Mexico's Up-and-Coming New Gateway Hub: Monterrey International Airport
Written: Oct 21 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Friendly, recently modernized airport with easy connections
Cons: A good 20 minute drive from downtown Monterrey
The Bottom Line: If you have a choice between doing connections in Mexico City or doing them in Monterrey, I'd definitely choose Monterrey---the saner airport.
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| mrkstvns's Full Review: Monterrey Airport - General Mariano Escobedo |
Since the advent of air travel, conventional wisdom of Mexico travelers has been that, if you're headed into Mexico, you probably travel via Mexico City's Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX). MEX has always been Mexico's biggest and busiest airport, and it's been the only reliable choice for connections from anywhere to anywhere in the country.
That was then, this is now.
Mexico City's airport is oversubscribed. Been that way for at least the past decade. The airlines know it. The government knows it. Travelers know it.
The problem is that the city has pretty much locked the airport into its current size by growing up all the way around it. There's just plain no land available to build or extend runways and terminals and service buildings. Mexico City has been trying to find land on its outskirts to build a huge, new, state-of-the-art airport, but those efforts have been ongoing for years, and they still haven't settled on a site yet. Meanwhile, tourism to Mexico continues to grow and business travel demands have continued to shoot up. New airlines especially are finding it impossible to get new landing slots into Mexico City.
What's the solution?
Traditional and growing young airlines alike are finding that the solution is to use Monterrey (MTY) as a hub operation. Hence, huge growth in this airport over the last five years --- a period that's seen renovation and expansion in the airport itself, and a period that's seen Monterrey become an outstanding gateway option for American travelers headed into Mexico. Here's my take on how the airport stacks up in 2005...
The Airport Itself...
Monterrey's airport is small enough to be friendly, yet large enough to offer just about any service you really need. The airport itself has been undergoing a series of renovation and expansion projects over the last few years, reflecting their growth into Mexico's "second hub".
The airport is really divided into two main terminal buildings, one for ticketing and baggage counters, immigration, customs, banks, stores, shoeshine, etc., the other is a mid-field terminal building housing the gates, plus more restaurants and shops. The two buildings are connected via a tunnel walkway with a moving sidewalk. There are a few upscale shops in the tunnel selling ties, Tumi luggage, and the like (quite a change from 7 years ago when the tunnel was dark and occupied by a string of cheesy little shops selling mostly snacks, pulp magazines, and cheap souvenirs like key racks emblazoned with "Aqui estan los pinches llaves"). I'm sure the regios thank me for bringing up such painful memories.
The new airport renovations though are extremely nice, and you notice them as soon as you get off the plane. The Immigration officers used to stand at these very 70s looking molded plastic stands. Now they have slick looking teak, glass, and brushed chrome stands with computer terminals and digital signboards. Welcome to the 21st century.
Also new is a very easy to use transfer junction back into the terminal to catch connecting flights onward into Mexico. An Aviacsa representative is seated there to help connecting passengers, but connection information is also prominently displayed, so it's about as intuitive as it can be.
There are brand new shops and eateries along the concourse too. Oh sure, the old Wings restaurant still occupies it's el primo real estate in front of the big two-story plate glass windows looking onto the runways, and you can still get a full meal there at a Dennys price, but all those gift shops and espresso bars and newsstands up on level two are brand spanking new (and make the airport look more like what gringos accustomed to connecting in Cincinnati or Charlotte are used to).
There are several ATMs, so don't fret arriving without cash --- you can get it. What else can I tell you?
Parking isn't plentiful, but folks in Monterrey don't tend to leave their cars parked long term at the airport. It's more common in Mexico to take a taxi to the airport, even if you do have your own private car. It just works out cheaper (especially since a taxi from downtown to the airport is about half what the airport taxi charges).
Who Flies to Monterrey?
Basically every airline with a significant presence in Mexico flies to and from Monterrey. The only exception I can think of is Alaskan Airlines, which sticks to the Pacific coast. Of course, the vast bulk of non-U.S. foreign flag carriers tend to use only Mexico City, so the "international" part of this airport's operation is really only operations to and from the U.S.
Mexican flag carriers operating in MTY:
* Aeromexico
* Mexicana
* Aviacsa
* Azteca
* Aerolitoral
* Aeromar
* Aerocaribe
* Aero California
* Aerolineas Internacionales
* Magnicharters
U.S. flag carriers operating in MTY:
* Continental
* American
* Delta Connection
* America West Express
My recommendation: try Aviacsa. With non-stop service from 5 U.S. cities, they're now an excellent option for many traveler sheaded almost anywhere in Mexico with great connection service via Monterrey.
