From San Diego airport to the cruise port

San Diego's airport is close to the ship. San Diego International Airport (SAN) is on North Harbor Drive, the same road as the cruise terminals, and the port describes the drive as less than 10 minutes, about two miles north.

How far it is

The figures vary a little by source. The port's terminal specifications put B Street Pier 2.4 miles from the airport and Broadway Pier 2.7 miles. Holland America says about 2.5 miles and 20 minutes depending on traffic. Norwegian calls it a 10-minute ride, and Royal Caribbean says 3 miles. In practice it is a short taxi ride along the waterfront either way.

Your options

Option	Cost	Good to know
Taxi	From about $25, Holland America's estimate on October 23, 2026	SAN lists five taxi companies
Rideshare	Varies	Uber, Lyft, Wingz and PrimeTime are allowed to pick up at SAN
MTS bus 992	$3 one way for adults from October 1, 2026	Every 15 minutes, 4:15 a.m. to midnight; the port puts the ride at 14 minutes
Your cruise line's transfer	Extra fee, set by the line	Royal Caribbean, Disney and Holland America all sell them

Taxi

The simplest choice with luggage. Holland America's San Diego page said on October 23, 2026 that taxi fares from the airport start at about $25. SAN lists five taxi companies:

• Yellow Radio Service, 619.444.4444
• American Radio Service, 619.234.1111
• Orange Radio Service, 619.223.5555
• San Diego Dispatch, 619.226.8294
• USA Radio Dispatch, 619.231.1144

The airport says drivers aren't allowed to solicit rides on airport property.

Rideshare

SAN authorizes Uber, Lyft, Wingz and PrimeTime. At Terminal 1, the pickup is across the pedestrian crosswalk after baggage claim. At Terminal 2, it is the second lane of the Transportation Plaza. The port says rideshares can drop you on the pier itself, past the gate.

Bus 992

MTS route 992 stops at both airport terminals and runs every 15 minutes, every day from 4:15 a.m. to midnight. It is wheelchair accessible, and you can pay by tapping a card or phone. Downtown it stops at Broadway and Kettner Boulevard, and the port lists it as a way to reach the cruise terminals, a 14-minute ride.

MTS fares changed on October 1, 2026. An adult one-way ticket is now $3, up from $2.50, and $1.50 for seniors, riders with disabilities and Medicare holders. A day pass is $7 from the same date. Riders 18 and under ride free through June 2027 with a Youth Opportunity Pass. Older timetables and signs may still show the $2.50 fare.

Your cruise line's transfer

The port's advice is to ask your line whether it offers an airport transfer. The three lines with the most sailings from San Diego all sell transfers of some kind:

• Royal Caribbean sells transfers to and from the airport at every port, for an extra fee.
• Disney sells round-trip transfers between the port and the nearest airport, booked in the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app or My Reservations.
• Holland America sells transfers from select major airports on embarkation and disembarkation days, so check that San Diego is one of them for your sailing. If you booked your own flights, it wants your flight details at least 14 days before sailing. Unused transfers aren't refunded.

Flying home the same day

Disney recommends allowing at least four hours at each end of the cruise for travel and airport security. Holland America runs a San Diego sightseeing tour on disembarkation day that ends at the airport, and limits it to guests with domestic flights after 4 p.m. or international flights after 4:30 p.m. That gives a sense of how the lines think about timing, even if you aren't taking the tour.

Driving back to the airport from the terminal, head west on North Harbor Drive. SAN's directions put Terminal 1 two miles ahead on the right and Terminal 2 a quarter mile beyond it.

Arriving by train or a different route

Amtrak and COASTER trains stop at the Santa Fe Depot, which the port puts two blocks east of the cruise terminals. Holland America calls it about a mile. Neither the trolley nor the COASTER stops at the airport.

If you're staying near Old Town, the airport runs a free shuttle, the San Diego Flyer, between SAN and the Old Town Transit Center, daily from 4:50 a.m. to 12:20 a.m. It has luggage racks.

ID for the flight

Since May 7, 2025, TSA has required a REAL ID or another accepted ID, such as a passport, to board a domestic flight. TSA's page said on October 23, 2026 that travelers without one pay a $45 fee at the checkpoint. What you need for the cruise itself is a separate question, covered in the documents guide.