Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International (BHM) sits about five miles northeast of downtown Birmingham. Everything you need is on one site, which makes it an easy airport to leave. The one thing most people expect and will not find is a normal city bus route.
Rental cars: no shuttle, but watch the counter hours
All rental cars are picked up and dropped off in section 1B on the ground level of the parking deck. There is no off-site facility and no rental shuttle, so you walk. Alamo, Avis, Budget, Thrifty, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Payless all have counters.
The catch is opening hours. Alamo and National run 5am to midnight every day, Enterprise 6am to midnight, and Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty 6am to midnight Sunday through Friday but only to 10pm on Saturday. A delayed evening arrival can land you at a closed counter, so check your own supplier before you book a late flight.
Taxis: outside baggage claim, 24 hours
Cabs wait on the ground level directly outside the baggage claim area, and the rank is staffed around the clock. Six companies are permitted to work the airport: American Cab (205-212-4656), Birmingham Metro Cab (205-567-7089), King Cab (205-616-1466), Magic City Taxi (205-229-0230), Silver Cab (205-701-2222) and zTrip (855-699-8747).
The airport publishes no fares. There is no flat rate to downtown, no zone table, and no posted meter rate. Agree the basis of the fare with the driver before you set off, and if a figure matters to you, phone one of the numbers above and ask.
Uber and Lyft
Both are authorised, and both collect from the Arrivals kerb on the lower level, the same level as baggage claim. Uber asks riders to give their airline and door number in the app rather than a named pickup zone, so note the door you walk out of.
Public transport: there is no airport bus route
This is the part that catches people out. MAX Transit runs no fixed route to BHM and there is no airport route number to look up. What exists instead is MAX On-Demand, a curb-to-curb service you book through the MAX Connect app or by phone. It collects from the marked MAX pickup point outside baggage claim on the ground floor, and drops departing passengers at their gate entrance.
- Fare: $1.50 per ride, plus $0.75 for each additional passenger.
- MAX On-Demand runs Monday to Saturday, roughly 5am to 9pm. There is no Sunday service.
- Because it is on demand, there is no timetable and no published wait time. Book before you collect your bags, not after.
MAX also offers a park-and-ride for the airport at Central Station downtown, with monitored parking at no charge. If you are leaving a car in the city for a week, that is worth pricing against the airport deck.
Hotel shuttles
BHM does not publish a hotel shuttle pickup zone or a courtesy phone board. Limousine and shuttle services operate by reservation only. Arrange your pickup with the hotel directly and ask them which door to stand at.
Parking
Rates below took effect on 1 July 2025.
| Option | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly, deck level 3 | $2 an hour, $26 a day | For stays under four hours. Height limit 6ft 2in. |
| Daily, deck levels 2 and 4 to 7 | $2 an hour, $17 a day | For stays over four hours. |
| Economy lot, Airline Drive | $2 an hour, $10 a day | Shuttles run continuously, 24 hours. |
| Oversized, deck level 1 | $2 an hour, $17 a day | Height limit 8ft 2in. |
| Valet | $28 a day, $18 up to four hours | Operated by LAZ Parking. |
The cell phone lot at 5600 Airline Drive is free with no time limit and holds around 40 cars. If someone is collecting you, send them there rather than letting them circle the terminal.
So which one
- Landing after midnight: taxi. The rank runs 24 hours and most rental counters do not.
- Going downtown, travelling light, on a weekday: MAX On-Demand at $1.50 is hard to argue with, as long as you book it early and are not flying on a Sunday.
- Heading out of the county: rent. Birmingham spreads out, and the deck puts the car a short walk from the carousel.
- Being collected: the free cell phone lot, every time.
Working out which of these to use elsewhere? Our guide to choosing between a taxi, a train, a shuttle and a private car sets out the trade-offs.
Sources
Checked 19 August 2026: Birmingham Airport Authority pages for parking and ground transportation, taxi service and rental cars, and MAX Transit On-Demand airport service. Fares and hours change. If something here is out of date, tell us through the contact page and we will correct it.