Colombia operates three primary international gateways. El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá handles approximately 35 million passengers annually and serves as the country's largest hub. Rafael Núñez International Airport in Cartagena processes around 5 million passengers per year, most arriving on direct flights from the United States and Europe. José María Córdova International Airport near Medellín, located in Rionegro 29 kilometers from the city center, manages approximately 9 million annual passengers. Smaller international airports exist in Cali, Barranquilla, and San Andrés, though most first-time visitors land at one of the three major facilities.
El Dorado sits 15 kilometers west of central Bogotá at an elevation of 2,548 meters above sea level. The altitude causes immediate physiological effects in most arrivals. Thin air at this elevation contains approximately 26 percent less oxygen than sea level, producing shortness of breath during minimal exertion and mild headaches in roughly 40 percent of arriving passengers within the first six hours. Drinking one liter of water before customs and avoiding alcohol for the first 24 hours reduces symptom severity in clinical studies conducted at altitude. The airport terminal maintains the same elevation as the city, meaning acclimatization begins immediately upon landing rather than after descending to lower terrain.
Immigration queues at El Dorado typically require 20 to 45 minutes for foreign passport holders during peak arrival windows between 0600 and 0900 and again from 1800 to 2100. Officers rarely ask questions beyond purpose and duration of visit. Citizens of the United States, Canada, European Union member states, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea receive automatic 90-day tourist stamps without fee. The immigration hall contains no visa-on-arrival desks. Travelers requiring visas must obtain them from Colombian consulates before departure. Official visa requirements change periodically and appear only on the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website at cancilleria.gov.co.
Baggage claim at El Dorado functions through two separate carousels for international arrivals. Belt rotation begins approximately 15 minutes after the aircraft parks at the gate. Agricultural inspection occurs before customs. Colombia prohibits importation of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy products, soil, and plant materials. Inspectors use X-ray scanners on all checked bags and hand luggage. Penalties for carrying prohibited agricultural items begin at 400,000 Colombian pesos and include potential criminal charges for quantities suggesting commercial intent. The customs red channel requires declaration for amounts exceeding 10,000 US dollars in cash or equivalent, more than three liters of spirits, or merchandise with total value above 1,500 US dollars.
The airport exit deposits arrivals into a corridor lined with official taxi counters, car rental desks, and currency exchange booths. Exchange rates at airport facilities run 8 to 12 percent below rates available at exchange houses in central Bogotá. Most visitors withdraw Colombian pesos directly from ATMs in the arrivals hall, which dispense bills in denominations up to 50,000 pesos. Machines accept Visa, Mastercard, and cards displaying the Cirrus or Plus network logos. Daily withdrawal limits vary by bank but typically cap at 600,000 pesos per transaction. Transaction fees depend on the issuing bank rather than the Colombian machine operator.
Three transportation options connect El Dorado to central Bogotá. Official yellow taxis queue outside the terminal and charge flat rates based on destination zone. A taxi to La Candelaria or the international hotel district near Parque 93 costs between 30,000 and 40,000 pesos and requires 35 to 70 minutes depending on traffic density. Drivers legally may not request payment in US dollars. Uber and similar ride-sharing applications function at the airport despite periodic regulatory disputes. Drivers communicate pickup locations through the application since they cannot wait in designated taxi zones. Ride-sharing fares to central Bogotá range from 20,000 to 30,000 pesos under normal demand conditions.
TransMilenio, Bogotá's bus rapid transit system, operates a dedicated airport route labeled K86. Buses depart every 10 to 15 minutes from 0500 to 2300 daily and every 20 minutes from 2300 to 0100. The route terminates at Portal El Dorado station where passengers transfer to other TransMilenio lines reaching different city zones. Total journey time to La Candelaria including one transfer averages 75 to 90 minutes. A single ride costs 2,950 pesos as of 2024. Buses provide minimal luggage space, making this option impractical for travelers with more than one small suitcase. The system accepts only rechargeable smart cards called Tarjeta TuLlave, sold at vending machines in the airport terminal for 6,000 pesos including 3,050 pesos of credit.
Rafael Núñez International Airport in Cartagena positions itself 3 kilometers from the historic walled city. The facility operates a single international terminal handling flights from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, New York, Panama City, and Madrid as primary routes. Immigration processing takes 15 to 30 minutes during standard arrival periods. The airport sits at 1 meter above sea level, eliminating altitude concerns. Temperature in the arrivals hall typically reaches 28 to 32 degrees Celsius with humidity above 75 percent year-round. The climate shock affects passengers arriving from air-conditioned aircraft more than geographic displacement.
Transportation from Rafael Núñez to the walled city consists primarily of taxis charging fixed rates of 15,000 to 18,000 pesos for the 10-minute journey. The airport authority posts official rate cards at the taxi queue. Some hotels in Cartagena include airport transfer with room reservations. Uber operates in Cartagena but faces the same pickup coordination requirements as in Bogotá. No public bus system connects the airport to tourist zones. Walking from the terminal to hotels remains impractical due to the absence of pedestrian infrastructure on the connecting highway.
José María Córdova International Airport serves Medellín from Rionegro, a separate municipality in the Aburrá Valley. The airport elevation of 2,142 meters produces mild altitude effects less severe than Bogotá. Medellín itself sits at 1,495 meters, requiring a descent during the transfer journey. The terminal processes international arrivals through a single immigration hall. Wait times range from 10 to 25 minutes during off-peak hours and extend to 45 minutes when multiple wide-body aircraft arrive simultaneously.
Four transportation methods link José María Córdova to Medellín. Combis, shared minivans operating on fixed routes, depart when full with 10 to 12 passengers and charge 18,000 pesos per person. Journey time to Medellín's San Diego mall, a common drop point, requires 45 to 60 minutes on the autopista highway. Private taxis cost between 90,000 and 110,000 pesos for the same route and provide door-to-door service. Uber functions actively in Medellín with fares to Poblado neighborhood hotels running 65,000 to 80,000 pesos. Express buses operated by Rapido Ochoa depart hourly from the terminal to the city's northern bus terminal for 20,000 pesos, requiring passengers to arrange additional transportation from that point.
Colombian airports require arriving passengers to present proof of yellow fever vaccination only when traveling from countries with endemic transmission. The requirement applies specifically to arrivals from Brazil, several African nations, and other designated areas listed by the Colombian Ministry of Health. Passengers arriving from the United States, Canada, Europe, or other non-endemic regions face no vaccination requirements for entry. Airport health authorities do not verify COVID-19 vaccination status or test results as of 2024, though these policies have changed multiple times since 2020 and may change again.
SIM cards for mobile service sell at official carrier kiosks in all three major international terminals. Claro, Movistar, and Tigo maintain counters in the arrivals halls. Prepaid tourist packages provide 5 to 10 gigabytes of data plus domestic calling minutes for 20,000 to 35,000 pesos depending on the data allotment. Activation requires presentation of a passport. The process takes 5 to 10 minutes. Coverage quality varies by carrier and region, with Claro generally providing the most extensive rural network and Tigo offering better urban speeds in major cities.