MEX Mexico City Airport (AICM) Guide for 2026
Terminals, transfers between MEX and AIFA, immigration tips, lounges, and how to track every flight in and out of Mexico City Benito Juárez.
Quick facts
Mexico City International Airport (MEX / MMMX), also known as AICM Benito Juárez, sits inside the city limits and is one of the busiest hubs in Latin America. It splits operations across two terminals connected by an inter-terminal Aerotrén that requires a boarding pass to use.
- IATA / ICAO: MEX / MMMX
- Terminals: T1 (older, most legacy carriers, Aeroméxico Plus) and T2 (Aeroméxico, Delta, KLM, Air France)
- Elevation: 7,316 ft — high-altitude operations affect takeoff performance
- Slot constrained: yes; expect summer congestion
MEX vs AIFA — pick the right airport
A growing number of airlines now operate at AIFA (NLU), Felipe Ángeles International, ~50 km north of central CDMX. AIFA has new infrastructure, much shorter queues, and significantly cheaper parking, but the trade-off is a 75–120 minute road transfer in heavy traffic. If you have a connection at AICM and a separate ticket at AIFA, plan ~3 hours minimum for the transfer.
| MEX | AIFA | |
|---|---|---|
| Distance to Zócalo | ~12 km | ~50 km |
| Typical taxi time | 25–60 min | 60–120 min |
| Authorized taxi base | ~ MX\$300 | ~ MX\$700 |
| Metro/transit | Line 5 | Suburban + bus (slow) |
| Volaris/Viva | Some | Most |
Immigration & customs
Mexican immigration uses the FMM electronic form, which most travelers complete on arrival via biometric kiosks. US passport holders typically clear in 10–25 minutes at off-peak hours, longer during evening Aeroméxico waves from EZE/GRU/MAD.
Pin your MEX flight
Open FlightyFlow, search by flight number or route, and pin the trip. Predictive delay alerts at MEX are unusually useful because of late-afternoon thunderstorm patterns from May through October.
Frequently asked
How early should I get to MEX for an international flight?+
Plan to arrive 3 hours before international departure. Lines for tax-and-document checks at the gate (not just security) often add 20–30 minutes that travelers don't expect.
Can I walk between MEX Terminal 1 and Terminal 2?+
No. The terminals are about 3 km apart. Use the inter-terminal Aerotrén (free, with a same-day boarding pass) or an authorized taxi.
Track your next flight with FlightyFlow
Free on the App Store. Live aircraft, smart alerts, and beautiful flight pages — built for iPhone.