2026-09-23
You have landed at Tbilisi International Airport, and about half an hour separates the aircraft door from the car door: passport stamp, bags, then the arrivals hall, where our driver waits with a sign carrying your name and a SIM card in his hand, and there is no prepayment: you pay on arrival in Georgia. Tbilisi airport lies about 17 km east of the city centre, 25 to 35 minutes by car.
This Tbilisi airport arrival guide covers the first 30 minutes step by step, then everything that follows them. Figures are approximate and were last checked in September 2026; to price the whole trip, use work out the cost of your trip.
The first 30 minutes at Tbilisi airport: a checklist
- Before leaving the aircraft: have your passport and the WhatsApp or hotel confirmation ready.
- Passport control: Gulf passports are usually stamped in a minute or two; other passports should check the entry rules in Do You Need a Visa for Georgia? Entry Guide for Gulf and Arab Travellers before travelling.
- Baggage: your flight number is on the belt screens and trolleys are free.
- Customs: the green channel if you have nothing to declare, then the arrivals hall.
- Arrivals hall: look for the sign with your name; your driver stands inside the hall right after customs.
- SIM card: if you booked with us, it is in the driver's hand. If not, Magti, Silknet and Cellfie have counters in the hall.
- Money: change only 50 to 100 USD; the city bureaus give a better rate.
- Departure: the driver loads the bags and the first day is paid when it starts, not before.
Money and SIM card at Tbilisi airport
Exchange bureaus and ATMs in the arrivals hall work around the clock. Change 50 to 100 USD for the first day, then finish exchanging in the city centre, where the rate is clearly better. Prices and daily budgets are in Money and Daily Spending in Georgia: How Much You Need.
A SIM card at Tbilisi airport is sold at the Magti, Silknet and Cellfie counters in the arrivals hall: about 10 to 30 GEL for a week with several GB, passport required. With a Hawa Georgia booking the driver hands you a SIM with open internet for the week at no charge, so you skip the counter. More in SIM Cards, Internet and Payments in Georgia: Everything Before You Land.
Meeting your driver at Tbilisi airport
Airport meet and greet is part of every booking, not an extra. Your driver stands inside the arrivals hall immediately after customs with a sign carrying your name. We follow your flight number; if the aircraft is one hour or three hours late, the driver adjusts and the delay costs you nothing.
If you do not see him within a minute, do not leave the building; call the number we sent before travel or write on WhatsApp. Never accept an offer from anyone approaching you in the hall. More in Tbilisi Airport Transfer with an Arabic-Speaking Driver (Kutaisi and Batumi too).
The driver speaks Arabic or English as you prefer. The car is priced per day for the whole car, not per person, and is paid in cash in dollars or lari at the start of each day; details in Arabic-Speaking Driver in Georgia: Price per Car, No Deposit.
Tbilisi airport to city centre if you did not book a driver
Approximate prices at the time of writing:
| Option | Approximate cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bolt app | 25 to 40 GEL | Fare shown before the ride; higher at night and in rain |
| Bus 337 | A few lari | To the centre, fine by day with light bags |
| Official taxi stand | More than Bolt | Agree the fare first; little English spoken |
| Hawa Georgia driver | Within the day rate | Name sign, SIM, child seats, waits through delays |
For a family with four bags and two children the choice is clear: two app cars without child seats, or one prepared car waiting inside the hall. More in Bolt, Taxi or a Private Driver in Georgia? When Each One Wins.
Night arrivals and travelling with children
Many Gulf flights land after midnight, and a night arrival is entirely normal: everything works, and the quieter road puts the hotel about 25 minutes away. Our driver meets night flights at the same price, and the hotel is confirmed before you arrive.
With children, tell us their ages at booking so we fit child seats for infants and one-to-three-year-olds and put a pushchair in the car at no charge. Children under five stay free in their parents' room at our approved hotels; from age five a child counts as a guest: a third guest in a room takes an extra bed, and four people and more take two rooms.
Kutaisi and Batumi airports
Kutaisi airport is much smaller, about 20 km from Kutaisi and 160 km from Batumi, roughly 2.5 hours by car. Batumi airport is about 6 km from the centre, a quarter of an hour, with summer flights from the Gulf and from Tel Aviv. Both have the same meet and greet with a name sign.
Departure day from Tbilisi airport
The same driver takes you from the hotel to the airport as part of the booking, with no extra fee. Leave the hotel three hours before an international flight: about 30 minutes for the road, up to 45 in the evening rush, then check-in, passport control and security.
Prices: what the airport transfer includes
The car with driver is priced per day for the whole car: sedan 85 USD (3 passengers), minivan 100 USD (6 passengers), van 140 USD and Sprinter 240 USD. The airport meet and greet, the departure transfer, fuel, parking, the SIM card and child seats are inside the price. From 7 days there is a 5 percent discount and from 14 days 10 percent: a sedan for a week is 565 USD and a minivan 665 USD. Work out the cost of your trip; cancellation is free 48 hours before departure for driver-only bookings and 72 hours with hotels, as set out in the booking terms.
For the airport transfer on its own, without a driver for the trip, these are the prices per car:
| Airport | Sedan | Minivan | Van | Sprinter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tbilisi International Airport | $40 | $50 | $60 | $100 |
| Batumi Airport | $40 | $50 | $60 | $100 |
| Kutaisi Airport | $150 | $180 | $200 | $220 |
Prices are per car. Name board at the airport, 60 minutes' free waiting after landing, and the return costs the same as the outbound. Meet and greet and the departure transfer are free within any driver package.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Tbilisi airport from the city centre?
About 17 km east of the centre, 25 to 35 minutes by car in normal traffic.
Is there currency exchange at Tbilisi airport, and is the rate good?
Yes, but the rate is lower than in the city; change 50 to 100 USD for the first day.
Where do I buy a SIM card at Tbilisi airport and how much is it?
At the Magti, Silknet and Cellfie counters in the arrivals hall, about 10 to 30 GEL for a week; passport needed.
Where does the driver wait at Tbilisi airport?
Inside the arrivals hall right after customs, holding a sign with your name.
My flight is delayed by hours. Does the driver still wait?
Yes. We follow your flight number rather than the scheduled time, so the driver adjusts to any delay at no charge.
Do you meet flights that land after midnight?
Yes, at the same price. There is no prepayment: you pay on arrival in Georgia in cash, dollars or lari.
Book your Tbilisi airport pick-up on WhatsApp
Send your name, arrival date and flight number on WhatsApp to +995 550 000 663 and the booking is confirmed: your driver will be in the arrivals hall with a sign carrying your name, with no prepayment, pay on arrival in Georgia. To go straight from the airport to the mountains, Georgia 4 Day Tour - Tbilisi and the Caucasus combines Tbilisi and Kazbegi in four days.