This month’s debut of the controversial Felipe Angeles International Airport (AIFA), the newest airport to serve Mexico City, has garnered lots of attention. I’ve written about the criticism and the praise. But what’s it really like to use the new AIFA airport?
To get an insider’s view, I spoke with Edgardo Espino, a travel blogger and vlogger who was a passenger on the first flight (ever!) from Guadalajara (GDL) to Felipe Angeles International Airport (which is often called AIFA by its initials in Spanish, or NLU, its airport code). Espino shared his experiences in an excellent travel video on his YouTube channel, doing a great job of covering all of the practical details — including how to get to AIFA airport from downtown Mexico City, how much it costs to get to and from Mexico City’s new airport and other helpful travel tips.
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In this exclusive interview, Espino shares his insight about the airport.
(Hay versión original en Español de la entrevista al final de este reportage.)
How did it feel to be one of the first people to arrive at the brand-new airport?
It was emotional. I’d never been in an inaugural flight or in an airport inauguration. It was important to me to have this experience in my own country.
What do you like most about the new Felipe Angeles International Airport?
The spaciousness, the very good lighting, the details about Mexican culture and the very modern boarding technology.
What is still needed at Mexico City’s new airport?
They need more flights to more destinations, more airlines, domestic and International destinations, they need to finish a lot of unfinished areas, the food and retail area, [they need] better signage and more transportation options to Mexico City and to finish the train and hotel.
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You mention in your travel video that a lot of people on your arriving fight were supporters of Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, as well as members of the media. Do you think they were invited by the government?
I can’t confirm if that’s true. As far as I heard, the people around me had bought their own tickets, in advance. In my case, I bought my own ticket and no one invited me.
I really like the objectivity of your travel video. There are a lot of people who only want to criticize the AIFA airport and a lot of people who only want to praise it. How did you decide on your objective approach?
I think you can’t give a critique something without getting to know it. Before the inauguration there were a lot of positive and negative comments. I think the most important opinion is the one of the user, the ones who have already used the airport, and not from people who only act with hate or political fanaticism. Those opinions are dangerous because they depart from reality. Everyone exaggerates, for good or bad.
I see in your video that a taxi from AIFA airport to Mexico City costs 800 pesos (about $40) and that you weren’t able to get an Uber. I’ve read that they aren’t going to allow Uber to pick up people at the airport, only let them drop people off. Have you heard that?
As far as I know, no, but maybe in the short time it will happen. I saw that platforms like Didi have announced that they’ll soon operate services, but without giving a date.
It seems like it wasn’t easy for you to find the bus from AIFA airport to downtown Mexico City. There weren’t enough signs to help you find the buses?
Exactly. It was complicated because there were only signs inside the terminal building. After exiting I couldn’t find any informational signs about the buses. I asked and every person gave me different information. Nobody really knew. In the end, after almost an hour of looking, I found the entrance to get to the bus station.
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It’s a shame that the airport terminal’s themed bathrooms weren’t open; they look really cool. What else would you like to see in your next visit that you couldn’t see this time?
Actually I did go into the bathrooms but they weren’t working. They look really pretty. I’d like to see the International arrival zone, the immigration area and the suburban train station.
What’s your best advice for travelers who want to use Mexico City’s new Felipe Angeles International Airport?
They should be aware of the distance, the time and the costs. There are already two options for airports to arrive in Mexico City; they should choose the one that’s most convenient for them.
How to Get to Mexico City’s New Felipe Angeles International Airport
Espino took an ETN bus from the new AIFA airport to Mexico City’s Central del Norte bus station and then an Uber from the bus station to his hotel in downtown Mexico City. Here are his details about getting to and from Mexico City’s new airport:
• The airport bus cost 75 pesos on ETN from AIFA to the Central del Norte bus station in Mexico City; it’s a direct bus.
• Upon arrival, Espino’s entire trip took one hour and 10 minutes from the airport to his hotel downtown (it was a holiday so there was less traffic than usual).
