MEX positioning flight question
Mar 29, 2023, 1:30 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 696
MEX positioning flight question
I’m based in California but to save sky miles,
I booked the Mexico City to LAX to Sydney one way.
Therefore I have to position myself to MEX.
Am I allowed to stay one night at MEX airport hotel and clear immigration to enter the Mexico country, and clear immigration again to exit the next day to fly to LA to Sydney?
I booked the Mexico City to LAX to Sydney one way.
Therefore I have to position myself to MEX.
Am I allowed to stay one night at MEX airport hotel and clear immigration to enter the Mexico country, and clear immigration again to exit the next day to fly to LA to Sydney?
Mar 29, 2023, 9:31 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: Delta DM | Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 169
Assuming you're a US citizen you're allowed to stay up to 6 months in Mexico without a visa so a single overnight stay would not be a problem. The situation you describe is not unique and done by many who have long layovers at MEX.
Mar 29, 2023, 9:46 am
#3
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond 1.7MM, Starlux Insighter, Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 3,947
Yes, you will need to clear immigration in CDMX, but that’s no big deal and doesn’t require advanced paperwork. There’s a NH Collection attached to T2 that’s fine, or you can go for an international brand with the equally mediocre Courtyard in T1 (which requires a pretty frustrating transit hop between terminals each way.). You will need to fill out a departure form when you leave, though, so allow a few minutes at the Delta checkin counter for that.
Nothing about MEX is speedy, so plan lots of time - this is not the airport to schedule a two hour unprotected layover across two separate tickets at. Make sure to use the automated gates upon arrival if you have a US passport - follow the stickers on the floor, even if the other queue is totally full and nobody seems to be using them.
If time permits, maybe extend your stay to enjoy some of the city? Culinary Backstreets’ food tours are a great way to see some of Mexico City in a short period of time, for example. And neither of the airport hotels are a prize, so staying in the city itself might be more interesting and pleasant as long as you leave plenty of time for CDMX’s famous traffic. It’s actually a pretty safe city if you keep your wits about you, but my local friends suggest you don’t use city taxis - stick to Uber, and cancel the ride if the driver doesn’t have at least a few hundred rides under their belt.
Nothing about MEX is speedy, so plan lots of time - this is not the airport to schedule a two hour unprotected layover across two separate tickets at. Make sure to use the automated gates upon arrival if you have a US passport - follow the stickers on the floor, even if the other queue is totally full and nobody seems to be using them.
If time permits, maybe extend your stay to enjoy some of the city? Culinary Backstreets’ food tours are a great way to see some of Mexico City in a short period of time, for example. And neither of the airport hotels are a prize, so staying in the city itself might be more interesting and pleasant as long as you leave plenty of time for CDMX’s famous traffic. It’s actually a pretty safe city if you keep your wits about you, but my local friends suggest you don’t use city taxis - stick to Uber, and cancel the ride if the driver doesn’t have at least a few hundred rides under their belt.
Mar 29, 2023, 11:36 am
#4
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,884
Yes, you will need to clear immigration in CDMX, but that’s no big deal and doesn’t require advanced paperwork. There’s a NH Collection attached to T2 that’s fine, or you can go for an international brand with the equally mediocre Courtyard in T1 (which requires a pretty frustrating transit hop between terminals each way.). You will need to fill out a departure form when you leave, though, so allow a few minutes at the Delta checkin counter for that.
Nothing about MEX is speedy, so plan lots of time - this is not the airport to schedule a two hour unprotected layover across two separate tickets at. Make sure to use the automated gates upon arrival if you have a US passport - follow the stickers on the floor, even if the other queue is totally full and nobody seems to be using them.
If time permits, maybe extend your stay to enjoy some of the city? Culinary Backstreets’ food tours are a great way to see some of Mexico City in a short period of time, for example. And neither of the airport hotels are a prize, so staying in the city itself might be more interesting and pleasant as long as you leave plenty of time for CDMX’s famous traffic. It’s actually a pretty safe city if you keep your wits about you, but my local friends suggest you don’t use city taxis - stick to Uber, and cancel the ride if the driver doesn’t have at least a few hundred rides under their belt.
Nothing about MEX is speedy, so plan lots of time - this is not the airport to schedule a two hour unprotected layover across two separate tickets at. Make sure to use the automated gates upon arrival if you have a US passport - follow the stickers on the floor, even if the other queue is totally full and nobody seems to be using them.
If time permits, maybe extend your stay to enjoy some of the city? Culinary Backstreets’ food tours are a great way to see some of Mexico City in a short period of time, for example. And neither of the airport hotels are a prize, so staying in the city itself might be more interesting and pleasant as long as you leave plenty of time for CDMX’s famous traffic. It’s actually a pretty safe city if you keep your wits about you, but my local friends suggest you don’t use city taxis - stick to Uber, and cancel the ride if the driver doesn’t have at least a few hundred rides under their belt.
Mar 29, 2023, 2:31 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 696
Yes, you will need to clear immigration in CDMX, but that’s no big deal and doesn’t require advanced paperwork. There’s a NH Collection attached to T2 that’s fine, or you can go for an international brand with the equally mediocre Courtyard in T1 (which requires a pretty frustrating transit hop between terminals each way.). You will need to fill out a departure form when you leave, though, so allow a few minutes at the Delta checkin counter for that.
Nothing about MEX is speedy, so plan lots of time - this is not the airport to schedule a two hour unprotected layover across two separate tickets at. Make sure to use the automated gates upon arrival if you have a US passport - follow the stickers on the floor, even if the other queue is totally full and nobody seems to be using them.
If time permits, maybe extend your stay to enjoy some of the city? Culinary Backstreets’ food tours are a great way to see some of Mexico City in a short period of time, for example. And neither of the airport hotels are a prize, so staying in the city itself might be more interesting and pleasant as long as you leave plenty of time for CDMX’s famous traffic. It’s actually a pretty safe city if you keep your wits about you, but my local friends suggest you don’t use city taxis - stick to Uber, and cancel the ride if the driver doesn’t have at least a few hundred rides under their belt.
Nothing about MEX is speedy, so plan lots of time - this is not the airport to schedule a two hour unprotected layover across two separate tickets at. Make sure to use the automated gates upon arrival if you have a US passport - follow the stickers on the floor, even if the other queue is totally full and nobody seems to be using them.
If time permits, maybe extend your stay to enjoy some of the city? Culinary Backstreets’ food tours are a great way to see some of Mexico City in a short period of time, for example. And neither of the airport hotels are a prize, so staying in the city itself might be more interesting and pleasant as long as you leave plenty of time for CDMX’s famous traffic. It’s actually a pretty safe city if you keep your wits about you, but my local friends suggest you don’t use city taxis - stick to Uber, and cancel the ride if the driver doesn’t have at least a few hundred rides under their belt.
Mar 29, 2023, 4:27 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Antonio
Programs: DL DM, Former AA EXP now AY Plat, AC 75K, NW Plat, Former CO Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 27,042
There's also a Hilton in T1.
If you don't mind and layover isn't terribly long, there's a capsule hotel in T2. I've stayed there a few times.