Puerto Princesa International Airport (airport code PPS) is the front door to Palawan, and it’s refreshingly small: one passenger terminal, one baggage carousel area, one arrivals exit (last verified July 2026). You cannot get lost in it, and that single exit is exactly why a pre-booked van pickup works so well here.
The ten minutes after landing
Domestic flights from Manila, Cebu, and Clark park close to the terminal; you’re usually off the plane and standing at the carousel within a few minutes. Bags for these smaller aircraft come out fast. From the carousel it’s a short walk to the arrivals hall and out the exit — where drivers and greeters wait with name signs.
SIM cards and eSIMs
Telco counters and kiosks selling Smart and Globe tourist SIMs operate around the arrivals area (last verified July 2026). Prices are close to what you’d pay in town, so grabbing one on the spot is fine. If you prefer to land connected, buy an eSIM online before flying — both major Philippine networks work along most of the Puerto Princesa–El Nido highway, with a known dead stretch in the middle (see our drive guide).
Cash and ATMs
There are ATMs at the airport (last verified July 2026), but like ATMs everywhere in Palawan they occasionally run empty on peak days. Philippine ATMs typically charge foreign cards a fixed withdrawal fee, and El Nido itself is still cash-heavy. Practical play: withdraw one healthy amount here or in Puerto Princesa city rather than counting on El Nido’s machines.
Where your van meets you
- Book your transfer before you fly and add your flight number — we track it and time the pickup.
- Your driver or our representative waits in the arrivals area with a name sign, or messages you on WhatsApp the moment your flight lands.
- Airport pickup costs nothing extra — it’s treated like any Puerto Princesa City address.
- Grab your SIM and cash first; the van leaves on its slot, and everything above takes ten minutes in this airport.
Landing late?
The drive north is 5–6 hours, so evening arrivals reach El Nido well after dark. If your flight lands late afternoon or later, decide between riding the last departure of the day or overnighting in Puerto Princesa and taking a fresh morning van — many travellers sleep better choosing the second.
