☑️Mexico City: Do these 15 (mostly) easy things before you go
You'll have a better better time on your trip if you're not caught off guard. Here's what to know ahead of time.
From arriving at the right airport to downloading the apps you’ll need to getting into that top restaurant, there are things you can do ahead of time to make sure your trip goes smoothly and you don’t miss anything.
Some of these tips might be obvious, but it can be a major headache if you overlook something. Following our Mexico City checklist can help you make sure you’ve done everything you need to.
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1. Make sure your passport is valid
If you’ve taken a cruise to Mexico or driven to a border town from the US, you might have used a passport card. These cards are only valid if you’re traveling by land or sea.
You’re probably flying to Mexico City (it’s a long drive) so you need a traditional passport book.
And while this isn’t a hard and fast rule, Mexico could deny you entry if your passport will expire within 6 months of your arrival date. So make sure your passport is up-to-date and, if not, get started with the renewal process before booking your trip.
2. Check for major events before you pick dates
Depending on what you like to do, you may want to plan a trip to Mexico City, or avoid the city, during big events. Expect higher prices for flights and lodging, and more crowds during:
Dia de Muertos: Nov. 2. Most of the major events happen in the week leading up to, and including, Nov. 2
Formula 1: Oct. 30 to Nov. 1, 2026; Oct. 22 to 24, 2027
Art Week: Feb. 3 to 7, 2027.
World Cup: June 11 to July 19, 2026 (2026 only)
Easter week (Semana de Pascua) is quieter, since a lot of locals head out of town. It can be a nice time to visit, although smaller restaurants and shops might be closed.
3. Book your flights and double-check the airport
I like to use Google Flights to find the best deals. You can set up a price tracker for specific flights, so you know when prices drop.
I always book directly with the airline, not through a third party like Booking.com or Expedia, in case I want to make changes or upgrade later.
Mexico City now has two airports:
Mexico City International Airport Benito Juárez, about 20 to 40 minutes from the city
Felipe Ángeles International Airport, about 1.5 hours from the city
Make sure you know which one you’re flying to and from.
4. Reserve a place to stay
Popular rental properties in Mexico City are booked well in advance, so you start this search early. Vrbo is a good option for vacation rentals in Mexico City, and there are plenty of hotels at a big range of prices.
5. Make a few reservations so you don’t miss out
You don’t need to plan every minute of your trip ahead of time. But some sites and restaurants fill up well in advance.
Balloon ride over the pyramids of Teotihuacán. We recommend Flying Pictures Mexico. You should book this about a month before your trip, but they often have availability on shorter notice.
Some tours, like the sunrise boat ride on the canals of Xochimilco, require reservations in advance. We recommend Exotik City Tours. As above, you should book this tour about a month before your trip, but they too can often accommodate last minute requests.
Certain popular sights like Museo Frida Kahlo require reservations—you can’t just show up in an Uber and expect to get in. You should book these tickets 2-3 weeks before your trip, and you should do so directly from the Museum’s website.
Michelin-class fine dining experiences like Pujol and Quintonil require you to book a reservation as far in advance as possible, though the time frame is typically limited to two months out. So set a reminder, if needed, or you’ll miss out.
You should also make reservations at other fine dining restaurants, like Contramar, Maximo, and Rosetta. We recommend getting reservations about a month before your trip.
6. Get a feel for the city’s layout
Mexico City is huge, and it can take a long time to get from place to place. So, you’ll want to make sure you do the things you want to do in the same neighborhood on the same days.
For all our tips, recommendations, and itineraries, grab a copy of Eternal Spring: Our Guide to Mexico City. It’s optimized for your phone, with links to everything you need for your trip.
Paid subscribers get a copy for free!
If you use Google Maps, download the offline versions so you have access when you’re not online.
7. Check the weather (seriously)
You might think this would be obvious—we did. But we see a lot of people in tank tops and shorts, shivering in the evening here.
Mexico City’s high altitude and low humidity make for a mild climate. (It’s the inspiration for “Eternal Spring.”)
Highs might be in the 70s and 80s, but it might only hit those temperatures for an hour or two in the afternoon.
Mornings and evenings are chilly, especially when it’s dark. Bring a sweater or light jacket—something waterproof if you’re visiting during the rainy season, roughly May to September.
8. Be prepared to feel the altitude
Mexico City is more than 7,300 feet (2,240 meters) high. There’s less oxygen in that thinner air, so you may feel more tired than you expect and a little dizzy or lightheaded. You might have trouble sleeping for the first couple of days.
There’s not much you can do about the altitude ahead of time, but it’s good to know what to expect.
9. Contact your bank and credit card companies
Your credit and debit cards will generally work normally in Mexico. But your bank—especially if it’s a smaller, local bank—may require you to inform them about your trip so that they don’t flag any transactions as fradulent.
Don’t bring US cash. This may also seem obvious, but because some of the Mexico coastal resorts accept cash, some people assume Mexico City does, too. You can’t spend US cash here.
You can withdraw pesos from an ATM at the airport or at banks throughout the city.
10. Plan for your transportation in the city
Walking: Mexico City is a great place to walk, so bring a pair of good walking shoes.
Biking: It’s easy to cover longer distances on a bike, and it can be almost as fast as taking a car. You can get a daily, weekly, or yearly Ecobici pass.
Driving: Uber is a convenient way to get from the airport to your lodging, and from place to place around the city. If you don’t normally use Uber, install it and set it up before you leave home.
Metro: It’s inexpensive to get around the city by Metro or Metrobus, but it can take longer than driving, especially if you need to change lines. Compare the time and make sure you’re not giving up too much of your valuable vacation time to save a small amount of money.
11. Install WhatsApp
WhatsApp is the way everyone communicates in Mexico City. If a restaurant confirms your reservation, you’ll probably get a message in WhatsApp. Same goes if you need to make a doctor’s appointment, or if you have something delivered.
12. Make sure your phone works in Mexico
You can most likely call, text, and use data with your phone in Mexico. But you might save money by purchasing an as-you-go international data eSIM designed for Mexico. To do that, your phone will need to be unlocked.
13. Don’t worry about power adapters
If you’re coming from the US, you don’t need to bring power converters or adapters. Your chargers, laptops, razors, etc. plug right into the Mexico receptacles.
14. Learn at least a little Spanish
If you don’t speak Spanish already, you’re not going to become fluent by the time you travel to Mexico City. But you can learn the basics by using language learning apps like Duolingo for a month or two beforehand.
That can give you enough of a base to exchange pleasantries, ask simple questions, and make some sense of a menu.
15. Ward off Montezuma’s revenge
Prevention: When I started coming to Mexico City, I would take Pepto-Bismol tablets every day, starting a couple of days before my trip. I haven’t really recommended this (I’m not a health care professional), but I found out that Harvard Health does, So, you might want to try it.
If you do, take 2 pills 4 times a day for no more than 3 weeks. You can bring enough for your trip with you or buy them here, though we’ve found the ones they sell here taste different, like licorice.
Street food: We think eating street food is part of what makes a trip to Mexico City special. Everything is prepared right in front of you, so it’s pretty easy to judge the safety standards. Most of these places work hard to make sure they keep their customers safe—just watch the extensive cleaning process when they break down the stands at the end of the workday.
Water: Don’t drink water from the tap. Restaurants serve filtered water and ice made from filtered water, so you should be fine drinking water when you’re eating out.