company that has an online reservation form is Aerotaxi. Another option is ACOA Taxi Aeropuerto. If you're looking for a more premium service using 2015+ model cars, bilingual drivers and easy to book and prepay service then check out Medellin Airport Transfers.
If you want to save some money, you can get a shared taxi (Taxi Colectivo), with up to three others, or the airport shuttle bus (Microbus). Both of these budget transportation options go from the airport and stop at San Diego or El Centro near Hotel Nutibara. From there, you can take a final taxi to your destination. Look for the stand that says “Hacia Medellin” or “Towards Medellin”. There are buses for alternative destinations so make sure you get on the correct bus. If you are staying in Poblado, San Diego is your best destination option.
Taking the Colectivo or Microbus to San Diego and then a taxi to your final destination (in Poblado) will end up costing about 30,000-40,000 Colombian Pesos (much less than the 98,000 COP for an airport taxi) although it may take up to 30 minutes extra. To return to the airport take a taxi to San Diego (all taxi drivers know where to drop you off) and then get a taxi collectivo or microbus to the airport.
2. Domestic Airport
Enrique Olaya Herrera Airport (EOH)The Enrique Olaya Herrera Airport (EOH) is located south of the center of Medellin, close to Poblado, and is basically only used for a few domestic airlines - EasyFly, ADA and Satena. It’s a very short taxi ride to arrive at the airport from anywhere in Medellin.
There are many ways of getting to Medellin, however the majority of routes require a stopover in Bogota. If you're lucky enough to live near any of the following cities you can fly directly to Medellin:
- New York (USA) - Avianca
- Miami (USA) - Avianca and American Airlines
- Fort Lauderdale (USA) - Jet Blue and Spirit
- Mexico D.F. (Mexico) - Aeroméxico
- San Salvador (El Salvador) - Avianca
- Panama City (Panama) - Avianca, Copa Airlines, Viva Colombia, Air Panama
- Valencia (Venezuela) - Avior Airlines
- Madrid (Spain) - Iberia and Avianca
- Lima (Peru) - Avianca
- Aruba - Insel Air (Mon to Fri only)
- Curazao - Insel Air (Mon to Fri only)