Where Do the Direct Flights Go Via Monterrey?
Monterrey's airport handles about 300 daily flight operations: about 60 of those to the United States and the rest to Mexican domestic destinations. There are direct flights from Monterrey to most major Mexican destinations. Commuter flights on Aeroliterol serve most smaller market cities in Northern Mexico, so if you really want to go to Torreon, Durango, or San Luis Potosi, you can do it flying via Monterrey. Direct flights from Monterrey include popular destinations like:
* Acapulco
* Mexico City
* Guadalajara
* Oaxaca
* Cancun
* Chihuahua
* Morelia
* Puebla
* Puerto Vallarta
* Queretaro
* Tijuana
* Veracruz
Direct flights between Monterrey and the United States are available to:
* Houston (Continental, Aviacsa, Aeromexico)
* Dallas (American, Mexicana)
* Atlanta (Aeromexico, Delta Connection)
* Chicago (Aviacsa, American, Mexicana)
* Las Vegas (Aviacsa, Aeromexico, Mexicana)
* Los Angeles (Aviacsa, Aero California)
* Miami (Aviacsa)
* New York (Aeromexico)
* Phoenix (America West Express)
* San Antonio (Mexicana, Aeromexico)
Ground Transportation...
The easiest way to get from the airport to downtown is via the airport taxi services. There are at least three or four companies offering these services, and the prices and quality are roughly equal. The cars are good, late model vehicles, though they're more likely to be something like a new Dodge Neon than the large sedans you might be used to hailing in the U.S. Sometimes they use vans or Suburbans.
The way the taxis work is that you buy a taxi ticket inside the airport, then walk outside where an employee will guide you to the right car. Expect to pay as much as US$20 for an airport taxi to most downtown locations.
If you're staying at one of the five airport hotels, most offer free shuttle service.
I recommend using taxis if you're staying in Monterrey since the city is big, crowded, and drivers can be aggressive. (Plus, city cabs usually charge $2-5 for most trips within the city --- they're pretty cheap, and you generally don't tip taxi drivers in Mexico.)
Rental cars are available, and all of the major U.S. rental car chains have locations in the Monterrey airport. Even el cheap-o companies like Payless and Advantage rent here. Prices used to be sky high on rental cars in Mexico, but they've really come down in recent years, and plus, they almost always include the mandatory liability insurance in the rates. If you're headed to the countryside, or to destinations outside Monterrey, the rental car may make sense for you. Rates I'm seeing right now (priced on travelocity.com as of 20 October 2005) are between $18 and $30 per day for a small economy car --- not too much different than you find in U.S. small to mid-size markets.
Where to Stay If an Overnight Connection is Needed?
I love Monterrey and would always stay downtown, but then, I'm usually using this airport as the terminal point of my trip, not as an intermediate gateway hub. If I was just passing through and needed a room for only a short night, I might stay close to the airport.
Several chain hotels have sprung up close to the airport over the past few years. The five most obvious are:
* Courtyard by Marriott
* Hampton Inn
* Ibis
* Fairfield by Marriott
* Best Western
The first four of these are located about 1-1/2 mile from the terminal itself, all of them clustered in an airport industrial park at the intersection of Miguel Aleman and the airport entrance road. The Best Western is located another mile or two down Miguel Aleman, headed towards the city. All of these hotels will provide a room for the night. None are near anything of any touristic value. If it were me, I'd do the rooms at the Ibis --- they've been hovering around the US$45 mark for a while and don't seem to be edging upwards. The U.S. chains all tend to charge 50-100% more than that, as usual, you don't get what you pay for --- you just pay more.
Bottom Line...
I've always liked the Monterrey airport. Despite serving a city of almost 4 million people, it's always felt like a small market airport to me. Manageable in scope and a little more low key than the mega-hubs that take themselves too seriously. Growth has come to Monterrey, though this airport is still a far cry from the hustling bustling hubs of America's large carriers. It's smaller and just a whole lot easier to deal with. That's part of the reason why I recommend doing the flights via Monterrey if you can --- most folks would probably agree that it beats doing the Mexico City connect gig.
Until next time, see you on the road. As always, look for me in the cheap seats.
Closely Related Reviews...
Flying via Monterrey? Taking advantage of all the cheap, convenient flights for an easy "Mexican urban escape weekend"? Here's a few reviews you might like...
* What to See and Do in Monterrey
* Hotels in Monterrey
* Dining in Monterrey
Also check out some of my photos of things to do and see in Monterrey. They're at:
www.tiogringo.com/monterrey.html
Recommended:
Yes
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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