Mexico City transit
 

Does anyone have any experience transiting in MEX? I will be traveling with my family through MEX from Dominican Republic on the weekend after Thanksgiving.
We will be traveling Premier class on AM, transferring for flights to the US on DE and AM (different destinations).
3 hour layover, but wondering what to expect for customs and immigration, as I read that everyone must go through and it can be a mess sometimes.

Done it many times. Do fill out the form they give you onboard. You can even do the form in advance online and print if you want. However, they have for US passport folks global entry type machines in the central area that are normally empty and FAST. Use those if you can and have forms as backup if ZERO lines as that is then even faster.

For 3 hours I hope you have the non-Delta Amex Platinum card. The Centurion is very nice. Free 15 minute table massage and 45 minute for like $20. Also a ZEN room for a nap.

If not the AeroMexico Skyteam club is crowded but OK as well.

Went through twice this past weekend. Used the machines both times. Going out, everything went quickly. Returning, the line to process passengers from the machines got way backed up and moved very slowly as there was only one agent processing them. Ended up not being any faster than the snaking lines without the machines. Didn't fill out the dumb form and explained I was just transiting and they didn't seem to care.

When did the machines got added? I went thru the end of last year and it was a mess. Very long lines, must have been other flights that came in at the same time.

I've done it a few times - never found it to be too onerous, probably as difficult as changing terminals at CDG as a US citizen. Every time this topic comes up, someone mentions that they've added a pilot program to automatically transfer checked baggage, but that's never been my experience.

Ultimately, MEX isn't the most beautiful airport but by US standards I've connected in worse - the AM lounge and the Amex lounge are both acceptable, and the customs and baggage re-check process has never taken me more than 30 minutes.

It depends on the terminal for bags. T2 has done bag transfer for international connections for a bit. T1 was to be added later. I flew SAT-MEX-CDG and bags transferred without incident.

Back in May, when I flew to LIM via MEX from LAX on AM, I had mixed results with baggage transfers. On the outbound from LAX, my bag was successfully transferred in MEX to my LIM flight. I confirmed this with the agent at the AM information desk in the Customs baggage claim area prior to leaving the customs area.

On the return flight from LIM to MEX, they made an announcement during the flight informing us that we would need to collect our bags and pass through customs regardless of the final destination. I again stopped by the AM information desk in the customs baggage claim area to inquire about collecting my bag and sure enough, they confirmed that I would indeed need to collect my bag and pass through customs.

So I'm not sure why it transferred on the outbound and not the return but I'd recommend stopping by the AM information desk and inquiring with them to determine if your bag will indeed transfer to the next flight.

Probably due to the continuation into the US and the additional screening requirements.