Mexico City International Airport

Mexico City International Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México, AICM); officially Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez (Benito Juárez International Airport) (IATA: MEX, ICAO: MMMX) is the primary international airport serving Greater Mexico City. It is the busiest airport in Mexico, also ranking as the 49th-busiest in the world, third-busiest in Latin America, and 15th-busiest in North America as of 2025, based on passenger traffic. The airport is served by more than 25 airlines, with flights to over 100 destinations across Mexico, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
As the primary hub for Mexico's flag carrier, Aeroméxico, Mexico City Airport functions as a SkyTeam hub. Additionally, it serves as a hub for Volaris and Viva, and a focus city for Magnicharters. The facility comprises two passenger terminals and two runways. It accommodates entities such as Mexican Airspace Navigation Services, the Mexican Federal Civil Aviation Agency, and an Air Force Base. It is owned by the Mexican Navy and operated by Grupo Aeroportuario de la Ciudad de México. It was named after the 19th-century president Benito Juárez.
Part of Mexico City's airport system, which also includes Toluca International Airport and Felipe Ángeles International Airport, the Mexico City International Airport operates at full capacity. With an average of 1,056 daily aircraft movements, it ranks as one of the busiest two-runway airports in the world. With an average of 124,000 daily passengers, the airport served 48,415,693 passengers in 2023 and 45,359,485 in 2024.
The original site, known as Llanos de Balbuena, had been utilized for aeronautical activities since 1910, marking a significant milestone when Alberto Braniff became the first person to fly an airplane in Mexico and Latin America. This historic flight took place on board a Voisin biplane. On November 30, 1911, President Francisco I. Madero achieved another aviation first by being the world's inaugural head of state to fly in an airplane, piloted by Geo M. Dyott of Moisant International.
In 1915, the site opened as Balbuena Military Airport, equipped with five runways. A small civilian airport was built in 1928. The first landing occurred on November 5, 1928, regular services began in 1929, and the official inauguration took place on May 15, 1931. On July 8, 1943, it gained international status, launching its initial international route to Los Angeles, operated by Mexicana de Aviación.
From 1949 to 1951, the airport underwent an expansion that involved the construction of a new runway, designated as 05R-23L, an apron, a control tower, and administration offices. President Miguel Alemán inaugurated a renovated passenger terminal on November 19, 1952. By 1956, the airport operated with four runways: 05L-23R (2,720 metres (8,920 ft)), 05R-23L (3,000 metres (9,800 ft)), featuring electric lights for night-time service; 13-31 (2,300 metres (7,500 ft)), constructed to relieve the Runway 14-32, which was too close to adjacent residential areas; and Runway 5 Auxiliary (759 metres (2,490 ft)).
On December 2, 1963, the airport's name changed from "Aeropuerto Central" (Central Airport) to "Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México" (Mexico City International Airport). In the 1970s, the two shortest runways (13/31 and 5 Auxiliary) were closed to facilitate the construction of a social housing complex in that area, named Unidad Fiviport. This led to the airport's current configuration of two parallel runways. On November 24, 1978, the Mexico City Area Control Center (ACC) commenced its operations and has been in continuous service since then.
The airport’s location in a densely populated area limited infrastructure expansion due to urban constraints. The proximity of the two parallel runways restricts fully simultaneous operations, contributing significantly to the constraint. The terminal underwent expansion on multiple occasions: in 1980, doubling its capacity with a single large terminal layout, and in 1990, separating domestic and international facilities for increased functionality. Renovations continued, and on April 11, 1994, a new International section became operational through a joint venture between Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares (ASA) and Hakim Grupo Industrial.
Mexicana, a key player in the country's aviation industry, initiated a decentralization effort to alleviate congestion at the airport. This effort involved relocating numerous flights to airports in Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Mérida. In 1994, all general aviation operations were moved to Toluca International Airport. Since then, only government, military, commercial, and specially authorized aircraft are allowed at the airport. In 2001, the passenger terminal expanded with the construction of a satellite building east of the terminal featuring eight gates.
