Air

Almost all international flights into Peru touch down at Aeropuerto Internacional Jorge Chávez, on the northwestern fringe of Lima. Nonstop flying times to Lima are 5 hours, 35 minutes from Miami; 6 hours, 35 minutes from Houston; 7½ hours from New York; and 8 hours, 20 minutes from Los Angeles.

Airports

Peru's main international point of entry is Aeropuerto Internacional Jorge Chávez (LIM), 11 km (7 miles) from Lima’s historic center and 17 km (10 miles) from Miraflores. It's a completely modern facility with plenty of shops, eateries, and flights that arrive and depart 24 hours a day. ATMs and currency exchange offices are in the arrivals area. ATMs can also be found in the departures area. You will get a better exchange rate from a bank-affiliated ATM or at a currency exchange on the street, so you may want to change or take out a small amount to pay any necessary taxis.

Ground Transportation

If your hotel doesn't offer to pick you up at the airport, you'll have to take a taxi. Arrange a ride with one of the official airport taxis whose companies have counters inside the arrivals area of the terminal or by using the ride-hailing service Cabify (www.cabify.com). A trip to most places in the city should cost no more than US$20–US$25. It's a 30-minute drive to El Centro and a 45-minute drive to Miraflores and San Isidro. During rush hour (8–10 am and 5–9 pm), driving times in Lima can double, so plan accordingly.

The Airport Express Lima is a very convenient and cheap bus service between Lima's airport and the hotels in Miraflores or San Isidro. Buses are equipped with on-board Wi-Fi, USB ports, and air-conditioning, and fares start at US$6 one way.

Flights

Dozens of international flights land daily at Lima's Aeropuerto Internacional Jorge Chávez; although most are from other Latin American cities, there are many from the United States as well. Delta flies from Atlanta, American flies from Miami and New York's JFK, United flies from Houston, and Spirit and JetBlue both fly from Fort Lauderdale. South American–based LATAM flies from Los Angeles and Miami and Air Canada flies from Toronto.

If you're arriving from other Latin American cities, you have a wide range of regional carriers at your disposal. LATAM has flights from most major airports in the region, as does Avianca, which now also flies direct between Bogotá, Colombia, and Cusco. Copa (affiliated with United) flies from its hub in Panama City, Aeroméxico flies from Mexico City, Aerolineas Argentinas flies from Buenos Aires, and Sky Airlines flies from Santiago, Chile.

Domestic

With four mountain ranges and a large swath of the Amazon jungle running through Peru, flying is the best way to travel from Lima to most cities and towns. LATAM, the carrier that operates the majority of flights within the country, departs several times each day for Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Chiclayo, Cusco, Iquitos, Piura, Puerto Maldonado, Pucallpa, Tacna, Tarapoto, Trujillo, and Tumbes. Star Perú flies to Cusco, Huánuco, Iquitos, Pucallpa, Puerto Maldonado, and Tarapoto. Avianca flies to Arequipa, Cusco, Iquitos, Juliaca, Piura, Puerto Maldonado, and Trujillo. Viva Air Peru flies between Lima and Arequipa, Chiclayo, Cusco, Iquitos, Piura, and Tarapoto.