Mexico · PVR
Flights to Puerto Vallarta
Ten minutes from the airport to the beach, once you get past arrivals
Puerto Vallarta manages something most Mexican resort destinations do not: it is a real town as well as a resort. The old town has cobbled streets, a working church and a malecón that people actually walk in the evening, alongside the hotel zone and the all-inclusives further north.
It is also unusually convenient. The airport sits between the town and the resorts, so transfers are measured in minutes. The one thing to prepare for is the arrivals hall, which is well known for high-pressure timeshare sales positioned where you would expect an information desk.
Getting to Puerto Vallarta
Airports
Lic. Gustavo Díaz Ordaz (PVR) has two adjacent terminals, with most international flights using Terminal B. They are walkable between, though the walk is outdoors rather than through a corridor.
Flight time
Roughly 3h 15m non-stop from Los Angeles, about 4h 15m from Dallas, near 4h 30m from Chicago and around 3h 45m from Seattle.
Into the city
The hotel zone and old town are 10 to 25 minutes away. Authorised taxis are sold at fixed prices from a booth inside the terminal. Nuevo Vallarta is 25 to 35 minutes and Punta Mita 45 to 70.
When to go
Demand rather than price is described here on purpose. Any fare we show you comes from a live search on your own dates, so a fixed figure on this page would be out of date before you read it.
Best weather
November to April
Dry, warm and reliably sunny, which is exactly why this is the busiest and most expensive window. Whale watching runs through roughly December to March, when humpbacks are in Banderas Bay.
Rainy and humid
June to October
Hot, humid and wet, with the Pacific hurricane season peaking between August and October. Rain typically arrives as an evening storm rather than an all-day event. Rates are at their lowest and the hills are green.
Shoulder
May and early November
The transitions. Warm without the peak crowds, and fares noticeably below the winter high. May in particular is often the best value of the year.
Good to know
- Currency
- Mexican peso (MXN)
- Airport transfer
- 10–25 minutes to the hotel zone and old town
- Language
- Spanish; English is widely spoken in the tourist areas
- Time zone
- Central Time — but check if staying in Nayarit
- Power
- Type A and B plugs, 127V
- Whale season
- Roughly December to March
Entry requirements change and we are not an immigration authority. Always confirm the current rules for your nationality with the relevant government before you book or travel.
Worth sorting before you fly
Walk past the desks in arrivals
Between customs and the exit you pass staffed counters offering transport, tours and upgrades. Many are timeshare presentations rather than services you need. Your pre-booked driver is outside the building, and the official taxi booth sells fixed fares.
Check the time zone if you are staying north of the airport
Nuevo Vallarta and Punta Mita are in Nayarit, which has historically kept a different clock from Jalisco. It matters most on the way home, so confirm local time with your hotel rather than trusting your phone.
Old town or hotel zone is a real choice
The Zona Romántica in the old town is walkable, lively and full of restaurants. The hotel zone and Nuevo Vallarta are resort-oriented and quieter. They are a short drive apart but the trips they produce are quite different.
Other destinations
FAQ
Puerto Vallarta — common questions
Airports, timing, and when it is worth talking to an agent.
How far is Puerto Vallarta airport from the resorts?
Unusually close. Ten to twenty-five minutes to the hotel zone and old town, twenty-five to thirty-five to Nuevo Vallarta, and around an hour to Punta Mita.
Are the transport desks in Puerto Vallarta arrivals legitimate?
Some are, but many of the counters between customs and the exit sell timeshare presentations. The official taxi booth sells fixed-price fares by zone, and pre-booked transfer drivers wait outside the terminal building.
When can you see whales in Puerto Vallarta?
Humpbacks are generally in Banderas Bay from around December to March, which overlaps with the dry season and the busiest part of the year.
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