Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
departuretaxof$30iscollectedforinternationalflights,thoughthisisincludedinthetaxes
paid when purchasing your ticket.
Immigration, customs, and baggage claim are on the main building's first floor, while
departures and check-in counters are located on the third floor. There are technically two
adjacent terminals, though they are merged into one large facility. The first area, known
as
finger central,
consists of six gates for wide-body aircraft. It fronts the main terminal,
which is all that remains of the original facility dating to the 1960s. The second terminal,
also known as
finger norte,
consists of gates 7 to 19 and is seamlessly integrated into the
rest of the terminal building. There is a food court on the fourth floor of the main terminal
building overlooking the check-in counters. Additional restaurants can be found past the
security checkpoints leading to the two
fingers.
ImmigrationandcustomsproceduresatLaAuroraAirportareverystraightforward.Cus-
toms (known as SAT) will look at your declaration paperwork (to be filled out on the air-
plane prior to arrival) and will either put you in a line where your bags will be searched
and applicable duties (if any) collected or will simply wave you on. Most foreign travelers
are waved on, as what they're mostly looking for are arriving Guatemalans with loot from
statesideshoppingsprees.Adisproportionatenumberofbagspertravelerareusuallyasure
tip-off.
Taxis are easily booked from a kiosk inside the airport terminal, as are rental cars. A
taxi from the airport costs $8-20 depending on what part of town you're going to. Avis,
Budget, Hertz, and National have kiosks inside the airport terminal. Their lots are across
the road fronting the airport's three-level parking garage. If you're arriving on a later flight
and have never driven Guatemala City's chaotic streets before, it might make more sense
totakeadvantageoffreeairportshuttlestoZona10hotelsandhavetherentalcarcompany
drop off the vehicle at your hotel the next morning. You could also just as easily take a cab
or shuttle from your hotel to the airport the following day and pick up the car at that time.
