Ruth Haines
Mexico City International Airport, officially known as Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX), is located in the neighbourhood of Peñón de los Baños within Venustiano Carranza, one of sixteen boroughs of Mexico City. It is situated 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) east of Downtown Mexico City. The airport is the busiest in Mexico, ranking 49th busiest in the world, with an average of 1,056 daily operations. It features two terminals and two runways, with Terminal 1 operational since 1958 and Terminal 2 being newer and more user-friendly.
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What You'll Learn
Benito Juarez International Airport
Mexico City International Airport, officially known as Benito Juárez International Airport (IATA: MEX, ICAO: MMMX), is located in the eastern part of Mexico City. It is situated in the neighbourhood of Peñón de los Baños within Venustiano Carranza, one of the sixteen boroughs of Mexico City, positioned about 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) east of Downtown Mexico City. The airport is surrounded by the built-up areas of Gustavo A. Madero borough to the north and Venustiano Carranza borough to the west, south, and east.
Benito Juárez International Airport is the primary international airport serving Greater Mexico City. It is one of the busiest airports in Mexico and the world, ranking as the 49th busiest airport globally, the third busiest in Latin America, and the 15th busiest in North America as of 2025, based on passenger traffic. The airport is served by a wide range of airlines, with flights to numerous destinations across Mexico, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. It serves as a hub for major airlines such as Aeroméxico, Volaris, and Viva.
The airport features two terminals and two parallel runways, with Terminal 1 dedicated to domestic services and Terminal 2 to international services. Terminal 2 is newer and more user-friendly, while Terminal 1 has undergone several expansions and upgrades over the years. Benito Juárez International Airport offers various amenities and services, including duty-free shopping, diverse dining options, currency exchange services, comfortable lounges, luggage storage, rental car agencies, free Wi-Fi, and more.
Navigating Benito Juárez International Airport can be overwhelming for international visitors, but with proper preparation, the experience can be smooth and enjoyable. The airport provides essential services such as taxi services, shuttle buses, rideshare options, and public transportation for easy transfers to and from the airport. Additionally, the airport offers concierge services to assist visitors with transportation, accommodation, and trip planning.
While the airport provides a range of services and amenities, some travellers have reported challenges with long queues, limited gates, and issues with immigration and customs processes. However, others have praised the efficiency of the staff and the convenience of the airport's location.
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Busy, with long queues
Mexico City International Airport (MEX) is one of the largest and busiest airports in Latin America, serving as a major hub for aviation in the region. As you might expect, this means that the airport can often be extremely busy, with long queues at various points during the passenger journey.
One of the main areas where queues tend to form is at check-in. With a large number of passengers departing from two separate terminals, airlines often have multiple check-in desks open, and still, passengers report long waits to drop off their bags. It is always advisable to allow plenty of time for this process when departing from Mexico City Airport.
Security is another pinch point, with a single central security area serving both terminals. This means that, at peak times, passengers can face lengthy waits to get through security screening, made worse by the fact that the area is often crowded and stuffy. Once through security, however, the airside areas tend to be quieter, with plenty of seating and a good selection of shops and restaurants to pass the time.
Immigration and customs can also be busy, particularly for arriving international passengers, with long lines to get through passport control and collect luggage. This is especially true for those arriving on popular morning flights from Europe and the US, as many passengers are connecting or rushing to make meetings in the city. It is worth bearing this in mind when planning your travel, as you may need to allow extra time to clear the airport and reach your final destination.
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$19.9
Two terminals
Mexico City International Airport, officially known as Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX), is the primary international airport serving Greater Mexico City. It is one of the busiest airports in Mexico, with an average of 1,056 daily operations. The airport is located in the neighbourhood of Peñón de los Baños within Venustiano Carranza, one of sixteen boroughs of Mexico City, situated 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) east of Downtown Mexico City.
The airport features two terminals and two runways. Terminal 1, operational since 1958, has undergone several expansions and upgrades over the years, with a total surface area of 542,000 square metres (5,830,000 square feet). It is an 800-metre (2,600-foot) long, two-story building, with international services in the eastern section and domestic services in the west. Terminal 1 is considered well over capacity and has issues with long queues and inefficient passport checks.
