1. Two airports, fifty kilometers apart — why this matters before you book
Mexico City is served by two airports: Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México (AICM), also called Benito Juárez International Airport, and Aeropuerto Internacional Felipe Ángeles (AIFA). AICM sits 5 kilometers east of the historic center — close enough that a taxi into Roma Norte takes 20 minutes with no traffic. AIFA is 50 kilometers north of the city, in Zumpango, State of Mexico, which is a different political entity from the city itself. Getting from AIFA to Centro Histórico by any means takes at least 50 minutes on a good day. The overwhelming majority of international flights — and most domestic routes from the main carriers — still operate from AICM. AIFA was built as an overflow airport in 2022 and handles a smaller slice of domestic traffic on budget carriers like VivaAerobus, as well as a few regional international routes to Central and South America. The critical rule: look at your ticket before you arrange any pickup or plan any transport. The three-letter airport codes are MEX (AICM) and NLU (AIFA). If your itinerary says NLU, you are not landing anywhere near the Roma Norte café you have bookmarked.
2. AICM Terminal 1 vs Terminal 2: the split that trips up first-timers
AICM has two terminals — Terminal 1 (T1) and Terminal 2 (T2) — that are physically separated by about 2 kilometers. They do not share a check-in hall, a baggage claim, or a departure level. Terminal 1 is the older, larger terminal. It handles most international and domestic airlines: American Airlines, United, Volaris, VivaAerobus (some routes), Air Canada, British Airways, Iberia, Lufthansa, KLM, Turkish Airlines, Avianca, and Emirates, among others. Terminal 1 is where Metro Line 1 connects (at Terminal Aérea station on the lower level). Terminal 2 is the newer, more spacious terminal and is essentially the Aeroméxico hub. If you are flying Aeroméxico — including on a codeshare booked through Delta or a SkyTeam partner — you will use Terminal 2. Delta operating its own metal also lands at Terminal 2. LATAM and Copa Airlines use Terminal 2 as well. The two terminals are connected by the Aerotren, a free monorail that runs every 7–10 minutes, 24 hours a day. There is also a free shuttle bus (the Transbordo) as a backup. If you need the Metro and land at Terminal 2, take the Aerotren to Terminal 1 first — it adds about 15 minutes total. During the ongoing airport renovation (targeting completion ahead of the 2026 World Cup), some areas may be under construction, so follow signage carefully once you land.
3. Getting from AICM into the city: every option ranked
Metro (cheapest, Terminal 1 only): Metro Line 1 departs from Terminal Aérea station, accessed through a door on Terminal 1's lower/arrivals level. The fare is 6 MXN (about $0.30 USD). From Terminal Aérea you can go west toward Balderas, Salto del Agua, and Observatorio — covering most of the tourist neighborhoods. Travel time to Insurgentes (edge of Roma Norte) is about 25 minutes. The train is safe during daylight hours, but it is crowded, and with a rolling suitcase it is genuinely difficult during peak hours (7–9 am and 6–8 pm). If you are arriving late at night or traveling alone with heavy luggage, take a taxi instead.Official pre-paid airport taxi (recommended for most travelers): Inside the arrivals hall, before you exit the sliding doors to the street, you will find official taxi booths marked Transporte Terrestre Autorizado. You tell the attendant your destination, pay a fixed rate by zone, receive a paper voucher, and hand it to the driver outside. Fares to Roma Norte and Condesa run 300–380 MXN ($15–19 USD); Centro Histórico is similar. This eliminates all negotiation and surge pricing. Do not leave the terminal building without completing this transaction — drivers who approach you inside or outside are not using this system.Uber and Cabify (good option, slightly more variable): Both apps work from AICM. Open the app inside the terminal, book the ride, and then exit to the designated rideshare pickup area on the arrivals level. Prices fluctuate with demand but typically run 200–350 MXN to central neighborhoods, cheaper than the official taxi booth. The tradeoff is waiting in the pickup zone during busy arrival windows.Metrobús Line 4: Stops outside Terminal 1 and runs north–south along Eje 4 Sur / Fray Servando Teresa de Mier, useful if you are heading to Centro Histórico directly. Fare is 6 MXN with a rechargeable card (no cash). Less useful for luggage-heavy arrivals.
