Cash in pesos and the InDrive app already on your phone?
If you land in Terminal A or B at PVR and already use InDrive elsewhere in Mexico, you can try it here as the lowest-cost play, but only if you’re patient and comfortable negotiating in Spanish.
How InDrive works at Puerto Vallarta Airport
InDrive runs on bid-style pricing: you type in your pickup at “Aeropuerto Internacional Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz” and drop-off, then propose a fare in MXN. Drivers can accept, reject, or counter. From PVR into the Hotel Zone, locals on Reddit report undercutting Uber by 10–30 MXN on short trips, but demand from the airport means lowball bids often get ignored.
Expect weaker availability than Uber or DiDi
Reddit users in r/PuertoVallarta say airport pickups on InDrive are hit-or-miss compared with Uber and DiDi, with longer waits and more cancellations. In smaller markets like Puerto Vallarta, Mexico-wide threads mention variable driver availability and occasional no-shows, so don’t count on InDrive for a tight evening flight out of Terminal A or B.
Step-by-step: trying InDrive from PVR
- 1. Connect to Wi‑Fi in Terminal A or B and update the InDrive app before walking out to the curb.
- 2. Set pickup as “Aeropuerto Internacional PVR” and confirm the exact exterior door number printed above the exit.
- 3. Check Uber and DiDi first; note their quoted prices in MXN for the same route, then open InDrive.
- 4. Propose an InDrive fare about 10–15% below the lowest Uber/DiDi quote for short hops, or match it if you see few drivers nearby.
- 5. Watch for a driver to accept or counter; if nothing happens in 5–7 minutes, bump your bid or switch back to Uber/DiDi.
- 6. Once matched, message the driver in simple Spanish (e.g., “Estoy en la puerta 5”) so they can find you outside the terminal.
- 7. Pay in cash at drop-off with small bills in pesos; many InDrive rides around PVR still run cash-heavy according to r/mexico users.
Watch out for
Because InDrive at PVR leans heavily on cash, arriving with only large notes (like 500 MXN) can stall the handoff if your driver has no change. Also, some drivers refuse low airport fares outright, so several failed bids and 15+ minute waits are common in busy periods.
What regulars do and one tip
Local power users often open Uber, DiDi, and InDrive at the same time, then only stick with InDrive when the bid clearly beats the other two without stretching the wait. One practical tip: decide your personal cutoff—if you don’t have a driver locked in by 10 minutes after bidding, abandon InDrive and book Uber or DiDi so you’re not burning daylight on the curb.