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If you’re planning a trip to Mexico, you might be wondering which airline you should fly with. My guide to the best airlines to fly to Mexico can help you out.
Having flown on many airlines over time, including to Mexico, I know what it’s like to have both amazing flight experiences, and terrible flight experiences. Picking a decent airline can help to reduce the risks of being stuck on a plane and having a bad time.
Many airlines offer many locations within Mexico, so you can fly wherever you want. I’ll give you my honest opinions on their pros and cons so that you can pick the best one for you. We’ll also look at several tips and ideas on what to expect if you’ve never visited Mexico
The Bottom Line Up Front
My top pick for flying into Mexico would be Aeromexico. They offer flights into Mexico from many US cities, they have good seating options, and the food is great. The in-flight entertainment is good, and the customer service is good too, especially the flight staff members.
There are a few other options I’d recommend too!
My Top Picks
- Aeromexico– offers flights into Mexico from various US cities, good seating options, good food, and in-flight entertainment.
- American Airlines– many flights into Mexico from across the US, decent seating and food
- United Airlines – offers flights from many cities in the US, decent seating, family-friendly airline, good entertainment, and food options.
- Delta Airlines – good amount of choices for departing airports and destinations in Mexico, family-friendly policies, good customer service.
- Viva Aerobus – can fly into 37 locations in Mexico, very low price point for certain seats, decent seating.
What to Expect When Flying to Mexico
If you’ve never flown to Mexico before, here are a few things you might want to know:
Flight Length
The flight length isn’t too bad. Expect to be on the plane for a few hours. Flying to Mexico from California takes about 3 hours 45 minutes, and flying from Florida takes 1 hour 45 minutes (that’s based on flying into Mexico City).
Having been on much longer flights, I can say that this isn’t bad at all! Just enough time to enjoy a movie or two, or to listen to music and read a book.
Airports
There are 100 airports in Mexico, so there’s a lot to choose from. You should be able to fly pretty close to the area you’re staying in. The main airport is Mexico City International, which is a great airport to explore. There are tons of shops, and many restaurants and drink options. You could get lost just wandering around in there!
Language
Several languages are spoken in Mexico, but Spanish is the main one. If you’re heading to a resort (like the resorts in our Puerto Vallarta vs Cancun comparison) and you don’t plan to explore much, you can get away with speaking very little Spanish, as most people speak English in these popular vacation spots.
However, if you want to explore areas that aren’t so tourist-heavy, it would be useful to at least know some basic phrases. You can take online courses or go for an app like Duolingo (which I use).
Weather
There isn’t much change in the temperature throughout the year in Mexico. Expect it to be warm! I’d stay away in May (the warmest month of the year in Mexico) because I don’t enjoy the super hot temperatures. It’s more bearable between November and March if you prefer slightly cooler temperatures.
Top 5 Best Airlines to Fly to Mexico
Here are my top 5 airlines to fly to Mexico. I’ve picked them based on the variety of flights offered, as well as the pricing tiers, seating, customer service, food, and entertainment.
1. Aeromexico
Aeromexico is my top pick when it comes to flying into Mexico, wherever you are in the world, but especially if you’re flying from the US. They offer flights into Mexico from Los Angeles, New York, Washington DC, Florida, and more. There should be an option that is convenient for you.
There are a few advantages to flying Aeromexico. For one thing, you get a lot of choices when it comes to your destination – you can fly to several airports in Mexico, including Mexico City.
I also like it because there are several options for seat pricing. In the main cabin, you can choose from Basic Fare, Classic Fare, and AM Plus Fare. The lowest fare is good for money saving but won’t get you much in terms of luggage (1 personal item and 1 carry-on bag). However, the AM Plus Fare is pretty good: you get 1 personal item, 1 carry-on bag, and 1 piece of checked baggage. You also get priority boarding and roomier seats.
There are also a lot of options in Clase Premier, from Premier Light (decent baggage allowance, plenty of space, exclusive menu options) to Premier One (which includes a reclining seat if you need to sleep on the flight). The one thing I’d mention here is that there may be some unexpected charges. For example, you may have to pay for wi-fi tokens to use on the plane.
The customer service is good on board, with friendly and helpful airline staff members ready to help you out. The food is delicious, and they have decent in-flight entertainment, too. The downside is that post-flight customer service could be improved.
Pros
- A lot of options for both departure and destination cities
- Clase Premier seats are particularly roomy and comfortable
- Customer service is good
- Good food and in-flight entertainment
Cons
- There are some extra charges (like in-flight wi-fi)
- Customer service, post-flight, could be improved
2. American Airlines
American Airlines is another decent option. You can fly from many cities in the US, from New York to Los Angeles to Miami.
They also offer a huge amount of destinations in Mexico. No matter where you’re headed, there’s probably an American Airlines flight to take you there. They offer many flights, year-round, so you should be able to find something that suits you.
The seats are pretty good with American Airlines, with three basic options: Basic Economy, Fully Flexible, and Business/First Class. Seating in the Basic Economy is pretty good on the whole, and I never find legroom to be an issue. The newer planes are nice, too. Some of them have dimmable windows, for example. Nice if you’re lucky enough to book a trip on one of the new planes!
It’s also pretty easy to understand their fares. You can upgrade to have a greater baggage allowance and wider seats if you want to, although obviously, this costs more.
The food is good, and they have reinstated hot meals now after removing some of their Covid restrictions. The customer service is good, and flights tend to run pretty smoothly. However, baggage handling could be better, with some customers experiencing dented or broken suitcases at the other end of the flight. I’ve never experienced this, but it’s something to keep in mind if you’re in the market for some tough luggage. (Check out our review of Samsonite Freeform luggage for some inspiration.)
