Where do you fly into for Lake Atitlan Guatemala?

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Yet despite this isolation, Lake Atitlan is relatively easy and not to mention cheap to travel to.

Need a private car or shuttle from the airport to Lake Atitlan that’s safe & comfortable? Nervous about your Spanish skills and want a fluent English speaking driver? Send us a message on whatsapp +1 845 653 6247, and we would be happy to help. Or book your private shuttle here!

Finding A Cheap Flight To Guatemala

In order to get to Lake Aitlan you need to find the cheapest flight to San Salvador, El Salvador, or Guatemala City, Guatemala. The cheapest flights can be found during the low season; September, October, November and February, March, April. Click hereto find out the Best Time To Visit Lake Atitlan.

From the United States

If you’re living in North America, your cheapest option is to check out SpiritAir.com. They consistently offer cheap flights through Ft. Lauderdale to Central America. However, be sure to check out Kiwi.com as it has one of the most efficient and easy to use flight search engines, and you may be able to find a cheaper flight there.

From Europe & The World

The cheapest gateway to Central America is through Ft. Lauderdale. Check out NorwegianAir.com for cheap flights to from Europe to Ft. Lauderdale. Now go to SpiritAir.com for flights onward to Central America.

You could also fly KLM direct from Amsterdam to either Mexico City, Panama City, or San Jose Costa Rica, and take either Copa or Volaris from there onto Guatemala.

Finally, Iberia goes direct from Madrid to Guatemala city and back. They also offer one of the best value reward redemptions at just 27,000 points in economy and 42,500 points for business class.

Guatemala City Airport To Lake Atitlan

Option 1: Take A Shuttle Bus – Price 25$

Shuttles leave regularly from Guatemala City Airport to Panajachel. However most shuttles are not direct and do stop over in Antigua. This makes the total travel time to the lake around 4 1/2 to 5 hours.

• Shuttle Service – 06:00am – Guatemala City/Airport to Panajachel $25 p/p
• Shuttle Service – 11:00am – Guatemala City/Airport to Panajachel $25 p/p
• Shuttle Service – 02:30pm – Guatemala City/Airport to Panajachel $25 p/p
• (this service makes a stop in Antigua and then continues to Panajachel, travel time 4-4.5hrs)
• Direct Shuttle Service – 2:30pm – Guatemala City/Airport to Panajachel $35p/p (min 3pax)
• Private Service – can be scheduled at any time according to your needs, please specify time and number of persons for details

Option 2: Hire A Private Taxi – Price 120$ – 150$ 

There are plenty of taxis available to take you directly to Panajachel on Lake Atitlan. They cost between 120$ – 160$ and take around 3 to 5 hours depending on whether you’re going to Panajachel or San Marcos / San Pedro. You can either arrange one yourself outside of the terminal or book one through an agency at the airport when you arrive. However, the later option isn’t always an option as it is dependent on availability. So we highly recommend booking in advance.

If you’re looking for a driver you can trust and one who speaks perfect English, we highly recommend our friend Vicky. She’s known around town as the gringo fixer, because she speaks perfect English and helps with everything from moto registration, to visa extensions. Please send us an email at or whatsapp +1 845 653 6247, and we’ll put you in touch with her. You can also reserve a driver directly in this online booking form.

Option 3: Hire A Helicopter – Price 1000$

However if you’ve got the money, you can always take a helicopter direct from Guatemala City Airport to Lake Atitlan for between 1,000-1,400$.

Can’t decide between the public and private transport options? Check out our guide entitled The Best Way To Get From Guatemala Airport to Lake Atitlan.

From Antigua To Lake Atitlan

If you’re coming from Antigua, it’s extremely easy to get a shuttle bus to Lake Atitlan. You could either book a shuttle through your hotel or get a ticket at any travel agency. The price is advertised as 12$/85Q  but you can usually haggle the price down to 10$/70Q .

• Shuttle – 05:30am – Antigua to Panajachel $12 p/p
• Shuttle – 08:00am – Antigua to Panajachel $12 p/p
• Shuttle – 12:30pm – Antigua to Panajachel $12 p/p
• Shuttle – 04:00pm – Antigua to Panajachel $12 p/p
• Shuttle Thu and Sunday – 7:00am – Antigua >> Chichicastenango Market Day  9:00am>> to Panajachel 02:00pm $24 p/p

Rent A Motorcycle

Now that you’ve made it to Lake Atitlan, you might want to consider your transportation options. If you’re staying in Pana, San Pedro or Santiago, renting a motorcycle will definitely be the most exciting way to explore and potentially even the most cost effective. For the only company around the lake with motorcycle and scooter rentals, check out Ride Atitlan.

Decide Which Town You Want To Visit

There are 5 main towns that lie along the banks of Lake Atitlan. Each town offers a different experience and view of the volcanoes. They are Panajachel, Santa Cruz, Jaibalito, San Marcos, and San Pedro. For a quick overview of the towns, check out The Towns Of Lake Atitlan. For information on ways to get to these towns, check out Transportation Around Lake Atitlan.

Conclusion

Flights are relatively cheap and shuttles are quick and comfortable. Although Lake Atitlan isn’t the easiest place to get to, when you finally arrive, it’s that much sweeter.