The Mexico City Airport Terminals
Mexico City International Airport consists of two terminal buildings. However, you won’t find a distinction between arrivals and departures or between domestic and international flights. The two Mexico City airport terminals handle arrivals, departures, and both international and domestic flights. That being said, each terminal generally serves different airlines, although some airlines operate from both terminals.
Interesting Fact: Although a third terminal was planned for the Mexico City International Airport complex, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on passenger traffic led to the plan’s cancellation. Moreover, the opening of Felipe Ángeles Airport (AIFA) also influenced Mexico City airport’s volumes. Therefore, the construction of a third terminal in the future is highly unlikely.
AICM Terminal 1
Terminal 1 in AICM Airport is the oldest and largest building of the MEX airport complex. Indeed, Mexico City airport terminal 1 began its operation in 1958, being renovated and expanded multiple times over the years. Nowadays, it spreads over 542,000 square meters (5,830,000 sq ft), featuring 33 gates equipped with jet bridges and 20 remote gates, accessible via buses.
AICM terminal 1 has two levels. Overall, international flights are served on the terminal’s east side, while facilities for domestic flights lie on its west side.
The terminal’s ground level houses the Arrivals. Hence, 22 baggage claim carousels, customs, and immigration are located on that level. Moreover, the baggage drop-off counters for connecting passengers can be found here, along with the car rental desks and some retail stores and snack bars. Although Departures lie on the upper level, the check-in counters for some low-cost and charter airlines (Volaris, Viva, and Magnicharters) also lie on the ground floor.
The top floor of Mexico City airport terminal 1 features -as already mentioned- the Departures. Therefore, that level houses check-in counters, security checkpoints, ticket counters, and food courts. Gates 1-18 are dedicated to domestic flights, while Gates 19-36 serve international air journeys. Please note that Gates 29-36 are situated on the satellite building, connecting to the terminal via a concourse.
Plus, terminal 1 of AICM Airport offers hotels and lounges. Explicitly, the Mexico City airport terminal 1’s lounges are:
- Centurion Club (top floor)
- Televisa (top floor)
- American Express (ground floor)
- Mastercard (ground floor)
- Lufthansa (top floor)
- Grand Lounge (top floor)
- Premium Traveler (top floor)
- Global Lounge (top floor)
- Salón Beyond (top floor)
- Lounge 19 (ground floor)
- The Grand Lounge Elite (ground floor)
- The Lounge Mexico by Global Lounge Network (top floor)
- Terraza by The Grand Lounge Elite (top floor)
- VIPort Lounge (top floor)
- United Club (top floor)
Mexico City Airport Terminal 2
The new terminal building began its operation in 2007, while it was formally inaugurated in 2008. Mexico City airport terminal 2 is the hub for Mexico’s flag carrier, Aeromexico, although the airline operates a few flights from AICM terminal 1 as well. Initially, plans were made for all Skyteam members to move to the new terminal building. However, Air France and KLM remained in the old terminal 1. Hence, currently, AICM terminal 2 houses Aeromexico along with other airlines, such as Copa Airlines, Delta Air Lines, LATAM Brazil, and LATAM Chile.
Mexico City airport terminal 2 spreads over 288,000 square meters (3,100,000 sq ft) and spans two floors. It features 30 gates with jet bridges and 10 remote gates linked to the terminal via shuttle bus.
The terminal’s lower level houses Arrivals. Thus, passengers find immigration, customs, and 15 baggage claim carousels on that floor. On the other hand, the top floor is dedicated to Departures. Therefore, three check-in areas and two security checkpoint zones can be found on the upper level, while lounges and administrative offices lie on the mezzanine floor. The gates are divided into three piers, where food courts and duty-free areas are also located. Gates 52-62 lie on the northern pier, Gates 63-75 are situated in the southern concourse, and Gates 75-81 are located in Pier L, added to the southern part of AICM terminal 2.