In 2002, President Vicente Fox's administration proposed a new 5,000 hectares (12,000 acres) airport in Atenco and Texcoco. However, the Atenco project faced substantial opposition and controversy, especially from the Community Front in Defense of Land (Spanish: Frente del Pueblo en Defensa de La Tierra, FPDT), representing locals facing displacement. Protests escalated into violent clashes, resulting in the cancellation of the new airport.
In response, the federal government in 2003 announced an extension to the existing terminal, expanding its service capacity from 20 million to 32 million passengers annually. The expansion covered 90,000 square metres (970,000 sq ft), with 48,000 square metres (520,000 sq ft) as new construction and 42,000 square metres (450,000 sq ft) as renovated areas. Renovations included new check-in areas, commercial spaces, a new departures concourse, and the construction of a long-distance bus terminal. The bus station provided access to a food court, the international arrivals and departures area, and a pedestrian bridge connecting to "The Peñón de los Baños" neighborhood.
Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, political initiatives aimed at establishing nearby airports such as Puebla, Toluca, Cuernavaca, and Querétaro as supplementary options for serving the Mexico City Area were introduced. This initiative, known as the Metropolitan Airport System, was promoted by the Federal Administration.
On November 15, 2007, Terminal 2 was inaugurated, significantly increasing the airport's capacity. All SkyTeam members, except Air France and KLM, relocated their operations to the new terminal. Officially opened in March 2008, Terminal 2 expanded the number of gates by 40% and operational capacity by 15%. The inauguration ceremony was led by President Felipe Calderón.
In 2014, Mexican authorities declared the airspace around Mexico City Airport saturated, setting a maximum capacity of 61 operations per hour from 7:00 to 23:59. President Peña Nieto's administration reignited major airport infrastructure plans in the same year, introducing the Texcoco Airport project. Positioned as Mexico's largest public infrastructure project in a century, it aimed to replace the ageing Mexico City International Airport by 2023, featuring a state-of-the-art terminal of 560,000 square metres (6,000,000 sq ft) and six runways. However, President López Obrador, then a candidate, campaigned against Texcoco Airport, leading to a divisive political discourse.
Upon assuming the presidency, López Obrador's administration initiated a controversial referendum to gauge public opinion on completing Texcoco Airport or proceeding with the Santa Lucía expansion. Despite facing criticism for lacking official validity and result interpretation challenges, López Obrador's administration pursued the Santa Lucía expansion, resulting in Felipe Ángeles International Airport, officially opened in 2022. Intended as Mexico City's secondary airport, it has struggled to gain prominence.
On July 23, 2020, an extension of Terminal 2, named Pier L, was inaugurated, adding 7 gates to reduce the use of buses. However, in 2022, a declaration of airport saturation was issued from 5:00 to 23:59 for Terminal 1 and from 6:00 to 23:00 for Terminal 2, maintaining the 61 operations/hour limit. In 2023, the Mexican government attempted to decongest the airport by announcing the relocation of all cargo aircraft landing at Mexico City to Felipe Ángeles Airport to "protect the safety of the operations." In 2025, an 8 billion MXN (approximately 460 million USD) renovation was launched, set for completion by mid-2026, aiming to improve passenger experience and operational efficiency while supporting Mexico’s role as a host for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The airport is located in the neighborhood of Peñón de los Baños within Venustiano Carranza, one of the sixteen boroughs of Mexico City, situated 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) east of Downtown Mexico City. Surrounded by the built-up areas of Gustavo A. Madero borough to the north and Venustiano Carranza borough to the west, south, and east, the airport's runways, running southwest–northeast, contribute to overflying problems and noise pollution over Mexico City during landings with a northeast wind.
Being a hot and high airport at an elevation of 2,230 metres (7,320 ft) above sea level, aircraft departing or arriving suffer from degraded performance due to the thinner air at such a high elevation. The field itself spans 747 hectares (1,850 acres), featuring two parallel runways, less than 300 metres (980 ft) apart, hindering simultaneous operations. Runway 05L/23R is 3,900 metres (12,800 ft) long, and runway 05R/23L is 3,950 metres (12,960 ft) long. North of the airfield houses Terminal 1, cargo facilities, maintenance hangars, and administration buildings. On its northern edge, Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares (ASA), a government-owned corporation, has its headquarters. South of the airfield, there is Terminal 2, maintenance hangars, police and Mexican Airspace Navigation Services facilities, and a military complex.
