El Dorado International Airport, IATA code BOG, is Colombia's primary international gateway and one of the five busiest airports in Latin America. It sits 15 kilometres west of central Bogota in the Fontibon district, at an altitude of 2,548 metres (8,361 feet) which makes it one of the highest-elevation major international airports in the world; the thin air affects aircraft performance, fuel planning, and takes some first-time visitors by surprise when they feel a little out of breath climbing the jetway stairs. The airport was named for the El Dorado legend, the sixteenth-century Spanish myth of a hidden golden city that drew conquistadors into the Colombian Andes; the Muisca raft artefact at the Museo del Oro downtown, just 30 minutes from the airport on a good traffic day, is the artefact that gave the legend form. BOG handled roughly 33 million passengers in 2024 with a 2026 forecast pushing 37 million, and remains the undisputed hub of Avianca, Colombia's flagship carrier and one of the two oldest airlines in the world.
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Getting to and from El Dorado International Airport
The airport operates from two terminals. Terminal 1, the principal building opened in 2012, handles all international traffic and most domestic services on Avianca, LATAM Colombia, Wingo, Satena, Copa, American Airlines, Delta, United, JetBlue, Iberia, Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, Turkish Airlines, Aeromexico, Aerolineas Argentinas and others. Terminal 2, known locally as Puente Aereo (the Air Bridge), is Avianca's legacy domestic shuttle terminal for high-frequency Bogota-Cali, Bogota-Medellin, Bogota-Cartagena and Bogota-Barranquilla routes; it is connected to Terminal 1 by a free shuttle bus every 15 minutes and sits about two kilometres apart on the same airfield. International-to-domestic and domestic-to-international transfers that move between T1 and T2 are not airside-protected; you collect bags, clear customs or check in anew at the other terminal. Budget at least two hours between flights on split-terminal connections, three at peak. Single-terminal connections at T1 can be as short as 90 minutes if you have no checked bag and a boarding pass issued through.
Airside in T1, the terminal has been progressively improved since opening and offers a reasonable range of Colombian and international food outlets. Juan Valdez Cafe, the flagship Colombian specialty coffee chain, has several branches where a tinto (small black coffee) runs COP 5,000 to 8,000 and a pour-over from single-estate Huila or Nariño beans COP 15,000 to 25,000; this is almost certainly the best specialty coffee you'll find in any Latin American airport. Crepes and Waffles, another Colombian chain famous for employing single mothers and for its ajiaco and tropical fruit desserts, has outlets in both terminals. International chains including Starbucks, Burger King, Subway and Wok are also present. A full casual airside meal runs COP 35,000 to 75,000 (approximately USD 9 to 20), a proper sit-down Colombian dinner at the Bogota Beer Company or Corral Gourmet airport outposts is COP 70,000 to 120,000, and bottled water costs COP 5,000 to 8,000 airside. Duty-free is operated by Dufry and is competitive on premium aguardiente and rums (Ron Medellin, Ron Viejo de Caldas), Colombian emeralds, and Juan Valdez ground coffee.
Lounge options at BOG are strong. Avianca operates two principal lounges: the Sala VIP Unete (business and elite Avianca LifeMiles members and Star Alliance Gold) and the Avianca Diamond Lounge, exclusive to LifeMiles Diamond tier and premium cabin long-haul passengers, which is often rated Avianca's best airport product. Copa Club at BOG admits Copa ConnectMiles Presidential and Platinum tier members and Star Alliance Gold partner elites. The American Airlines Admirals Club admits AA elite and oneworld Sapphire and above. LATAM has its own lounge for business class and LATAM Pass Black members. Plaza Premium Lounge accepts Priority Pass, LoungeKey, DragonPass and walk-up paid entry from approximately USD 45. The Mastercard Black and World Elite Lounge is a benefit for qualifying cardholders. The viplounges program in programs_available handles pre-booked discounted access for the paid lounges; prices are usually 20 to 40 per cent below walk-up.
