Mexico City Benito Juarez Airport (MEX) Flights & Information

Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX), far more commonly called Mexico City International Airport, isn’t just the busiest airport in Mexico – it’s the busiest in all of Latin America.

With more than 48 million annual passengers, this major international hub can appear daunting, but these expert tips will help you navigate MEX with ease.

Terminals

There are two terminals at Mexico City International Airport and they’re not physically connected, so traveling between them takes some effort. You have three options for switching terminals if you’re connecting, if you’ve arrived to the wrong one or, as has happened to me several times, your preferred lounge is in the other terminal. They’re all outside of security.

It’s now possible to walk between the terminals. Depending on your personal speed, the route takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Even though it’s outside of the terminals, it’s a covered route and includes moving sidewalks, so you don’t have to physically walk the entire thing if you’re not in the mood for a workout. As a very fast walker with no bags to tote, I’ve completed this journey in under 10 minutes multiple times.

To spare your legs or if you’re toting a heavier carry-on, there are two transportation options. A city bus connects the two terminals from ground level, but this is not an airport service and it’s not free. You’ll need to pay with cash to board this bus, and the trip will take around 15 minutes in typical traffic. It’s cheap, but an added hassle.

The Aerotren is a free monorail service that connects the terminals. It runs about every 10 minutes and takes just five minutes to connect. This free and fast option is my preferred one, of course, but it does require you to present your valid boarding pass or ticket to board as an airline passenger, and employees often won’t accept mobile boarding passes. Meant for connecting passengers only, it also forbids large suitcases.

Public transportation

To travel from MEX to Downtown Mexico City, there are a couple of public transportation options you can take. My preferred method is the bus and, while there are multiple bus companies in the city, Metrobus is the city’s official rapid transit service and the one I use. You can catch the Line 4 bus at the airport from either terminal – outside of Gate 7 in Terminal 1 and Gate 2 in Terminal 2.

This route takes around an hour and is quite cheap – cheaper than city buses you’ll find in the US – and certainly safe, but there are a few things to keep in mind. I’ve tried this route during rush hour and deeply regretted it. Not only was the traffic intense, but the bus was very crowded and it was difficult to manage luggage and cramped conditions for that long.

In addition, even though downtown is along the Line 4 bus route, you’re required to go all the way to San Lazaro station on this bus, then transfer back to the Line 4 north route. Still, if you’re traveling like a backpacker – light on luggage, only needing to buy one ticket, no time restraints and saving wherever possible – this could be a decent option for you.

Alternatively, you can take the metro for even less. This option is by far the most economical, costing just a handful of pocket change when converted to USD and can be quicker than the bus, especially during rush hour. It won’t be less crowded at this peak time though, and you’ll miss the sights along the way.

To take the metro from MEX, follow signs to the station outside of Terminal 1 and hop on the Line 5 train. Travel a couple stops to Pantitlan, then transfer to the Line 1 toward Observatorio and get off at Pino Suarez to find yourself downtown. The metro is safe, but I recommend keeping cash and belongings in front of you and in sight at all times.

Taking cars from MEX

As is the case anywhere, taking a private car in the form of taxi or rideshare is considerably more expensive than public transportation, but rates are relatively low for this in Mexico City. Even if you don’t normally opt for cars, this may be the time to splurge. For about the cost of a good sandwich in a US city, you can score a car to Downtown Mexico City from MEX.

Taxis should be booked and paid for in advance from official stands in the arrivals area. Don’t pay any money directly to the driver (other than a tip), no matter what they tell you, and don’t accept a ride from random taxi drivers.

These are especially important notes here, because taxi drivers in Mexico City are notorious scammers, especially toward tourists. For this reason, I don’t recommend using taxis once in the city, but a prepaid taxi from the airport is usually fine. You may still overpay though, as those prepaid rates tend to change depending who you ask. If you’re quoted a rate that sounds high, ask at another stand.

Ridesharing is a more dependable and straightforward method in Mexico City in general, and Uber is widely used. It’s also significantly less expensive than taxis in most cases, adding to the reasons to opt for rideshare as often as possible here. Uber pick-ups are located outside of arrivals, but there are several locations, so be sure head to the one marked in your app to avoid wait fees if you need to switch spots.

Security lines

Security lines at MEX are efficient and you can generally expect to be through in under 20 minutes with waits dropping significantly at off-peak times. Because this is outside of the US, you won’t be able to take advantage of expediting programs like TSA PreCheck and there are currently no CLEAR kiosks here.

If you’ll be spending time in the lounges or shopping and dining, know that you’ll need to be at the boarding gate earlier than usual if you’re flying to the US, including on a connection. Additional security checks are almost always completed at the gate, and these can range from a short series of questions to a thorough check of your carry-on bags. I recommend arriving at least 10 minutes before your scheduled boarding time.

Free Wi-Fi at MEX

Mexico City is famous for the free Wi-Fi available throughout many of the city’s busiest neighborhoods and tourist hotspots, and the airport is no exception. Since 2020, free Wi-Fi has been available throughout the airport and there’s no limit on connection time.

While some complain that the signal sometimes doesn’t reach the check-in areas, I’ve never had a problem connecting. Additionally, major US cell carriers offer free data, texting and calls in Mexico and I’ve found the signal strong at MEX, so you should have a free backup option regardless.

Mexico City Airport lounges

The lounge situation at MEX is quirky, to say the least. If you have membership to any of the three US airline lounges (Delta SkyClub, United Club and Admirals Club) and a qualifying ticket, you can simply access your lounge as usual and you’ll find similar amenities to what you’re used to. The slight exception here is that SkyClub members will use the AeroMexico Premier Lounge, which offers less than other SkyClubs.

For other lounge enthusiasts, the good news is that MEX is full of lounges offering a wide variety of amenities. Here you’ll find some as humble as those offering a comfy place to sit and a shoe shine, and some much closer to the full-service lounges found elsewhere. Priority Pass members have access to several of these across the two terminals, but access and complimentary perks change, so be prepared with backup options.

Credit card lounge members fare significantly better here. There are two American Express Centurion Lounges and several options available to qualifying Mastercard LoungeKey members. If you have no free memberships but still want a lounge experience, you can access several MEX lounges with day passes. The rates are lower than what you’d pay in the US, but the amenities are similarly reduced too, so it’s not my favorite place to spring for a pass.