Package guests with Expedia or Apple Vacations usually land in an Amstar van
If your Puerto Vallarta trip came as a package through Expedia, Apple Vacations, or a big tour operator, Amstar DMC is probably the transfer baked into the deal, moving you from PVR’s Terminal A arrivals to the hotel zone, Marina, or Nuevo Vallarta. This is a prebooked shuttle setup, not something you hail curbside.
After you clear customs in Terminal A, walk straight past the timeshare gauntlet for about 30–60 meters and look for Amstar uniforms and branded signs just outside customs; that’s where staff stage guests into vans. Your voucher usually spells this out, including the Amstar logo and a reminder to ignore other sales pitches inside the hall.
Most “included” transfers at PVR run as shared vans with multiple resort stops, so expect extra time compared with a 25–35 minute taxi ride to Marina or central Puerto Vallarta. If you hit traffic and you’re the third or fourth hotel on the list, the shuttle leg can stretch well past an hour door to door.
The main complaint in TripAdvisor reviews is the long wait at the airport while Amstar fills each van; 20–40 minutes sitting in the holding area is common when several flights land close together. Add in three or four drop-offs and your first margarita at a resort in Nuevo Vallarta might be 90 minutes after clearing customs.
Amstar reps often pitch paid excursions during the ride or at a “welcome chat” at the hotel, with specific offers like boat tours and canopy zipline packages; some guests like bundling one more activity, others call it a hard sell. If you already booked tours online, it helps to say that clearly once and then put on headphones.
Regulars who still like the structure of a DMC but hate the delay often pay extra for a private Amstar transfer at least one way, cutting out the multiple stops, or they skip the included return and take a metered taxi or Uber from the hotel, which usually hits PVR in 25–35 minutes depending on traffic on Highway 200.
Practical tip: Screenshot your Amstar voucher with the meeting point and confirmation number before you land, then follow the signs to customs in Terminal A, keep walking until you’re physically outside the glass doors, and only talk to staff holding the exact Amstar logo on your paperwork.