How early should I get to SJD?
Los Cabos International Airport, San José del Cabo, Mexico · Checked Oct 25, 2026
The short answer
When you're traveling outside of the United States, we suggest arriving at least 3 hours prior to your departure. (Delta; Southwest and JetBlue also advise 3 hours at Los Cabos.)
Those are blanket rules. Your real number depends on your terminal, the time of day, passport control and whether you're checking a bag. Leave By works out your exact leave time.
Source: delta.com
Passport control on the way out
Mexico has no separate exit immigration check for air departures. Your airline checks your passport at check-in. US airlines fly from Terminal 2. Air arrivals get either a passport stamp or, at the Terminal 2 e-gates, a printed ticket with a QR code. E-gate users get no stamp, and the ticket links to the digital FMM. UK government advice says you must show your passport with its entry stamp, or the printed e-gate ticket, when you leave. If you lose your passport, replacing the entry stamp costs about 700 pesos at an airport immigration office. Baja California Sur charges international visitors an 'Embrace It' fee, reported at 470 pesos in December 2025. Reports say airport checks of the QR receipt are rare, but they can happen. Los Cabos has no US preclearance, so you clear US immigration and customs after you land.
More on exit checks, the EU's Entry/Exit System and US preclearance: how early for an international flight.
Security lines at SJD
This research found no published security wait times for Los Cabos. Wikipedia notes congestion and capacity limits at peak hours. Terminal 2 expansion work began in mid-2026.
Terminals and checkpoints
Terminal 1
Aeroméxico, Viva Aerobus, Volaris
- Domestic Mexican flights; no US airlines are listed here
- Domestic flights are due to move into Terminal 2 by late 2027, after which Terminal 1 will close for a time
Terminal 2
American, Delta, United, Alaska, Southwest, JetBlue, Frontier, Sun Country, Air Canada, WestJet
- International terminal; customs and immigration are on the ground floor
- Being expanded in 2026; expect temporary walls, rerouted corridors and longer walks to gates
- Southwest's ticket counter opens three hours before its first departure; gates change daily
- JetBlue's ticket counter opens 3 hours before departure; its lobby is cashless and it has no priority security lane or curbside check-in here
Getting to SJD
Rideshare and taxi: You can take an Uber to the airport; drop-offs at departures are allowed. Uber pickups at the airport are still prohibited, which only affects arrivals. Uber puts the average trip from San José del Cabo at about 21 minutes and 12 km, with an average UberX fare of about MX$255 over the past month. Private transfers and shared shuttles have the federal plates needed to work at the airport, so the Cabo Sun suggests pre-booking one.
Driving and parking: The airport is about 8 miles from San José del Cabo and about a 23-mile drive from Cabo San Lucas. Mexico News Daily put the drive from Cabo San Lucas on Federal Highway 1 at about 40 minutes; the airport toll road is faster and costs up to 113 pesos. The Cabo Sun says most transfers from Cabo San Lucas use the toll road. The underpass at the former Fonatur roundabout, whose construction had slowed airport traffic, opened on May 25, 2026.
Construction and changes in 2026
- Terminal 2 is being expanded. Heavy construction began around mid-2026, and the airport stays open throughout. Expect temporary walls, rerouted walkways, changing signs and longer walks to gates (The Cabo Sun, March 2026).
- The work adds three gates, new jet bridges and nearly 20 self-service check-in kiosks. Terminal 2 will grow by about 22,000 square meters.
- Domestic flights are due to move from Terminal 1 into Terminal 2 by late 2027. Terminal 1 will then close for a time. Mexico News Daily says the full upgrade should be done by 2029.
Checking a bag
Delta: check in at least 1 hour before international departures; Los Cabos is not on its list of airports with earlier cutoffs. American, United, Alaska and Southwest: check-in closes 60 minutes before international departures (AP, May 2025). JetBlue: check in and check bags at least 60 minutes before international departures. Southwest's ticket counter opens three hours before its first departure, and JetBlue's opens 3 hours before departure.
SJD tips first-timers miss
- US airlines, including American, Delta, United, Alaska, Southwest and JetBlue, fly from Terminal 2. Terminal 1 is for domestic Mexican flights.
- Keep your passport with its entry stamp, or your printed e-gate ticket, until you have left Mexico.
- Allow extra time to walk to your gate. Terminal 2 is under construction, and walkways and signs may change.
- Uber is fine for getting to the airport. The pickup ban applies only to arrivals.
- Bring a card if you fly JetBlue. Its Los Cabos lobby does not accept cash.
- Keep your Embrace It QR receipt on your phone. Reports say checks are rare, but they can happen.
Leaving for SJD?
Pick your flight and where you're starting. Leave By checks live traffic, security lines and your terminal, and tells you the minute to walk out the door.
Free. No account.
Questions travelers ask
How early should I get to Los Cabos Airport for a flight to the US?
Three hours. Delta, Southwest and JetBlue all advise 3 hours. Check-in and bag drop close 60 minutes before departure on the main US airlines.
Which Los Cabos terminal is my flight to the US from?
Terminal 2. American, Delta, United, Alaska, Southwest, JetBlue, Frontier and Sun Country all fly from there. Terminal 1 handles domestic Mexican flights.
Do I go through immigration when leaving Mexico?
There is no separate exit check. Your airline checks your passport. Keep your passport with its entry stamp, or your e-gate ticket, in case you are asked.
Can I take an Uber to Los Cabos Airport?
Yes. Uber drop-offs at departures are allowed. Uber pickups at the airport are still prohibited.
Is Los Cabos Airport under construction?
Yes. Terminal 2 is being expanded, with heavy work since mid-2026. The airport stays open, but expect detours and longer walks to gates.
Sources
- Delta - International check-in time requirements
- Southwest - Airport information (Los Cabos, Terminal 2)
- JetBlue - Los Cabos airport information
- JetBlue - Airport check-in (cutoff times)
- AP via MyNorthwest - United narrows check-in window; airline comparison (May 27, 2025)
- Aeropuertos del Mundo - Los Cabos airlines by terminal (updated Oct 15, 2026)
- Wikipedia - Los Cabos International Airport
- Visit Los Cabos - Los Cabos airports
- The Cabo Sun - Los Cabos airport expansion underway in 2026 (Mar 23, 2026)
- The Cabo Sun - Los Cabos airport to convert to a single terminal (Nov 14, 2025)
- Mexico News Daily - Infrastructure projects in Los Cabos (Sep 17, 2025)
- Zeta Tijuana - Sheinbaum opens the Glorieta de las Mujeres Libres underpass (Jun 2, 2026)
- The Cabo Sun - Los Cabos airport e-gates (Apr 10, 2026)
- GOV.UK - Mexico entry requirements
- The Mexico Handbook - The FMM and tourist entry to Mexico (updated Oct 25, 2026)
- The Alviator - Countries without departure immigration (Mar 12, 2026)
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection - Preclearance locations (none in Mexico)
- The Cabo Sun - Taking an Uber to Los Cabos airport for departures in 2026 (Jan 12, 2026)
- Gringo Gazette - No airport concession for Uber after taxi agreement (Apr 15, 2026)
- Uber - Los Cabos Airport (SJD)
- The Cabo Sun - Los Cabos tourists must pay separate Embrace It tax in 2026 (Dec 23, 2025)
- PAX News - Baja California Sur tourist tax extended through 2026 (Dec 2, 2025)
- Embrace It - Official Baja California Sur government site
Airport conditions change. Always follow your airline's check-in and bag-drop deadlines.