Mexico City airport terminal 2 also houses hotels and lounges. In detail, the following lounges can be found within its premises:
- HSBC (mezzanine floor)
- American Express (mezzanine floor)
- VIPort Lounge (mezzanine floor)
- Aeromexico Terraza Premier by Heineken (mezzanine floor)
- Aeromexico – Salon Premier Ciudad De Mexico Domestic (mezzanine floor)
- Aeromexico – Salon Premier Ciudad De Mexico International (mezzanine floor)
Our Tip: In 2025, the two Mexico City airport terminals began being renovated once more to optimize the passengers’ experience for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in Mexico.
How to Get from Mexico City Airport Terminal 1 to 2
The two terminals in Benito Juarez Airport lie within a 3-km (1.9-mile) distance of each other. Thus, transfers between the two AICM terminals are handled by a shuttle bus and a monorail. It’s important to remember that terminals are only connected landside, meaning that travelers who have passed through security can’t travel from Mexico City airport terminal 1 to 2 or vice versa.
To begin with, travelers wishing to get from one terminal to the other can catch the red buses, known as Tetsa or “inter-terminal transportation”. The bus stop at AICM terminal 1 lies close to Door 7, and the one at terminal 2 can be found close to Door 4 on both terminals’ ground levels. Buses are air-conditioned and accessible and can accommodate passengers with luggage as well, even though they don’t have designated luggage storage space. They operate 21 hours a day, approximately from 05:00 am to 01:00 am, at a 15-minute frequency, and take about 10-25 minutes to travel between the two AICM terminals. The shuttle service isn’t complimentary. The bus ticket costs MXN25 ($1.19/€1.08) and can be bought from the driver inside the bus. Please keep in mind that you can also use the Metrobús for your inter-terminal transit. However, in that case, the ticket fare will be slightly more expensive, and you’ll need to buy a Metrobús Smart Card to pay for your ride.
Alternatively, passengers with a boarding pass can use the AirTrain (Aerotrén), the free-of-charge people mover system that provides transit between terminals. It is a fast and efficient service, capable of serving up to 7800 passengers on a daily basis. Indeed, each route can accommodate up to 100 passengers with hand luggage. Thus, travelers with oversized luggage are advised to use the bus service. However, only travelers with boarding passes can catch the AirTrain. That being said, persons accompanying passengers with disabilities are allowed to use it even if they don’t have boarding passes. The train stop at terminal 1 is located in Room D, in the middle of the bridge “Puente de Pilotos”, up to the escalators, while the stop at terminal 2 can be found in Room M, next to domestic departures. The AirTrain runs from 05:00 am to 11:00 pm, with the first route departing from T2 and the last from T1. It takes 4 minutes and 40 seconds to travel between Mexico City airport terminals. The maximum waiting time for the AirTrain service is 11 minutes.
FAQs
What is the difference between terminal 1 and terminal 2 at Mexico City Airport?
MEX Airport features two terminal buildings. Both terminals serve arrivals and departures. However, different airlines operate at each terminal (although some air carriers are present at both). Overall, AICM terminal 2 is a hub for Aeromexico.
How many terminals are in Mexico City Airport?
Mexico City International Airport has two terminal buildings. AICM terminal 1 is the oldest, while terminal 2 began operating in 2007. The two terminals lie within a 3-km (1.9-mile) distance of each other, linked by the Aerotrén monorail and a shuttle bus service.
How long does it take to get from terminal 1 to terminal 2 at Mexico City Airport?
The ride with AirTrain from one terminal to the other lasts 4 minutes and 40 seconds. On the other hand, bus journeys are longer. Thus, if you catch the bus to travel from Mexico City airport terminal 1 to 2 or vice versa, you’ll reach your destination in about 10-25 minutes.
What terminal is Volaris in Mexico City Airport?
Overall, each AICM terminal serves different airlines, although some air carriers operate from both terminals. Are you flying with Volaris from or to MEX Airport? Volaris operates out of Mexico City airport terminal 1.