By Plane: International flights arrive at José María Córdova Airport (airport code MDE; tel. 4/601-212), about 45 minutes east of the city. Some smaller domestic flights land at Olaya Herrera National Airport which is much more convenient; it’s located just 7 minutes by taxi (COP$5,000) from Poblado Metro station. Several airlines provide service from the United States to Medellín, including Avianca (www.avianca.com), Copa (www.copaair.com), Delta (www.delta.com), and American Airlines (www.aa.com). Both JetBlue (www.jetblue.com) and Spirit (www.spirit.com) offer low cost fares from Fort Lauderdale with domestic connections.
There are dozens of domestic flight connections per day with Avianca from Medellín to Bogotá, Cali, and Cartagena, as well as three or four flights daily to Pereira and Armenia (all via Bogotá). Domestic Avianca flights via Bogotá tend to be cost-effective, low-stress, and expedient, with comfortable new planes, brisk turnarounds, and a large fleet that helps offset delays, and Bogotá is a super-easy airport to navigate.
Inexpensive direct flights to Pereira are available with ADA (www.ada-aero.com) and Easy Fly (www.easyfly.com.co), which fly from Olaya Herrera National Airport. Low-cost airlines Viva Air (www.vivacolombia.co/co, which is part-owned by RyanAir) and Easy Fly offer direct services from Medellín to Cartagena.
To get from José María Córdova airport to Medellín proper, you can take a taxi for COP$65,000 (standard fare), or take a bus for COP$16,000, which will drop you off in the city center close to Plaza Bolívar. Unless you are on a tight budget, it’s more efficient to book an airport transfer ahead of time (ideally from your hotel) because most flights from the U.S. arrive into Medellín after 9pm.
By Bus: You can get to Medellín from most major cities and large towns. The journey is breathtaking, and not just because of the scenery: Mountain drop-offs and crazy Colombian drivers will try the nerves of even the most laissez-fare travelers. Nervous travelers, or those prone to car sickness, are encouraged to fly. Medellín has two bus terminals, El Terminal del Norte and El Terminal del Sur, so check to see which end of town your hotel is closest to before booking your bus trip. Tip: If you will be staying in El Poblado, try to arrive at El Terminal de Sur to avoid a long and expensive ride to your hotel.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
