Cheap Flights: Mexico City Region

Low Fares to MEX and Alternative Airports Toluca, Puebla, Cuernavaca

Oct 22, 2007 Henk Bekker

Low-cost budget airlines offer cheap flights, low airfares, and discount tickets to Toluca, Cuernavaca, and Puebla as alternatives to Mexico City Airport (MEX).

Mexico City Airport (MEX) is Mexico’s busiest airport. It is located inside residential suburbs in Mexico City itself making expansion impossible. Plans to build a completely new airport to the north of Mexico City have been shelved indefinitely. Most budget airlines are flying to alternative airports near Mexico City including Toluca, Cuernavaca, and Puebla offering good deals for those with time available or destinations near but not inside Mexico City itself.

Cheap Flights to Mexico City Airport (MEX) on Low-Cost Airlines

Overcrowding at Mexico City Airport (MEX) is preventing Mexico’s new budget airlines from flying from its premier airport. However, established low-cost airlines Aero California, Aviacsa, and Click Mexicana do fly from here but not necessarily at the low airfares expected from budget airlines. Traditional full-service carriers Mexicana and Aeromexico have occasional low airfares on slow-selling flights.

Mexico City Airport remains the most convenient for international and domestic travelers with connections. When comparing prices, it is worth bearing in mind the cheaper and faster ground transportation options when using Mexico City Airport rather than the outlying alternatives.

Cheap Flights to Toluca Airport (TLC) near Mexico City on Low-Cost Airlines

The closest alternative airport to Mexico City is Toluca Airport (TLC). It is 40 km (25 miles) to the west of the Mexican capital and convenient not only to the fast-growing city Toluca, capital of the State of Mexico, but also to Santa Fe and other western suburbs of Mexico City.

Toluca Airport is the base of two of Mexico’s most popular low-cost airlines: Volaris and Interjet. Both use only brand new Airbuses and free drinks and snacks are still served on many flights.

Volaris flies to Toluca from Aguascalientes, Cancún, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Los Cabos, Merida, Mexicali, Monterrey, and Villahermosa. Volaris offer some guaranteed connecting flights via its hub at Toluca. Volaris passengers may also use a free shuttle bus from Toluca Airport to Santa Fe.
Interjet flies to Toluca from Acapulco, Cancún, Chihuahua, Ciudad del Carmen, Ciudad Juárez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Puerto Vallarta, San José del Cabo, Tampico, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Veracruz, and Zihuatanejo. Interjet is a point-to-point airline with no connection guarantees. Interjet passengers may use discounted van services to various points in Mexico City.
Budget airline Avolar flies daily from Tijuana Airport (TIJ) to Toluca Airport (TLC).
Continental Airlines (ExpressJet) has daily flights from Toluca (TLC) to Houston (IAH).

Cheap Flights to Cuernavaca Airport (CVJ) near Mexico City on Low-Cost Airlines

Although Cuernavaca Airport (CVJ) is a 90-minute bus ride from Mexico City, budget airline Viva Aerobus sometimes advertised its daily flight from Monterrey Airport (MTY) as being to Mexico City (via Cuernavaca).

Avolar flies daily from Cuernavaca (CVJ) to Guadalajara Airport (GDL) with connections to Tijuana (TIJ).

Cheap Flights to Puebla Airport (PBC) near Mexico City on Low-Cost Airlines

Puebla Airport (PBC) is around two hours to the east of Mexico City. Flights to here are less attractive to travelers heading to Mexico City but convenient for those traveling to Puebla itself and other cities to the southeast of the capital.

Low-cost airline Volaris flies from Puebla Airport (PBC) to Cancun (CUN), Hermosillo, and Tijuana (TIJ).
Budget Airline Alma de Mexico flies to Puebla Airport (PBC) from Guadalajara (GDL), La Paz, Los Mochis, Monterrey (MTY), and Puerta Vallarta.
Budget airlines Aero California flies to Puebla Airport (PBC) from Guadalajara (GDL) and Tijuana (TIJ).
Continental Airlines (Expressjet) flies daily from Houston (IAH) to Puebla (PBC).

The copyright of the article Cheap Flights: Mexico City Region in Budget Travel is owned by Henk Bekker. Permission to republish Cheap Flights: Mexico City Region in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Popocatepetl near Puebla, Mexico	Palacio de Cortes, Cuernavaca, Mexico	Mexican Low-Cost Airline Volaris Airbus
Mexican Airline Tails	Aviacsa, a Mexican Low-Cost Airline