You can find out more about American Airlines in our Spirit vs American Airlines comparison.
Pros
- Tons of choices for both departing cities and destination airports
- Three basic options, easy-to-understand pricing
- Newer planes are very nice
- Decent seating and legroom
- Food is good
Cons
- Baggage handling can be pretty rough
3. United Airlines
United Airlines works pretty well if you want to fly into Mexico. You can fly from many US cities straight into Mexico City. Having said that, there aren’t as many options in terms of destinations. They fly into 5 airports in Mexico: Mexico City (MEX), Mexico City (NLU), Acapulco, Aguascalientes, and Cabo San Lucas. That’s not as many options as American Airlines, for example.
United Airlines has a few pricing options in terms of seats: Basic Economy, Economy, Economy Plus, Premium Economy, United First, and United Polaris. On the most basic seating (Basic Economy), there’s an okay amount of legroom, but there are restrictions in terms of baggage.
More expensive seats are nicer, but make sure to check the cancellation policies. It’s easy to get caught out with this, as United is pretty strict in this respect.
I like United for a lot of reasons. They have a family-friendly vibe, with plenty of things to do (and eat!) for kids. The entertainment is decent, and they have good food for adults, too. The flight staff members are friendly and helpful, too. I also like that things tend to run smoothly in terms of baggage handling and flight delays (on the whole).
Pros
- Can fly from many cities in the US
- Seating is okay even in the cheapest price tier
- Family-friendly vibe
- Good entertainment and food
Cons
- Doesn’t offer as many destinations in Mexico
- Strict cancellation policies in place
4. Delta Airlines
Delta Airlines is a good option too, especially if you’re flying with young children. You can fly from a lot of airports in the US, and you can fly to a huge amount of airports in Mexico, so it’s a good choice if you want to fly outside of the major cities.
The flight prices can be a little confusing. There are several price tiers, and the website doesn’t make it that simple to immediately understand. Pricing ranges from Basic Economy to Delta One. The seating varies depending on the price point you go for, with decent legroom on most tiers, although I’d say that Basic Economy is a little cramped.
Delta works well for me because they’re a family-friendly airline, and they’re great if you’re flying with a baby. The staff members are kind and helpful, and they have good policies for families, including priority boarding. The food is decent, the entertainment is good, and the customer service post-flight is good.
You can find out more about Delta in our Alaska Airlines vs Delta comparison.
Pros
- Many choices for both departing airports and destinations in Mexico
- A family-friendly airline
- Customer service is good
- Decent food and entertainment
Cons
- Flight prices are a little confusing
- Seating is cramped on the lowest price tier
5. Viva Aerobus
If you need a bargain flight to Mexico, you could check out Viva Aerobus. They don’t offer as many options in terms of departing airports. You can fly from Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York, or San Antonio. However, you can fly to 37 destinations within Mexico, giving you a huge amount of choice.
The flights are cheap compared to some other airlines. Sometimes they offer sales if you can be flexible (at the time of writing, I spotted a deal to fly from Houston to Mexico for $59). You can go for Zero, Light, Extra, or Smart seats. Zero seating offers the bare-bones experience (1 personal item), so if you need to hop onto a flight without taking much with you, you could save a lot of money.
The seating is okay. Obviously, given the cheap fares, you can expect to forgo some luxuries. You shouldn’t expect anything like free drinks or snacks, for example. However, the seating is okay, especially on some of the more expensive tiers. I’d say book a flight with Viva if you’re on a mega-tight budget, or if you don’t need to take a lot with you and you’re willing to put up with a less luxurious experience.
The customer service is good on the flight, but post-flight customer service can be difficult to get hold of. That’s something to keep in mind if you’re thinking of booking Viva Aerobus.
If you’re looking for bargain flights, you might want to check out our guide to the Best Discount Airline Booking Websites.
Pros
- Offers many destination options
- Simple to understand pricing tiers
- Decent seating for the price
- Good customer service in-flight
Cons
- Not as many options in terms of departing airports
- No-frills flight experience
- The customer service team can be hard to get hold of after the flight
Frequently Asked Questions – Best Airlines to Fly to Mexico
Answer: No. At the time of writing, there are no Covid restrictions in Mexico. You don’t need to show a negative Covid test, nor do you need any proof of vaccination status. This can change, so it’s best to check before you go.
Answer: Hurricane season in Mexico runs from June to November. Tropical storms can cause huge problems, but people usually have a decent amount of warning before a big storm hits. Just keep an eye on the weather reports in the run-up to your trip.
Answer: There are so many things you can do in Mexico! There are tons of beautiful beaches, of course. Playa Delfines is stunning (although it does get very busy). There’s a lot of history to explore in Mexico, too. I’d recommend going to the Museo Nacional de Anthropologia. It’s an incredible museum giving a comprehensive history of Mexico through stunning artifacts.
Our Final Thoughts
Aeromexico is my top pick for flying into Mexico. They have a huge amount of choices when it comes to flights. The in-flight entertainment is good, the food is great, and the customer service is good. You can expect a decent flight experience with Aeromexico. However, there are some extra charges, and the post-flight customer service could be improved.
Hopefully, this has helped you to pick the best airline for your trip!
Recommended Reads:
- Best Airlines to Fly to Paris – My Top 5 Picks
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- American Airlines: Business Class vs First Class
- Best Airlines to Fly to Spain
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- Alaska Airlines vs Virgin Atlantic