2026 layover guide
Mexico City (MEX) connection time
At Mexico City International Airport, plan on at least 55 min for a same-terminal connection, 1 h 30 min if you change terminals, and 2 h 20 min if you're arriving from abroad. Here's why, step by step.
Verified Oct 17, 2026By Steven MoHow we check Report a correction
Comfortable: 1 h 30 min
By Aerotrén, with another security check
Customs, bag recheck and security
Switching means security again
Quick answer
Plan on at least 55 min for a same-terminal connection at MEX, 1 h 30 min if you change terminals and 2 h 20 min after an international arrival. Changing terminals means going through security again.
- Same terminal
- 55 min (comfortable: 1 h 30 min)
- Changing terminals
- 1 h 30 min by Aerotrén
- From abroad
- 2 h 20 min, including customs and bag recheck
- Hub airlines
- Aeroméxico
How long a layover do I need?
- Get off the plane and walk to your next gate25 min
- Be at the gate before boarding closes15 min
- Buffer for a small delay15 min
Our estimate, rounded up, not the airline's official minimum connection time. If both flights are on one ticket, the airline will rebook you if a delay makes you miss the second one. How we calculate this
Recommended layovers at MEX
Our estimates for common connections, rounded up. Comfortable times leave room for a late arrival.
| Connection | MinimumRecommended minimum |
|---|---|
Same terminal, no passport control Transfer security where required | 55 min Comfortable: 1 h 30 min |
Changing terminals Includes another security check | 1 h 30 min Comfortable: 2 h |
International arrival, connecting domestically Immigration, customs, bag recheck and security | 2 h 20 min Comfortable: 3 h 15 min |
Separate tickets with checked bags No protection if you miss it | 1 h 55 min Comfortable: 2 h 45 min |
Airlines' official minimum connection times can be shorter: if you booked both flights on one ticket, the airline has already checked that the connection is legal and will rebook you if a delay makes you miss it.
Getting around MEX
Terminals
Terminals 1 and 2.
Changing terminals
Aeroméxico flies from Terminal 2. The Aerotrén links the terminals for passengers with a boarding pass, and you go through security again.
Passport control and transfers
Arriving from abroad, you clear Mexican immigration and customs at your first Mexican airport, then recheck bags for a domestic connection.
Plan your trip through MEX
The airport guide, and the bag rules for the airlines you're likely to connect on here.
MEX connection FAQ
Airlines set their own official minimums at MEX and only sell connections that meet them, so a one-ticket itinerary is always "legal". In practice we recommend at least 55 min for a same-terminal connection, 1 h 30 min when you change terminals and 2 h 20 min after an international arrival.
Other airports
Sources
Last verified Oct 17, 2026. Terminals and connection rules change, so check your airline's connection instructions before a tight layover.
Read how we collect and check this data, or tell us if something's out of date.
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