Can you leave the airport?
Your hours, planned
Survive & recharge
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Connections at BOG: the honest numbers
The indicative minimum international-to-international connection at Bogotá El Dorado is 60 minutes on a single booking with bags checked through. On separate tickets, add roughly 90 minutes: you'll collect bags, recheck them, and re-clear security — and no airline is obliged to help if the first leg runs late.
Transfer specifics
- Terminal 1 handles almost everything, including all international flights and most Avianca and LATAM connections; the small Terminal 2 is only Clic, Jetsmart and Satena. A T1–T2 move is a shuttle ride, so treat it as extra time.
- International-to-domestic connections have bags checked through and you skip immigration on arrival; international-to-international means clearing passport control (20–75 minutes depending on the bank) before your onward flight. Domestic-to-domestic is quick — often 5–20 minutes gate to gate.
Leaving BOG during a layover
Colombia admits over 90 nationalities visa-free — Australian, NZ, UK, US, Canadian, Japanese and EU passports get a free 90-day entry stamp (extendable once), so leaving the airport is straightforward paperwork-wise. The real constraints are time and altitude: immigration runs 20–75 minutes, the historic centre is only ~12 km west but Bogotá traffic is heavy (budget 30–60 minutes each way), and there is NO metro — the honest options are a pre-booked transfer, Uber/Bolt or an official airport taxi rather than the complicated TransMilenio bus transfer. Bogotá sits at 2,640 m, so move gently and expect to feel the thinner air. Be back 2.5–3 hours before an international departure. The city is about 40 minutes away one-way; as a rule of thumb you want 6+ hours before exiting is worth the queues, and you should be back through security 90 minutes before boarding.
Worth your hours in Bogotá
- 6–8h: taxi or Uber to La Candelaria — Plaza de Bolívar, the colonial streets and the Gold Museum (Museo del Oro) make a tight loop; note the Gold Museum is closed Mondays
- 8h+: add the Monserrate funicular for the view over the city, or the Botero Museum (closed Tuesdays)
- Altitude honesty: at 2,640 m the walk up to sights feels harder than it looks — pace yourself and hydrate
Staying airside instead
- 24/7 luggage storage (Guardería de Equipaje) in Terminal 1, Floor 1 near arrivals — handy for exploring on a longer layover
- Strong lounge line-up: the El Dorado Lounge plus Avianca and LATAM lounges, most Priority Pass accessible
- Colombian coffee done properly (Juan Valdez, OMA) and duty-free emerald shopping are the two things worth doing airside
Sleeping, showers and lounges at BOG
Sleep: No dedicated sleep pods, but El Dorado is generally considered safe for an overnight airside wait. For a proper room the Habitel is very close to the terminal and there are airport-adjacent hotels a short transfer away. The lounges are the more comfortable option for a few hours between flights. Airport hotels & sleep pods
Showers: Available in the main lounges (El Dorado, Avianca, LATAM).
Lounges: The El Dorado Lounge plus Avianca and LATAM lounges in Terminal 1, several Priority Pass accessible; busiest around the late-night departure bank to North America and Europe. Priority Pass membership (frequent flyers)
Overnight reality: Overnighting airside is common and reasonably comfortable by regional standards, with 24-hour dining in Terminal 1. Keep valuables on you as anywhere, and if you'd rather a bed, the Habitel is a short hop from the terminal.
BOG layover FAQ
Can I leave Bogotá airport on a layover?
Yes for most travellers — Colombia gives Australian, NZ, UK, US, Canadian, Japanese and EU passports a free 90-day entry stamp. Plan around time and altitude, not paperwork: immigration is 20–75 minutes, the centre is ~30–60 minutes away in traffic with no metro, and you want to be back 2.5–3 hours before an international flight, so ~6 hours is a sensible floor.
Do I need a visa to transit Bogotá?
For a straight international-to-international connection you stay airside and clear passport control without entering Colombia. To actually leave, over 90 nationalities enter visa-free for 90 days. A few passports (check yours) need a transit visa even airside, so confirm with your airline if you're unsure — and note bags aren't always checked through on separate international tickets.
How do I get from BOG into Bogotá?
There's no metro. The practical options are a pre-booked transfer, Uber/Bolt, or an official airport taxi from the rank — the centre is ~12 km but 30–60 minutes in traffic. The TransMilenio bus is technically possible (free feeder shuttle to the El Dorado stop, then a red Line 1 bus with a Tullave card) but it's fiddly and not recommended for a time-limited layover.
Can I sleep at Bogotá airport?
There are no sleep pods, but El Dorado is generally safe for an overnight airside stay and Terminal 1 has 24-hour food. For a real bed the Habitel hotel is very close to the terminal. Keep your valuables on you, as at any airport.
Some links above are affiliate links — they cost you nothing and fund keeping this data verified. We only link products we'd use on the layover in question.
Minimum connection times are indicative and vary by airline, terminal pair and season; visa notes are simplified general guidance, not immigration advice. Facts on this page were last verified on 2026-07-22. If anything has changed, tell us and we'll fix it fast.