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Airport lounge — El Dorado International Airport
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Nearby hotels in El Dorado International Airport
Ground transport from BOG is the other thing first-time visitors most need to understand. The safest and most predictable option is a metered yellow taxi from the official airport rank, which operates a fixed-fare zone system posted inside the terminal before you exit. Expect COP 40,000 to 60,000 (roughly USD 10 to 15) to most central destinations including La Candelaria, Chapinero, Zona Rosa and Parque 93, with the airport surcharge of COP 5,000 included. Always take a taxi from the official rank, never from touts in arrivals. Ride-hail apps are widely used: Uber operates in Bogota as a legal grey area (technically unregulated but tolerated), DiDi and Cabify are fully legal alternatives, and Beat occasionally operates. Uber prices run COP 35,000 to 55,000 to central Bogota and pickup is from the designated zones outside Door 8 and Door 10 of T1. Pre-booked private transfers through Kiwitaxi or hotel concierges run USD 25 to 50 for a sedan and are worth it for late arrivals or language-concern travellers. Public TransMilenio bus rapid transit does not directly serve the airport; the closest station is Portal El Dorado about two kilometres away, reachable by a local SITP bus, and the transfer is more trouble than it is worth with luggage.
Once you are in Bogota, altitude is the first thing to plan around. Central Bogota sits at 2,640 metres, higher than most travellers have recently experienced, and the effects on a newly arrived body are real: fatigue, mild headaches, disturbed sleep, and slight breathlessness are all normal for the first 24 to 48 hours. Drink extra water, avoid alcohol and heavy meals on your first day, and pace your first day's sightseeing. Coca tea (aguapanela con hojas de coca) is a traditional Andean remedy widely available and legal in Colombia; altitude medication like acetazolamide can help for sensitive travellers. Bogota's standout attractions include La Candelaria (the colonial historic centre with cobblestone streets and street art), Plaza de Bolivar with the Cathedral and Palace of Justice, the Museo del Oro (Gold Museum, one of Latin America's finest at COP 5,000 entry), the Botero Museum (free, housing works by Fernando Botero), Monserrate (the mountaintop sanctuary reached by funicular or cable car at 3,152 metres), and the Usaquen Sunday flea market.
Food and drink are central to a Bogota visit. The canonical dish is ajiaco, a three-potato chicken soup with corn on the cob, capers and cream, found everywhere but done best at La Puerta Falsa in La Candelaria (open since 1816, dishes around COP 20,000). Other essentials: lechona (spiced suckling pig), bandeja paisa (a calorie-dense plate with beans, rice, chicharron, avocado and arepa), arepas with various fillings from street vendors at COP 6,000 to 12,000, and fruit you may never have seen before at the Plaza de Mercado Paloquemao. Third-wave specialty coffee culture is everywhere in Chapinero, Zona G and Quinta Camacho: Libertario, Cafe Cultor, Azahar and Amor Perfecto are world-class at COP 8,000 to 18,000 a flat white.
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Practical info & when to visit
Practical notes. Colombia's currency is the Colombian peso (COP); at current rates roughly 4,000 COP per USD, so prices look large but are modest. Card payment by contactless or chip and PIN is accepted at virtually all airport facilities, hotels, major restaurants, Uber and DiDi; cash matters for small taxi fares, street food, market stalls and small shops. ATMs from Bancolombia, Davivienda and BBVA are available in both terminals; expect COP 15,000 to 25,000 foreign transaction fees per withdrawal. Spanish is the dominant language; English is increasingly spoken by younger staff at the airport, major hotels and higher-end restaurants but is not universal. Time zone is America/Bogota, UTC-5 year-round (no daylight saving).
Safety in Colombia has improved dramatically over the past 20 years but requires smart planning. The airport itself is safe and well-policed. Tourist areas of Bogota including La Candelaria by day, Zona Rosa, Parque 93, Usaquen and Chapinero are comfortable; certain neighbourhoods (parts of Ciudad Bolivar, far south districts, the La Favorita area near the old central station at night) should be avoided by tourists. Common risks are opportunistic phone snatching by motorcycle riders, drink-spiking in bars frequented by foreigners (sometimes with scopolamine known locally as burundanga), and pickpocketing in crowded buses and markets. Never accept drinks from strangers, use licensed taxis and ride-hail apps rather than unbooked cars, and keep phones away from windows when stationary in traffic.
Seasonal timing. Bogota sits near the equator and has no proper seasons. Temperatures are steady year-round at roughly 8 to 20 degrees Celsius every day, cooler than visitors expect for a Latin American capital. There are two wetter periods (April to May and October to November) and two drier periods (December to March and June to August); the drier windows are marginally better for sightseeing and for trips to Zipaquira Salt Cathedral and the Andean highlands. Major events worth planning around include the Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro in March-April (every two years), Rock al Parque free rock festival in late June, the December Ruta de la Navidad Christmas light displays along Carrera Septima, and Bogota's Ciclovia every Sunday and public holiday when 120 kilometres of streets close to cars. BOG handles heavy traffic around Christmas, New Year, Easter Week (Semana Santa) and the July long weekend holidays; book flights early for these dates.