To visit San Miguel de Allende requires a bit of planning, as it’s located about 150 miles north of Mexico City.
The closest major airports are Guanajuato International Airport (BJX) in Guanajato and Querétaro Intercontinental Airport (QRO) in Querétaro. Both airports are about 1.5 hours away from San Miguel de Allende.
It’s hard to come by inexpensive flights to either hub. For most travelers, a journey involves a layover to a city with direct flights to either airport. For serious deal seekers, the cheapest flights can be found to Mexico City and Guadalajara — a four-hour drive; 4.5-hour drive, respectively.
“Most flights involve a connection and, in my case, I flew out from New York and connected in Mexico City,” reported Danielle Pointdujour for Travel + Leisure. “Your hotel should be able to arrange an airport transfer, or you can rent a car and drive into the city yourself. I opted for the hotel transfer which cost $185 one way.”
Travelers can easily find $400 nonstop round-trip flights to Mexico City from New York City in late October, with fares staying constant through November and early December. Los Angeles-based travelers can score fares for $250 round trip from October through early February. Flights to Guadalajara are priced similarly. (Pro-tip: be on the lookout for deals from Mexico’s low-cost carriers, like Volaris and Viva Aerobus.)
Those comfortable driving can opt to rent a car to get to San Miguel de Allende. Or you can book a private car to take you directly. If you’re landing at closer airport, then ride-hailing apps and taxis are also an option. (An Uber ride from QRO, for example, starts at $60. If you’re traveling in a group, this could be as little as $15 a person.)
While going by car is the fastest and most comfortable option, a number of buses service these routes for a much more wallet-friendly price. From either Mexico City or Guadalajara, travelers can find regular buses to Querétaro for as little as $12. (A number of bus lines service this route in 15-minute intervals.) The hourly bus from Querétaro to San Miguel de Allende starts at $3. That means you could travel from either coast to San Miguel de Allende for as little as $253, including all buses and flights.
In the end of the day, it’s all worth the effort. “San Miguel de Allende may not be top of mind for many travelers when they plan trips to Mexico,” wrote Pointdujour for T+L. “There’s no doubt that after one visit, you’ll be ready to come back for more.”
San Miguel Times
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