BEFORE GETTING THERE

There are no direct flights from Australia to Mexico.  Most travelers go via the USA - often Los Angeles.  The best US cities for International-thru connections to Mexico are: Los Angeles, Dallas & Houston, Miami, Chicago and New York.  Check with your travel agent to see which route offers the best fares. One of the less expensive ways may be with Japan Airlines via Japan - but beware, it may be a very tiring flight.

It's also possible to fly to a main European city and connect from there.

If you are visiting Mexico on Easter or Xmas holidays, we strongly recommend to have your flight pre-booked and confirmed since most of the Mexican holidays are in that season. One of the best places to visit in these busy times would be Mexico City, because you'll find no pollution and it is not busy there at all.

Mexico has several airlines. Two of the main airlines are: Mexicana & Aeromexico.  Internal airfares in Mexico can be quite expensive.

There are a number of smaller, independent airlines but schedules and destinations are limited . (You will hear names like, Aerocalifornia, Aviacsa & Magnichartes) Within the next 2-3 years, the domestic flight market is expected to open up significantly which will mean lower prices for travelers, especially those who prefer to travel independently of holiday packages.

Some people choose to fly to Mexico City first, spend 2 or 3 nights to see the main attractions and then fly off to the coast or some other destination that interests them. This may be overwhelming, since Mexico City is a huge place where you can find everything and anything. The estimated internal flying times are shown below.

Approximate Flying Times from Mexico City to:

• Cancun - 90 Minutes
• Cabos - 90 Minutes
• Monterrey - 75 Minutes
• Puerto Vallarta - 75 Minutes
• Acapulco - 50 Minutes
• Oaxaca - 60 Minutes

If you are travelling independently from Mexico City to another destination within Mexico, it may be better for you to take the bus from Mexico City to your destination, instead of by airplane.

Travelling from Mexico City to Acapulco:   The flying time is bit less than 1 hour, 50 minutes, but you need to be one hour earlier at the airport in Mexico City. If you're staying in Zona Rosa, allow one hour to get to the Airport (non-peak hour). Then, once you arrive at Acapulco Airport, allow another 40 mins to travel to your hotel. This means that you will actually spend over 3 hours getting to Acapulco by plane.

First-class busses to Acapulco, with wide seats (only 24 seats onboard) are available for a very low cost with excellent service on board. The bus leaves from the south side of the city, and takes about 4-5 hours.  It leaves you right in the middle of Acapulco.

Bus Stations are less attractive than airports, and you will need to be able to speak some Spanish in order to travel independently by bus - the ground staff will not necessarily speak English!   If you're travelling independently on a budget, the  bus will certainly be a lower cost choice.  Even if you're not on a budget, if you're comfortable travelling around  in new places it may be worth considering the bus as a pleasant alternative.