José María Córdova (MDE), Medellín's international airport, is not in Medellín: it sits in Rionegro, in the highlands east of the city. A road tunnel, the Túnel de Oriente, takes you down into the valley in about half an hour.
Before you land
Flying in from abroad? Migración Colombia asks travellers to fill in Check-MIG, its free online form, between 72 hours and one hour before the flight, on the official site.
Getting online
The terminal has free Wi-Fi. If you still need to add an eSIM, do it on the Wi-Fi: adding one from a QR code needs a connection. Once the eSIM is on your phone, turn its line on after landing and choose it for mobile data (switch it on after landing).
From the airport to Medellín
Taxi. Take a taxi from the official rank. Trips between the airport and Medellín cost a fixed fare, not a metered one, and the tunnel toll is included. The taxis that pick up at the airport are white; yellow Medellín taxis bring passengers up but do not pick up at the terminal.
Airport bus. Combuses runs direct buses marked "Aeropuerto" between the terminal and Medellín through the tunnel. In Medellín they stop at the San Diego shopping centre (around the clock), next to Exposiciones metro station and behind the Hotel Nutibara in the centre. You can pay by Cívica card, the Medellín metro card, by QR code in the Cívica app or in cash.
Tunnel closures. The Túnel de Oriente closes on some nights for maintenance, usually from 10 pm to 4 am, and the operator announces the dates in advance. Traffic then takes the Las Palmas road, which is slower.
Good to know
- Two climates. The airport is up in the cooler highlands; Medellín, at about 1,495 m, is mild all year.
- Metro. Medellín has a metro, and the Cívica card works on it too.
- Emergencies. Call 123, Colombia's free national emergency line.