Terminal 2 is newer and more user-friendly, hosting airlines such as Aeromexico, Delta, Copa, and LATAM. It is adjacent to Air Force Base No. 19 (BAM 19), which serves as the home for the High Command Special Air Transport Unit (UETAAM) and includes administrative buildings and facilities for accommodating Air Force personnel.
Both terminals offer a range of amenities, including duty-free shopping, dining options, currency exchange services, and lounges. However, some passengers have reported issues with the airport's facilities and services, including overcrowding, long connection times, and unhelpful staff.
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Serves as a SkyTeam hub
Mexico City International Airport, officially known as Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez, is the primary international airport serving Greater Mexico City. It is one of the busiest airports in the world, ranking 49th in 2025 based on passenger traffic. The airport is located in the neighbourhood of Peñón de los Baños within Venustiano Carranza, one of sixteen boroughs of Mexico City, situated 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) east of Downtown Mexico City.
The airport has two terminals and two runways, with Terminal 1 operational since 1958 and Terminal 2 inaugurated in 2007. Terminal 1 has a total surface area of 542,000 square metres (5,830,000 square feet) and is an 800-metre (2,600-foot) long, two-story building, with international services in the east section and domestic services in the west. Terminal 2 serves both Mexican and international destinations, with international arrivals located on the first floor close to the north pier and domestic arrivals next to the south pier. This terminal also has a mezzanine level with restaurants, lounges, and airline offices, as well as sleeping pods for travellers.
As the primary hub for Mexico's flag carrier, Aeroméxico, Mexico City Airport functions as a SkyTeam hub. Terminal 2 was intended to accommodate all SkyTeam member airlines, but Air France and KLM chose to remain in Terminal 1. Aeroméxico operates the most departures and serves the most destinations from the airport. The airport is served by more than 25 airlines, connecting over 100 domestic and international destinations across Mexico, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
The airport has an average of 1,056 daily aircraft movements, accommodating approximately 124,000 passengers each day. In 2023, it served 48,415,693 passengers, and in 2024, it handled 45,359,485 passengers. The airport has undergone various expansions and improvements to enhance passenger experience and operational efficiency, including a recent 8 billion MXN (approximately 460 million USD) renovation launched in 2025.
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Located in Venustiano Carranza
Mexico City International Airport, officially known as Benito Juárez International Airport, is located in the neighbourhood of Peñón de los Baños within Venustiano Carranza. Venustiano Carranza is one of the sixteen boroughs of Mexico City, situated about 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) east of Downtown Mexico City. The airport is surrounded by built-up areas, with the Gustavo A. Madero borough to the north and the Venustiano Carranza borough to the west, south, and east.
Venustiano Carranza is a convenient location for the airport, providing easy access to the city centre. However, the proximity of the runways to these built-up areas has led to issues with overflying and noise pollution during landings with a northeast wind. The airport's location in a densely populated area has also posed challenges for infrastructure expansion due to urban constraints.
The airport in Venustiano Carranza serves as the primary gateway to Mexico City and is the busiest airport in Mexico. It is ranked as the 49th busiest airport in the world, the third busiest in Latin America, and the 15th busiest in North America based on passenger traffic as of 2025. The airport caters to both domestic and international flights, connecting to over 100 destinations across Mexico, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Benito Juárez International Airport offers a range of amenities and services to travellers, including duty-free shopping, international dining options, currency exchange services, comfortable lounges, luggage storage, rental car agencies, and free Wi-Fi. The airport has two terminals, with Terminal 2 being more user-friendly and modern compared to Terminal 1, which is often well over capacity.
In addition to the international airport, Venustiano Carranza is also home to Air Force Base No. 19 (BAM 19), located adjacent to Terminal 2. This base serves as the home for the High Command Special Air Transport Unit (UETAAM) and includes administrative buildings and facilities for accommodating Air Force personnel.
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Frequently asked questions
Mexico City Airport, officially known as Benito Juárez International Airport, is located in the eastern part of the city. The airport is situated in the neighbourhood of Peñón de los Baños within Venustiano Carranza, one of sixteen boroughs of Mexico City.
The IATA code for the airport is MEX.
Mexico City Airport is the busiest airport in Mexico, ranking as the 49th busiest in the world, as of 2025.
The airport has two terminals. Terminal 2 is considered more user-friendly, while Terminal 1 is older and often operates over capacity.
The airport offers various transport options, including taxi services, shuttle buses, rideshare options, and public transportation such as the Metro or bus system.
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