If your trip starts or ends with one night in Guatemala City, because your flight lands after dark or leaves at dawn, this page answers the three things you need to decide for that night: which zone, which hotels publish their own airport shuttle, and how to get between the airport and the hotel safely. It uses the hotels’ own websites and the US and UK travel advisories, and says where each fact comes from.
Quick summary: La Aurora airport (GUA) is in Zona 13; hotels there, such as Dos Lunas, advertise a free shuttle and say they are a minute from the terminal. Zona 9 (Barceló: 2.5 km from the airport, airport transfer at no additional cost per its FAQ) and Zona 10 / Zona Viva (Wyndham Garden: 4 km, shuttle for a fee) put you among restaurants and offices. The US lists Zone 18 and Villa Nueva as do-not-travel areas; the UK says no zone is crime-free, Zone 10 included, and advises care in Zone 1. At the airport, use the INGUAT-approved SAFE taxi stand, a hotel taxi or Uber. Checked 25 September 2026.
Pick the zone by your flight
| Your situation | Zone to look at | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Landing late, or flying out early the next morning | Zona 13 (the airport’s zone) | Dos Lunas, 21 Calle 10-92 zona 13, says it is 1 minute from La Aurora and pitches itself at late arrivals and early departures; free shuttle until 22:45 (hotel website) |
| One night with restaurants and a full-service hotel | Zona 9 or Zona 10 | Barceló Guatemala City, 7a Avenida 15-45 zona 9, says it is 2.5 km from the airport and 4.5 km from the historic center. Wyndham Garden, 1era Avenida 12-46 zona 10, places itself in the Zona Viva, four kilometres from the airport |
| You want to see the historic centre | Zona 1, with care | The UK Foreign Office calls Zone 1 the historical centre, where cheaper hotels are located and several bus routes end, and says tourists there have been targeted by opportunistic criminals |
| Anywhere in Zone 18 or Villa Nueva | Avoid | US State Department: Level 4, do not travel |
More detail on the neighbourhoods themselves, from a resident’s point of view: Zona 10 (Zona Viva), Zona 14, Zona 4 and Zona 1.
What the travel advisories say about the city
Two governments publish zone-level advice for Guatemala City. Both were read on 24 September 2026.
United States (State Department): it lists “Zone 18 in Guatemala City and the city of Villa Nueva” at Level 4, and says: “Outside of Zone 18 and Villa Nueva, U.S. government employees and their families can travel throughout Guatemala City, including at night.”
United Kingdom (Foreign Office):
“No parts of Guatemala City are free from crime, including Zone 10 (Zona Viva), which is popular with tourists and foreign residents.”
The UK page also says that if you plan to stay in the outer zones such as 18-25, you should use reputable chain hotels and research the area extensively, and that Zones 6, 7 and 8 “should also be treated with caution”.
Neither government ranks Zona 9, 10, 13 or 14 against each other, and the Diálogos homicide data we use elsewhere reports Guatemala City as one municipality with no zone breakdown. Our safest places in Guatemala guide has the city-wide rate and the department tables.
Hotels that publish their own airport shuttle terms
We list only hotels whose own website states the shuttle terms, read on 25 September 2026. Terms differ from hotel to hotel (the Wyndham below charges extra), so check with the hotel.
| Hotel (zone) | Distance to the airport, as the hotel states it | Airport shuttle, as the hotel states it |
|---|---|---|
| Dos Lunas B&B / hostel (Zona 13) | 1 minute from La Aurora | Free airport pickup or drop-off; the site says the free shuttle is available until 22:45 |
| Barceló Guatemala City (Zona 9) | 2.5 km (1.5 miles) | Its FAQ: “offers a transfer service to the airport closest to the hotel at no additional cost. Book your appointment with the hotel to enjoy this service.” (The site also lists “Round-trip transfer to the airport included” as a perk of its Urban deals and Last Minute Deals offers.) |
| Wyndham Garden Guatemala City (Zona 10) | Four kilometres | “reachable via our airport shuttle for an extra fee” |
We do not publish ratings or prices for these hotels, and a listing here is not a recommendation. The live map below shows current availability and rates.