4. AIFA: the airport that finally has a train
Before April 26, 2026, getting from AIFA to anywhere useful in Mexico City meant either a Mexibús to AICM (a bus that takes over an hour with traffic) or a private car. On April 26, President Claudia Sheinbaum inaugurated the Tren Felipe Ángeles — a commuter rail line that runs from Buenavista station in northern Mexico City directly to the airport in under 60 minutes, with a target travel time of 43 minutes once the schedule is fully optimized. The promotional fare is 45 MXN (about $2.25 USD). Trains run every 30 minutes initially, with plans to increase frequency to every 12 minutes. Service runs Monday–Friday from 5:00 am to midnight; Saturday from 6:00 am; and Sunday from 7:00 am. Buenavista station is in the Cuauhtémoc borough of northern Mexico City and connects directly to the Tren Suburbano (which links to Buena Vista Metro station on Line B) and is about 20 minutes by Metro or taxi from Roma Norte. For anyone flying into AIFA, this train finally makes the airport viable without a private driver. That said, AIFA remains a budget-carrier, mostly-domestic airport — the main reason you would land there is if you booked a Viva Aerobus route from a Mexican city like Monterrey or Guadalajara, or a connecting flight from certain Central American destinations.
5. What to do the moment you land at AICM
Get pesos before you leave the terminal. Banorte ATMs inside Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 arrivals give good rates and charge no foreign fee (varies by your bank's policy). Avoid currency exchange counters in the terminal — their rates are consistently worse. Withdraw 1,000–2,000 MXN for your first day; you can get more anywhere in the city at any time.Buy a SIM card if you need one. Telcel and AT&T kiosks are located in Terminal 1 arrivals. A Telcel prepaid SIM with 3–5 GB of data typically runs 150–200 MXN and works immediately. Telcel has the widest coverage nationally. If you are staying in CDMX only, AT&T Mexico is equally reliable.Book your taxi at the official booth, not from anyone who approaches you. Taxi touts who walk up inside the terminal and offer 'cheap taxi' or 'good price' are not using the regulated system. The official booth is clearly marked, staffed, and takes about two minutes to process. It is not optional — it is the entire system that keeps the ride predictable.If you are meeting someone, the meeting point is outside arrivals. AICM does not have a dedicated indoor meeting area visible from baggage claim. Drivers and greeters wait just outside the sliding doors. Confirm terminal number with anyone picking you up well in advance.
6. Is it safe to take the Metro from the airport?
The Metro is safe for most people during daytime hours, with some caveats. Line 1 from Terminal Aérea is used daily by thousands of chilangos (Mexico City residents) going to and from work — it is not a tourist-only service or an inherently risky one. The concerns worth knowing: the train gets extremely crowded during rush hours, which makes pickpocketing easier, particularly on the stretches between Terminal Aérea and Pantitlán. Keep bags in front of you and phones out of back pockets. The station itself at Terminal Aérea is straightforward — you follow signs from the arrivals level down one floor. After 9 pm, the official pre-paid taxi or a rideshare app is a more comfortable choice, especially with luggage. If you are traveling as a group or with children, the taxi booth is simply easier. If you are a solo traveler arriving in the morning with a backpack and want to save money, the Metro is entirely fine — just buy your ticket at the machine, not from anyone offering to 'help' you with it.
7. How far is the airport from each neighborhood?
Travel times from AICM vary enormously by time of day because the Circuito Interior and Viaducto — the main arteries between the airport and the western neighborhoods — see serious congestion from 7–10 am and 5–8 pm. Outside those windows, times are roughly: Centro Histórico, 15–25 minutes. Roma Norte and Condesa, 25–40 minutes. Polanco, 30–45 minutes. Coyoacán, 35–55 minutes. Santa Fe (western corporate zone), 45–75 minutes. During rush hour, double any of these estimates. If your flight lands at 6 pm on a weekday and you are heading to Polanco, budget 60–75 minutes in a taxi or Uber. The Metro, by contrast, is immune to surface traffic — if your destination is served by Line 1 or a quick transfer, it will beat a taxi at any hour during rush periods. For neighborhood context, the Roma Norte guide and the Condesa guide cover where most first-time visitors end up staying.
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