Air Force Base No. 19 (Spanish: Base Aérea Militar No. 19 Ciudad de México) (B.A.M. 19) is located on the airport grounds, adjacent to Terminal 2. It serves as the home for the High Command Special Air Transport Unit (UETAAM) managing a diverse fleet of aircraft that includes the Boeing 737, IAI 201, JetStar, King Air, SA 330J, and UH-60 Black Hawk. It also hosts the General Coordination of the Presidential Air Transport Unit. B.A.M. 19 features an apron and several hangars, one of which is called the Presidential Hangar, used for receiving state visits and presidential travels. In addition to these, it includes administrative buildings and various other facilities for accommodating Air Force personnel.
Mexico City Area Control Center (ACC) is one of four Area Control Centres in Mexico, with the others being the Mazatlán ACC, Monterrey ACC, and Mérida ACC. It operates under the Mexican Airspace Navigation Services, (Spanish: Servicios a la Navegación en el Espacio Aéreo Mexicano). Mexico ACC provides air traffic control services to aircraft within the Mexico Flight Data Region (FDRG). This region includes the central portion of Mexico. It shares boundaries with six other Area Control Centers. To the north, it is adjacent to the Monterrey ACC, while to the east, it borders the Merida ACC. To the west, it borders the Mazatlán ACC, and to the south, it borders the Mazatlán Oceanic (MMFO).
The airport features 95 hardstands for aircraft, with 63 connected via jet bridges to the terminals (33 in Terminal 1 and 30 in Terminal 2) and 32 remote stands. With an average of 1,056 daily operations, it has one of the highest numbers for any two-runway airport globally.
Terminal 1, operational since 1958, has undergone several expansions, with significant upgrades in 1970, 1989, 1998, 2000, and 2004, resulting in a total surface area of 542,000 square metres (5,830,000 sq ft). The terminal is an 800 metres (2,600 ft) long, two-story building, with international services located in the eastern section and domestic services in the west. The ground floor accommodates all arrival facilities, including 22 baggage claim carousels, as well as domestic check-in areas for Volaris, Viva, and Magnicharters (A1, A2, B, C, D, D1), as well as a commercial corridor along the street hosting snack kiosks, banks, souvenir shops and car rental services. The top floor comprises international check-in areas (F1, F2, F3), food courts, restaurants, multiple security checkpoints, and a 900 metres (3,000 ft) long departures concourse (gates 1 to 28) connected via a walkway to a satellite building (gates 29-36).
Terminal 1 offers 33 contact gates with jet bridges and 20 remote positions. Gates 1 to 18 primarily serve domestic flights, while gates 19 to 36 cater to international routes. Passengers using remote gates are transported by bus. The terminal also houses administrative offices, two long-distance bus terminals, and parking facilities available for 5,500 vehicles.
Terminal 1 features various VIP lounges, including the Admirals Club by American Airlines, Elite Lounge by MasterCard, Salón Centurión by American Express, Salón Beyond by Citibanamex, Sala Avianca (Avianca), The Grand Lounge Elite (Air France-KLM-ANA-Visa), Iberia VIP Lounge (Iberia-British Airways), Televisa VIP Lounge, Terraza Elite, The Grand Lounge Elite, The Grand Lounge Elite 19, The Lounge by Global Network, United Club by United Airlines, and VIPort Lounge.
Hotel services within Terminal 1 include the Camino Real with 600 rooms, the Hilton with 110 rooms, and the Courtyard Mexico City Airport with 288 rooms. Nearby hotels accessible from the terminal include izZzleep Hotel, Fiesta Inn Aeropuerto México, Holiday Inn México Dalí Aeropuerto, City Express Aeropuerto Ciudad de México, Hotel Grand Prix, Hotel Riazor, NH Aeropuerto T2 México, and We Hotel Aeropuerto.
