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Private & sharedReal prices2026

Airport transfers: the best way to your hotel

The bit of the trip nobody plans - until you land tired and a tout is offering a "free" ride. These guides compare private transfers, shuttles, taxis and buses by real price and time, and show you how to book ahead and skip the hassle.

Sophie, who writes the Journey Finder transport guides, waiting on a train platform with her suitcase

Sophie

Published

In Brief

What's the best way to get from the airport to my hotel?

For most trips - especially resort destinations - a pre-booked private transfer is the best option: a fixed price, a driver waiting with your name, and no touts or fare-haggling after a long flight. Shared shuttles are cheapest per person for solo travelers, and buses win on pure budget where they run. Each of our guides compares every option by real price and time so you book the right ride before you land.

Key takeaways

  • Pre-book to lock a fixed price and skip the arrivals-hall touts.
  • Private transfer suits groups/families; shared shuttle is cheapest solo.
  • Resort-airport taxis are often the priciest option - book ahead instead.

Destination guides

Airport transfers: FAQ

The essentials that apply wherever you're landing.

Pre-booking is usually both cheaper and less stressful. A booked private transfer is a fixed, known price with a driver waiting for you, while airport taxis are often the most expensive option and can involve haggling or inflated fares - especially at resort airports. For groups and families, a per-vehicle private transfer frequently beats even a shared shuttle once you're three or more people.

Choose a private transfer for families, groups, night arrivals, or anyone who wants to go straight to their hotel with no stops - and because it's priced per vehicle, it's often the better value for three or more. A shared shuttle is the cheapest per person for solo travelers and couples, but it waits to fill and drops other passengers first, so it takes longer. Both beat a pricey airport taxi.

At many resort airports, friendly 'greeters' offering free rides, upgrades or help are timeshare or unofficial taxi touts. The fix is simple: book your transfer before you fly, so a driver meets you with your name and you walk straight past the arrivals-hall sales pitch. If you do take a taxi, use only official desks and agree the fare before getting in.

Yes - especially for resort destinations and evening arrivals. Booking ahead gives you a fixed price, a driver holding your name, flight-delay adjustment on many bookings, and free cancellation on flexible fares. It removes the two biggest arrival headaches: negotiating a fare after a long flight, and dodging touts. Many providers recommend booking at least 48 hours ahead.

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Photo credits (3)

Photos via Wikimedia Commons, used under their respective licences.