Whether via email, text, or call, always ask this to save time and money.
Most people book their flights and hotels on phones or computers via apps. But when it comes to figuring out how to get from your arrival airport to your accommodation, you may want to go a little old-school. Sure, Google maps, Rome2Rio, and similar apps are helpful. But the best source may be only a phone call or email away.
Always ask your hotel or Airbnb host the best way to get from the airport to where you are staying.
Hotel staff and area residents know local knowledge that may be hard or impossible to find online, like whether you’re arriving during a big football match, getaway weekend, public protest, or local holiday.
Case in point: I arrived in a South American capital and took a bus from the airport to the center of town, where I intended to walk a few blocks to my hotel. Unfortunately, after getting off the bus I walked into a huge cloud of tear gas, byproduct of a labor protest that had been planned a few days earlier. A call to my hotel would have alerted me to take the metro or a taxi.
Another time I arrived in Madrid and hopped on the train, per Google’s suggestion of the fastest route. I didn’t know there was construction on the rails, which meant transferring to a bus halfway through the journey—a bus that seemingly stopped at every street corner before mine. My Airbnb host said she would’ve suggested an express bus from the airport instead.
Time is money, especially when you’re on vacation. You may learn a commuter lane or closed bridge makes a bus or subway faster than a taxi. A local’s intel can also help you determine how much time you need to budget for your journey back to the airport on your return trip.
While you certainly can consult map apps or ask Siri or Alexa for directions from the airport to your vacation digs, your hotel front desk receptionist or Airbnb host may be able to give better directions and advice based on when you’re visiting, the time of your arrival, and your travel budget. On more than one occasion, I’ve been told about a free airport shuttle that took me right to (or nearly so) my destination.
Twist’s Take: Online sources for route-planning are great, but don’t overlook asking for directions from a local.
