Quick answer. Two things, in order. First, book your transfer before you fly and do not stop walking. The corridor between immigration and the exit at SJD is lined with people behind desks that read like transport, information or tourist assistance; most are timeshare representatives paid a commission to route you into a sales presentation. A polite no while continuing to walk is the entire technique. Second, withdraw pesos, not dollars, and use a bank machine. Mexico is one of the countries where Bank of America has a Global ATM Alliance partner, Scotiabank, so a BoA card skips the flat non-network fee there, though the 3 percent conversion charge still applies and is never waived. Decline every offer to complete the transaction in dollars: Mexican machines push that harder than almost anywhere and it costs 5 to 12 percent.
Where to get Mexican peso at SJD
The expensive decisions at SJD are made in the first four minutes: which desk you stop at, and which machine you use. Neither is signposted as a choice. Here is what each route costs on the equivalent of $100 in pesos.
| Option | Where | Markup | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scotiabank ATM with a BoA card | SJD or in town | Interbank + BoA 3% (no flat non-network fee) | ~$97 |
| Bank ATM in San José or Cabo San Lucas | Downtown branches | Interbank + a fixed Mexican bank fee | ~$96-98 |
| Bank ATM at SJD | Arrivals | Interbank + a fixed Mexican bank fee | ~$96-98 |
| Standalone machine in the exit corridor | SJD arrivals | Own surcharge + poor rate + hard DCC pitch | ~$86-92 |
| Accepting the machine's dollar rate | Any Mexican ATM | 5-12% on top of everything else | ~$85-91 |
Getting through the SJD arrivals corridor, and where the machines are
SJD runs three terminals, and which one you land in depends on your airline rather than your nationality: Terminal 1 handles domestic traffic and some international, Terminal 2 takes most of the US and Canadian carriers, and Terminal 3 handles additional international arrivals. They are separate buildings connected by shuttle, so a machine described in one is not necessarily near you. What is the same in all of them is the layout of the exit: after immigration and customs you walk a corridor before you reach the doors, and that corridor is commercial space. The desks in it are not airport information. They belong to timeshare operators and transfer resellers, and the offer of a discounted ride, a free breakfast or a free cruise is attached to a presentation booked for ninety minutes that routinely runs three or four hours. Book a transfer in advance and you have no reason to stop. On the machines: prefer a bank-branded ATM, with Scotiabank the one to look for if you carry a Bank of America card, and treat the standalone units near the exits as a last resort. If nothing bank-branded is available, withdraw a small amount here and a proper amount at a branch in San José del Cabo or Cabo San Lucas, listed in our Los Cabos money guide.
Terminal 1
Domestic Mexican carriers plus some international services
Machines are in the arrivals area and along the exit corridor. Prefer a bank-branded ATM, Scotiabank first if you hold a Bank of America card, and choose pesos rather than accepting the machine's dollar conversion. The corridor here is shorter than in Terminal 2 but works the same way; keep walking to the doors and meet your pre-booked driver outside.
Terminal 2
The bulk of US and Canadian traffic: American, United, Delta, Alaska, Southwest, WestJet, Air Canada
This is the terminal most readers of this page will land in, and it has the longest exit corridor. Machines are available before and after the desks. The rule is unchanged: bank-branded machine, pesos not dollars, decline conversion. Ignore anyone who asks where you are staying, however official the desk looks, and do not hand over a passport to arrange a transfer.
Terminal 3
Additional international arrivals and seasonal charter services
A separate building again, with the same arrangement of machines and desks. The terminals are linked by shuttle rather than a walkway, so allow time if you are connecting. Withdraw only what you need to start with and take the rest at a branch in town, where the choice of bank machines is wider and the standalone units are easier to avoid.
Do you actually need cash at Los Cabos (SJD)?
Not to get out of the airport, if you booked ahead. But you will want pesos quickly, because the cheap version of Los Cabos runs on them. Here is what a card covers on the way to the coast:
Pre-booked private transfer (varies by destination): Paid by card in advance, cheaper than an airport taxi, and the single best defence against the arrivals corridor because it gives you nothing to arrange.
Shared shuttle to San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas (per-person fare): Slower because it drops other passengers first, but considerably cheaper for one or two people travelling light.
Airport taxi (~MX$1,200-1,800 to Cabo San Lucas): Unmetered and expensive, with the fare agreed before you get in; confirm whether the number quoted is pesos or dollars, because the ambiguity is deliberate.
Uber or DiDi (well below taxi rates): Both operate in Los Cabos and bill the card in the app, but airport pickup has long been contested by the taxi unions and may mean walking off the terminal property to meet the driver.
⚠ DCC trap. When the ATM or terminal asks if you want to be charged in your home currency instead of the local currency, always decline and choose the local currency. Accepting locks in a 3-13 percent markup that your no-FX-fee card cannot undo. Full DCC explainer →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need cash to get from Los Cabos (SJD) to Cabo San Lucas?
Not if you booked ahead. Pre-booked transfers, shared shuttles, Uber and DiDi are all card-paid. Airport taxis are unmetered and want cash, and the fare is agreed before you get in. Where you will want pesos fast is once you arrive: the Ruta del Desierto bus, the water taxis and every tip are cash.
Can I order Mexican peso before flying?
Worth doing for the first day. CEI Currency Exchange ships Mexican pesos to a US address in 2-5 days, which means you arrive with tipping money and small notes and can walk straight past both the exchange counter and the corridor desks. Ask for small denominations: a MX$500 note is no use to a taco stand or a panga operator, and tipping in pesos rather than dollar bills is worth more to the person receiving it.