Bogotá · Colombia
BOG — El Dorado International Airport
South America's northern gateway, at two and a half thousand metres
El Dorado is one of the busiest airports in Latin America and the main gateway between North America and the Andean region. Its position makes it geographically closer to most US cities than the hubs further south, which is why so many itineraries into South America route through it.
The thing arriving passengers notice first is not the airport but the altitude. Bogotá sits at roughly 2,640 metres, high enough that most people feel it as breathlessness on stairs for the first day or two.
Terminals and how they connect
Terminal 1
The main terminal, handling the great majority of domestic and international flights, including the hub carrier's operation and its connecting banks.
Terminal 2
A separate building, used by a smaller number of airlines. It is not attached to Terminal 1 — moving between them means a shuttle or a substantial walk outside — so confirm which terminal your flight uses rather than assuming.
Getting into Bogotá
Times below are realistic ranges rather than best cases. Rail journeys keep to a timetable; road journeys do not, and treating the two the same is how people miss flights.
Authorised taxi
30–70 minutes depending on traffic
Use the official taxi desk inside the terminal, which issues a ticket with the fare. Bogotá traffic is heavy and the range here is wide for a reason.
Ride-hailing
30–70 minutes
Widely used, with designated pickup points. Generally cheaper than the official taxi.
TransMilenio bus
45–80 minutes
The city's bus rapid transit system connects to the airport area and is extremely cheap. It is crowded and not well suited to luggage, but it is a genuine option for a light traveller.
Connecting through BOG
El Dorado operates as a connecting hub with coordinated banks, and on a single ticket transfers are handled with bags checked through. Check whether both flights use Terminal 1 — a connection involving Terminal 2 requires leaving and re-entering, which changes the timing entirely. International-to-international transfers within Terminal 1 are straightforward at ninety minutes; anything involving a terminal change needs three hours.
Worth knowing before you fly
Take the altitude seriously for a day
At 2,640 metres most visitors notice mild breathlessness and occasionally a headache for the first twenty-four hours. Drinking water, going easy on alcohol and not scheduling anything strenuous on arrival day handles it for almost everyone.
Confirm your terminal before travelling
Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 are separate buildings. Arriving at the wrong one with a tight schedule is a genuine problem rather than an inconvenience.
Bogotá is a serious connecting option, not just a destination
For journeys from the United States to Peru, Ecuador, Chile or Argentina, routing through Bogotá is often shorter than the alternatives simply because of where it sits.
Terminal assignments, transit timetables and fares all change. Confirm the details that matter to your trip with the airport or transport operator before you travel.
If your flight through BOG is cancelled or badly delayed
Which rules reach a flight from here
BOG is outside the United States, so the US Department of Transportation rules we publish do not govern a departure from here on their own — they reach your itinerary when it touches the US. We have not built the local regime for this country, and we will not describe rights we have not read. If your itinerary departs the EU, EU 261 is the instrument to look up; from the UK it is the retained version enforced by the CAA, which pays in sterling rather than euros. Both are more generous than the US floor rather than less.
Stated plainly because the alternative is worse: a page that quoted a § 259.5 commitment at somebody departing Bogotá would be inventing a right they do not have, and they would find that out at the desk.
Airlines based at BOG
Carriers based here, which usually means more non-stops and more daily frequencies to fall back on if something goes wrong.
Routes through BOG
Flying to Bogotá
Stuck on hold?
Talk to an independent agent instead
Airline phone queues and chatbots are where a rebooking stalls. Our agents work these routes daily and will look at what is actually available, walk through the letter you are about to send, and tell you what a desk agent will and will not do. We are not the airline and we do not file claims for you — the templates above are yours to send.
FAQ
BOG — common questions
Terminals, transfers and getting into the city.
Are Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 connected at Bogotá airport?
Not directly. They are separate buildings and moving between them means a shuttle or a long walk outside, followed by re-clearing security. Check which terminal each of your flights uses before planning a connection.
Will I feel the altitude in Bogotá?
Most people notice it mildly. At around 2,640 metres, stairs are harder work and some visitors get a headache on the first day. It usually settles within twenty-four to forty-eight hours, and taking the first afternoon gently is the standard advice.
Is Bogotá a good hub for South America?
Yes, particularly from North America. It sits closer to most US cities than the hubs further south, and the airline based there runs coordinated connecting banks across the continent.
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