San Salvador travel guide

San Salvador Tourism | San Salvador Guide

You're Going to Love San Salvador

With 525.990 inhabitants, San Salvador is the most populous city in El Salvador. It is the most popular tourist destination in the country. We recommend you stay at least 4 days in order to fully appreciate everything San Salvador has to offer.

Where to Eat in San Salvador

If you’re looking for affordable options, Monarca (Boulevard el Hipodromo #729) and Brutto - El Salvador (Av La Capilla, Plaza Bambu) are great picks.

When to visit San Salvador

San Salvador in March
Estimated hotel price
$134
1 night at 3-star hotel
San Salvador in March
Estimated hotel price
$134
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to San Salvador in March, when the average temperature is 77 °F, and the highest can go up to 86 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 64.4 °F, with an average temperature of 73.4 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in August, when precipitation is around 13″. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in San Salvador, with an average rainfall of 0″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to San Salvador

Plane

San Salvador is served by 2 airports: San Salvador Ilopango (ILS) and San Salvador El Salvador Intl (SAL). The closest to downtown San Salvador is San Salvador Ilopango, which is located 10 km from the city center. Further away is San Salvador El Salvador Intl, 33 km from the center of San Salvador. San Salvador Ilopango is the most popular, with regular flights from Air Canada, Air France, Avianca and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest flight to San Salvador from the United States departs from Houston and takes around 2h 50m.

Car

Another option to get to San Salvador is to pick up a car rental from San Luis Talpa, which is about 28 km from San Salvador. You’ll find branches of Avis and Budget, among others, in San Luis Talpa.

Plane

San Salvador is served by 2 airports: San Salvador Ilopango (ILS) and San Salvador El Salvador Intl (SAL). The closest to downtown San Salvador is San Salvador Ilopango, which is located 10 km from the city center. Further away is San Salvador El Salvador Intl, 33 km from the center of San Salvador. San Salvador Ilopango is the most popular, with regular flights from Air Canada, Air France, Avianca and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest flight to San Salvador from the United States departs from Houston and takes around 2h 50m.

Car

Another option to get to San Salvador is to pick up a car rental from San Luis Talpa, which is about 28 km from San Salvador. You’ll find branches of Avis and Budget, among others, in San Luis Talpa.

Airports near San Salvador

Airlines serving San Salvador

KLM
Good (848 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,441 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,596 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,278 reviews)
Air France
Good (973 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,549 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,920 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,482 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,701 reviews)
Spirit Airlines
Good (4,534 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (1,346 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (460 reviews)
Avianca
Good (1,329 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (814 reviews)
Copa Airlines
Good (769 reviews)
EVA Air
Excellent (829 reviews)
American Airlines
Good (5,769 reviews)
Air Transat
Good (273 reviews)
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Where to stay in San Salvador

Average rates range from around $80 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $108 and up for a 5-star experience.

Where to stay in popular areas of San Salvador

Most booked hotels in San Salvador

Barceló San Salvador
4 stars
Excellent (9.1, 2872 reviews)
$99+
Hilton San Salvador
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, 819 reviews)
$144+
Holiday Inn San Salvador
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, 727 reviews)
$122+
Real InterContinental San Salvador at Metrocentro Mall
5 stars
Excellent (8.6, 612 reviews)
$178+
Quality Hotel Real Aeropuerto
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, 707 reviews)
$159+
Beverly Hills: Hotel & Business
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, 990 reviews)
$89+

Renting a car in San Salvador

Renting a car in San Salvador costs $44 per day, on average, or $176 if you want to rent if for 4 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 3% cheaper than airport locations in San Salvador.

Expect to pay $4.69 per gallon in San Salvador (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $56.33 and $75.10. The most frequently booked car type in San Salvador is Mini (Suzuki Celerio or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Hyundai Accent or similar) are, on average, 72% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in San Salvador costs $44 per day, on average, or $176 if you want to rent if for 4 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 3% cheaper than airport locations in San Salvador.

Expect to pay $4.69 per gallon in San Salvador (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $56.33 and $75.10. The most frequently booked car type in San Salvador is Mini (Suzuki Celerio or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Hyundai Accent or similar) are, on average, 72% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.