Terminal 1 is served by Volaris, Viva, Magnicharters, Air Canada, United Airlines, American Airlines, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Air France, KLM, Iberia, British Airways, All Nippon Airways, China Southern Airlines, Emirates, Hainan Airlines, Avianca, Avianca Costa Rica, Avianca El Salvador, Volaris Costa Rica, and Volaris El Salvador.
Operations at Terminal 2 commenced on November 15, 2007, with inaugural flights by Delta Air Lines, followed by Aeroméxico, Copa, LAN, and Continental Airlines. Former President Felipe Calderón formally inaugurated Terminal 2 on March 26, 2008. Despite the initial plan for all SkyTeam member airlines to use the terminal, Air France and KLM opted to remain at Terminal 1. Currently, Terminal 2 serves as the main hub for Aeromexico. Due to capacity constraints at Terminal 2, some of Aeromexico's domestic services temporarily operated from Terminal 1 between 2021 and 2023.
The terminal spans a total surface area of 288,000 square metres (3,100,000 sq ft). Arrivals are handled on the lower level, featuring 15 baggage claim carousels, customs and immigration facilities, and an arrivals hall with a long-distance bus terminal. The upper level includes three check-in areas (L1-L3), two security checkpoints, and a main concourse connected to three piers. A mezzanine houses VIP lounges and administrative offices.
Three piers contain food courts, duty-free shops, and 30 gates (numbered 52 to 81), all equipped with jetbridges. The northern pier hosts gates 52-62, and the southern pier has gates 63-75. In 2020, the terminal underwent its only expansion with the inauguration of Pier L, a new infrastructure located at the southern end, adjacent to the airport's boundary with Boulevard Fuerza Aérea Mexicana. Gates 75 to 81, dedicated to serving Aeromexico Connect services with narrow-body aircraft, are situated here. Due to the building's narrowness, it lacks commercial amenities. Additionally, there are 10 remote positions accessible via bus.
Terminal 2 provides passengers access to various VIP lounges, including HSBC Premier Lounge, by HSBC, Salón Beyond by Citibanamex, Salón Centurión by American Express, Salón Premier Nacional by Aeroméxico, Salón Premier Internacional by Aeroméxico, Terraza Premier by Heineken and Aeroméxico, and VIPort Lounge. Furthermore, hotel services are available, including a 287-room NH Hotel, and izZzleep Hotel Terminal 2. The parking facilities accommodate 3,000 vehicles.
Airlines serving Terminal 2 include Aeroméxico, Aeroméxico Connect, Copa Airlines, Delta Air Lines, LATAM Brasil, LATAM Chile, and LATAM Perú.
The distance between the two terminals is 3 kilometres (1.9 mi). Passengers have two landside transportation options: A bus shuttle service named "inter-terminal transportation" connects Terminal 1 (entrance 6) and Terminal 2 (entrance 4). The Aerotrén people mover system, available to passengers with a boarding pass and airline crew, operates at 45 kilometres per hour (28 mph) and has a daily capacity of 7,800 passengers.
The intended construction of Terminal 3 faced cancellation amid the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The recovery of flight numbers to 2019 levels is anticipated to take several years. Furthermore, the opening of the Felipe Ángeles Airport in Mexico State in 2022 may pose challenges for the Mexico City Airport in achieving pre-pandemic levels.
The airport connects 50 domestic and 64 international destinations in Latin America, North America, Europe and Asia. Aeromexico serves the largest number of cities from any Latin American hub (80), 46 domestic and 34 international. It also operates the most departures and most destinations from the airport followed by Volaris. The most prominent foreign airlines are United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Avianca Holdings. Apart from the scheduled airlines mentioned earlier, Mexico City Airport is utilized by several other carriers for chartered flights, such as Sunwing Airlines.
Notes:: Aeromexico’s flights to Seoul–Incheon operate via Monterrey, but the flight from Seoul–Incheon to Mexico City is non-stop.
: China Southern’s flights to Shenzhen make a stop in Tijuana. However, the airline does not have traffic rights to transport passengers solely between Mexico City and Tijuana. The flight from Shenzhen to Mexico City is non-stop.