• On the departure back to the airport, his trip took a total of one hour, 55 minutes from the downtown Mexico City hotel to AIFA airport, taking Uber from the hotel to the bus station and then the ETN bus to the airport.
• Espino’s total ground transportation costs were 165 pesos upon arrival (ETN bus + Uber) and 217 pesos upon departure (Uber + ETN bus).
Entrevista en español
Cómo se siente ser una de las primeras personas a llegar a un aeropuerto completamente nuevo?
Fue emocionante, nunca había estado en un vuelo inaugural ni en alguna inauguración de un aeropuerto. Era importante para mi vivir esta experiencia en mi país.
¿Qué se lo que más te gusta del aeropuerto nuevo?
Los espacios amplios, la iluminación muy buena, los detalles sobre la cultura mexicana y la tecnología para abordar muy moderno.
¿Qué lo que más falta en el aeropuerto?
Le faltan vuelos a más destinos, más aerolíneas, destinos nacionales e internacionales, terminar muchas aéreas que no están terminadas, área de comida y comercial, mejores señalizaciones y más opciones de transporte a la cdmx y terminar el tren y el hotel evidentemente.
Mencionaste en el video que el vuelo en que llegaste tenía mucha gente abordo que apoya al presidente y también gente de medios de comunicación. Crees que ellos fueron invitados por el gobierno?
No puedo asegurar eso, hasta donde escuchaba a las personas de mi alrededor habían comprado sus vuelos con tiempo. En mi caso yo compre el mío y nadie me invito.
Hay mucha gente que solo quiere criticar AIFA y otros que solo dicen cosas buenas. Me puedes hablar un poco sobre tu meta de ser completamente objetivo en tu video?
Creo que no se puede dar una crítica sin conocer algo, antes de la inauguración había muchos comentarios a favor y en contra. Creo que la opinión más importante es del usuario de quienes ya utilizaron el aeropuerto y no de personas que solo actúan con odio o fanatismo político, esas opiniones son peligrosas por qué salen de la realidad, todo exageran tanto para bien o para mal.
Vi que el taxi cuesta 800 pesos y que no pudiste conseguir Uber. He leído en una página que no van a permitir que Uber recoja a gente en el aeropuerto, solo dejar a pasajeros. ¿Has escuchado algo sobre eso?
Hasta donde sé pronto no, quizás en un mediano plazo suceda, vi que plataformas como DiDi anunciaron que próximamente operarán el servicio sin dar fecha.
Parece que no te fue fácil encontrar el bus para llegar a la ciudad. Hubo falta de rótulos indicando el lugar de donde salen?
Así, fue complicado pues solo había indicaciones dentro del edificio terminal, saliendo ya no encontré rótulos de información sobre los autobuses, pregunté y me daban información diferente cada persona, nadie sabía en realidad. Al final después de casi una hora buscando encontré el ingreso para llegar a la estación de bus.
Es una pena que no pudiste ver los baños con temas especiales! Parece que van a ser muy lindos. ¿Qué más te gustaría ver en otra visita que no pudiste ver en esta?
Si ingresé a los baños pero no funcionaban, me parecieron muy lindos. Me gustaría conocer la zona de llegadas internacionales, área de migración y la estación del tren suburbano.
¿Cuál sería tu consejo para cualquier viajero que piensa usar el aeropuerto AIFA?
Que tomen en cuenta la distancia, tiempos y costos. Ahora ya hay dos alternativas de aeropuertos para llegar a Cdmx que elijan la que más les convenga.
¿Nos puedes confirmar los costos y tiempo de tu transporte entre el aeropuerto AIFA y el centro de la ciudad de México?
• 75 pesos por ETN del AIFA a la central del norte de la CDMX.
• El bus va directo.
• Hice una hora con 10 min del aeropuerto al hotel en el centro.
• De regreso al aeropuerto hice en total una hora 55 minutos.
• Gasté 165 pesos ida del aeropuerto al hotel, 217 pesos vuelta al aeropuerto.