Getting to Mexico

Getting to Mexico from the USA and Canada

Americans often drive to Mexico, especially if they live in one of the Southern US states that borders the country. Taking a foreign (US Plate) car into Mexico, beyond the 35km "border zone", requires a fair amount of paperwork, permit arrangements and planning. If you're renting a car in the United States, you must also make sure that the insurance is valid in Mexico. It is very likely that you will have to buy Mexican automobile insurance separately.

Flights to all of Mexico's main airports are available daily from the United States and Canada. The main carriers include Aeromexico, Mexicana, American (Canadian), United, Continental and Delta flying primarily from Dallas, Houston, Miami, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles, Vancouver and Toronto into Mexico.

Most flights arrive in Mexico City, although flights from the USA and Canada direct to: Monterrey, Guadalajara, Leon, Aguascalientes, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos and Acapulco are also common.

Flight times to from US-Cities to Mexico's capital vary from 2-6 hours, depending on how far north you are traveling from. Flight times to Cancun are 4-8 hours; Flight times to Puerto Vallarta and Baja (e.g. La Paz, Los Cabos) 1-4 hours.

Private Jets are no longer permitted to land at Mexico City's main airport, due to air traffic congestion. They must land at nearby Toluca instead. So, if you're a wealthy individual, pop star or business person flying to Mexico via private means, expect your journey to the city to take a little longer.

See the Mexperience Travel Center for more information about Flights and Airlines

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Getting to Mexico from the United Kingdom and Europe

Daily flights operate from the UK from London to Mexico City.

You can fly direct to Mexico City with British Airways (not every day), connect via the USA with one of the American carriers (see above), or go via another European city such as Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid or Frankfurt. By flying via the USA, you will be able to fly direct to locations outside of Mexico City not served directly by European carriers. Flying to Mexico via a Continental European hub can work out less expensive, but not always, so check and compare fares on the dates you plan to travel.

Flight times to Mexico City / Cancun from European Cities average 11-12 hours traveling west and slightly shorter if you are traveling eastward (due to the trade winds).

For some years now, private jets haven't been permitted to land at Mexico City airport, due to congestion. They must land at nearby Toluca, on the outskirts of the city, instead. So, if you're a wealthy individual, pop star or business person flying to Mexico via private means, expect your journey into the city to take a little longer.

See the Mexperience Travel Center for more information about Flights and Airlines

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Getting to Mexico From Australia and New Zealand

There are no direct flights from Australia and New Zealand to Mexico. Most travelers go via the USA; often Los Angeles. The best US cities for international through connections to Mexico are: Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Chicago and New York. Check to see which route offers the best fares.

It's also possible to fly to a main European city and connect from there (see above).

Flying times will vary depending on which route is taken; Dallas, Miami and Los Angeles offer the quickest 2nd-leg flights to Mexico via the USA.

See the Mexperience Travel Center for more information about Flights and Airlines

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Domestic Flights

Mexico has two main airlines: Mexicana and Aeromexico. Until recently, both were owned by the Mexican government under the holding company called Cintra. As a result, internal airfares in Mexico can be quite expensive.

In 2005, the government sold Mexicana to Grupo Posadas, a major Hotel and Leisure group in Mexico, and changed the name of Cintra to Consorcio Aeromexico, which operates Aeromexico and other related assets. Fares are expected to become more competitive, especially with the advent of new "low cost, point-to-point" airlines.

There are a number of smaller, independent airlines offering lower fares and providing some competition to the two dominant carriers (Mexicana operates its own low-cost airline), but schedules and destinations are limited. Within the next 2-3 years, the domestic flight market is expected to open up significantly which will mean lower prices for travelers and easier access to some of Mexico's lesser-known places of interest.

Many people choose to fly to Mexico City first, spend 2 or 3 nights there to see the main attractions and then fly off to the coast or some other destination that interests them. The estimated internal flying times are shown below.

Approximate Flying Times from Mexico City to:

• Cancun - 90 Minutes
• Aguascalientes - 45 Minutes
• La Paz - 90 Minutes
• Monterrey - 75 Minutes
• Guadalajara - 60 Minutes
• Puerto Vallarta - 75 Minutes
• Acapulco - 50 Minutes
• Oaxaca - 60 Minutes

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Travel By Bus -v- Travel by Plane

If you are traveling independently from Mexico City to another part of Mexico, it may be better for you to take the bus from Mexico City to your destination, instead of the airplane.

For example: Mexico City to Acapulco: The flying time is about 50 minutes, but you need to get to the airport at least 1 hour before the flight departs, and you need to get to the airport in Mexico City and from the airport in Acapulco. The Acapulco airport is closer to the newly developed Diamante area of Acapulco than to the bay area. But if you are staying in the bay area, you will actually spend about over 3 hours getting to Acapulco by plane.

First-class buses to Acapulco, with wide seats (only 24 seats aboard) are available for 50% or less of the normal flight cost. The bus leaves from the south side of the city, and takes about 5 hours. It drops you right in the middle of Acapulco (there is also service to Diamante), and you'll save yourself a lot of money in taxi fares to and from the airport.

Bus stations are less attractive than airports, and it will be helpful if you speak some Spanish in order to travel independently by bus - the ground staff will not necessarily speak English. If you're traveling independently on a budget, the bus will certainly be a lower cost choice. But even if you're not on a budget, if you're comfortable traveling around in new places it may be worth considering the bus as an alternative.

See the Mexperience Travel Center for Buses for further information about traveling by bus in Mexico.

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Mexperience Travel Center (Flights and Buses)

You can find more information about traveling by Air and Bus by connecting to the Mexperience Travel Cennter using the links below:

• Airlines and Flights
• Buses in Mexico

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