: Emirates’ flights to and from Dubai make a stop in Barcelona.
: Hainan Airlines’ flights to and from Beijing–Capital make a stop in Tijuana. However, the airline does not have traffic rights to transport passengers solely between Mexico City and Tijuana.
: Turkish Airlines’ flights to Istanbul make a stop in Cancún. However, the airline does not have traffic rights to transport passengers solely between Mexico City and Cancún. The flight from Istanbul to Mexico City is non-stop.
As of January 2022, 20 cargo airlines operated direct flights from Mexico City Airport to destinations across Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia. However, in July 2023, a government decree relocated all cargo operations to Felipe Ángeles International Airport.
In 2024, Mexico City International Airport handled 45,359,485 passengers, making it the busiest airport in Mexico and the second busiest in Latin America. It held the top spot in the region from 2016 to 2023 but has seen a downward trend due to the opening of Mexico City-AIFA International Airport. It remains the busiest airport in North America outside the United States. On a typical day, over 120,000 passengers travel through the airport.
The broader Mexico City Airport System, which includes Mexico City-AIFA International Airport and Toluca International Airport, handled 53,411,587 passengers in 2024, making it the second-busiest metropolitan airport system in Latin America and 34th globally.
For international traffic, the airport served 17,116,325 passengers, ranking second in Mexico and third in Latin America. The Shenzhen–Mexico City route by China Southern ranks as the 9th longest flight globally in Summer 2024, covering 14,124 km.
With 323,025 aircraft movements in 2024, it retained its position as the busiest airport in Mexico and Latin America. Despite having only two runways, it remains one of the busiest dual-runway airports globally. In cargo operations, the airport processed 240,035 tons in 2024, ranking second in Mexico after Mexico City-AIFA International Airport and second in Latin America. The airport directly supports 35,000 jobs and indirectly influences another 15,000 in the surrounding area.
Metrobus Line 4 provides an express service linking Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 directly to San Lázaro Metro Station. San Lázaro Metro Station is served by Metro Lines 1 and B and it is adjacent to the TAPO (Terminal de Autobuses de Pasajeros de Oriente), the largest long-distance bus terminal in Mexico City. TAPO offers bus services to central, eastern, and southern Mexico.
Terminal 1 features a dedicated Metrobus stop at Entrance 7, and Terminal 2 has its Metrobus stop at Entrance 2. Passengers can access the service by obtaining a Metrobus Card from vending machines at these bus stops. The fare for the service to San Lázaro is 30 Mexican Pesos, and the cost of the card is 21 Mexican Pesos as of 2024. The Metrobus services operate from 5 AM to midnight.
Terminal 1 is connected to the Terminal Aérea metro station, a part of Mexico City Metro Line 5 running from Pantitlán metro station to Politécnico metro station. It is linked to Terminal 1 through an open-air walkway starting at Entrance 1. The Terminal Aérea Metro station is also served by Trolley bus line 4 in the northbound direction, following a route similar to Metro line 2 but branching towards El Rosario metro station.
Terminal 2, on the other hand, lacks a nearby metro station. However, it is an 800 metres (2,600 ft) walk from Pantitlán metro station, served by Metro lines 1, 5, 9, A, and various local buses.
In Terminal 1, the Long-distance Bus terminal, also known as Terminal de Autobuses or Autobuses Foráneos, serves various bus companies.
Terminal 1 features a specific terminal for the ADO bus company, named ADO Llegadas Nacionales, situated next to the Hotel Camino Real.
In Terminal 2, the long-distance bus terminal, labeled "Transportación Terrestre," or "Autobuses Foráneos" is on the ground floor next to arrivals Hall Q.
Transportation options to Mexico City’s secondary airport, Felipe Ángeles International Airport, are limited. Shuttle services from Terminal 1 are provided by ADO and Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares.
Taxis operate in Terminals 1 and 2 and there are two models of service: ordinary service in a sedan-type vehicle for four passengers, and executive service in eight-passenger vans. There are five taxi groups in operation, and these are the only taxis authorized by the Mexican Department of Transportation (SCT).