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Getting from the terminal to the hotel
- The SAFE taxi stand. The US State Department says: “Only use INGUAT-approved taxis from the “SAFE” stand at the airport, hotel taxis, or vetted private drivers.” It names Taxis Amarillo Express, Taxi Seguro and Uber as trusted services, and says to avoid white taxis and public transport.
- Pre-paid vouchers. The UK Foreign Office says you can buy pre-paid taxi vouchers from the office of INGUAT, Guatemala’s tourist agency, in the arrivals terminal.
- Hotel shuttle. If your hotel runs one, book it in advance with the hotel; the Barceló asks guests to do so.
- Uber and the taxi desk. The Uber pick-up area, Uber fare ranges to Zonas 10, 14 and 1, and the official taxi desk are on La Aurora airport transfers.
Going straight on instead
If you are not staying in the city at all, the onward transfers from the airport are on their own pages: airport to Antigua and airport to Lake Atitlán. For planning the whole route, see how many days in Guatemala.
Related guides
- La Aurora airport transfers
- Long layover in Guatemala City: can you leave the airport?
- Safest places in Guatemala
- Guatemala travel budget per day
- Cost of living in Guatemala City
Last checked 25 September 2026. Sources: hotel websites of Dos Lunas (hoteldoslunas.com), Barceló Guatemala City (barcelo.com) and Wyndham Garden Guatemala City (wyndhamhotels.com), read 25 September 2026; US State Department, Guatemala Travel Advisory, and UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Guatemala safety and security, both read 24 September 2026. Hotel terms change; confirm the shuttle and its hours with the hotel when you book.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which zone is Guatemala City's airport in?
La Aurora International Airport (GUA) is in Zona 13. The hotels that describe themselves as next to the airport are there too: Dos Lunas, for example, gives its address as 21 Calle 10-92, zona 13 and says it is 1 minute from La Aurora (hotel website, read 25 September 2026).
Is it better to stay near the airport or in Zona 10?
It depends on the time of your flight and what you want to do. For a late arrival or an early departure, a Zona 13 hotel with its own free shuttle keeps the airport run short: Dos Lunas says it is 1 minute from the terminal. For a night with restaurants around you, Zona 10 is the area the UK Foreign Office calls popular with tourists and foreign residents; the Wyndham Garden there says it is four kilometres from the airport. In Zona 9, the Barceló says it is 2.5 km from the airport.
Which Guatemala City hotels have a free airport shuttle?
Of the hotels whose own websites we read on 25 September 2026: Dos Lunas (Zona 13) advertises a free airport shuttle available until 22:45; the Barceló Guatemala City (Zona 9) says in its FAQ that it “offers a transfer service to the airport closest to the hotel at no additional cost” and asks you to book it with the hotel; the Wyndham Garden Guatemala City (Zona 10) says its airport shuttle is for an extra fee. Confirm the terms with the hotel before you rely on them.
Which parts of Guatemala City should visitors avoid?
The US State Department lists Zone 18 in Guatemala City and the separate city of Villa Nueva at Level 4 (do not travel), and says its employees may travel throughout the rest of Guatemala City, including at night. The UK Foreign Office says no part of the city is free from crime, including Zone 10, advises care in Zone 1, caution in Zones 6, 7 and 8, and reputable chain hotels and extensive research before staying in the outer Zones 18-25 (both read 24 September 2026).
How do I get a safe taxi from La Aurora airport?
The US State Department says to use INGUAT-approved taxis from the SAFE stand at the airport, hotel taxis, vetted private drivers, or trusted services such as Taxis Amarillo Express, Taxi Seguro or Uber. The UK Foreign Office says you can buy pre-paid taxi vouchers from the INGUAT office in the arrivals terminal. Our airport-transfers page lists what each option costs.
