Flying to Mexico from the US: entry rules, routes and getting a fair airport transfer

Flights are short and frequent from almost every major US airport, and entry requirements are light for US citizens — the real planning decisions are which airport and how to get from it to your hotel without overpaying.

Mexico is one of the easiest international trips to book from the US: flight times from southern and western hub airports are often 2–4 hours, and from the East Coast typically 4–6 hours to destinations like Cancún or Los Cabos.

Entry requirements

US citizens need a valid passport (a passport book, not just a passport card, for air travel) — Mexico does not require a visa for short tourist stays, but you must complete a tourist entry form (FMM), which is usually built into your flight check-in or handed out on the plane, and keep the stamped copy until you leave. Requirements can change, so confirm current rules on the US State Department's Mexico travel page before you book.

Picking an airport and a season

Cancún (CUN) serves the Caribbean coast and Riviera Maya; Los Cabos (SJD) and Puerto Vallarta (PVR) serve the Pacific side; Mexico City (MEX) is the hub for inland and cultural trips. Fares are cheapest in the shoulder seasons (May, September–October before hurricane concerns peak) and most expensive around US holidays and spring break, when resort towns also get noticeably busier.

Getting from the airport without the tourist markup

Airport taxi stands and "official" transfer desks inside the terminal often quote several times the price of a pre-booked shared or private shuttle. Booking an airport transfer online in advance, or using a rideshare app where available, is usually cheaper and removes the on-the-spot negotiation. If you do take an airport taxi, agree on the fare before getting in rather than assuming a meter will run.