As you prepare for your trip to Mexico, you’ll want to think about these 5 topics: Flights, Visa, Vaccinations, Payment methods, and SIM card.
Once you’re all set, and on your way to Mexico, don’t forget to check check out Practical Matters!
Flights
Since August is still considered high season, we recommend flying to Mexico in August and flying out in September when the prices go down again. The best airports to fly to are: Cancun International Airport (CUN), if you plan on visiting the Yucatán Peninsula, or the Benito Juarez International Airport located in Mexico City (MEX).
The price range coming from Europe fluctuates a lot (usually €500-€1000), but as a rule of thumb we recommend booking a plane ticket immediately if you find one below €700. We recommend checking out the following flight search engines:
- Kayak
- Skyscanner
- TUI – Flies only to Cancun
For flights within Mexico we recommend using one of these national budget airlines: Volaris, Interjet or Viva Aereobus.
Visa
The European Union, U.S.A. and most countries do not require a visa to travel to Mexico. You can consult visa requirements per country here.
Moreover, if you do require a visa to travel to Mexico you are exempt from this rule if you hold a valid visa for Canada, Japan, any of the countries of the Schengen area, Japan, United Kingdom or the U.S.
Vaccinations
Check the vaccines and medicines list and visit your doctor (ideally, 4-6 weeks) before your trip to get vaccines or medicines you may need.
We know that most guests coming from abroad plan on travelling around Mexico before or after the wedding. Please notice that Zika is a risk in Mexico, therefore pregnant women should avoid certain areas in Mexico. Partners of pregnant women and couples planning pregnancy should also be aware of the risks and possible preventing actions.
Payment methods
Unfortunately, Maestro cards (also known as “PIN” in the Netherlands) are not accepted in Mexico and therefore you will need to obtain a Visa, MasterCard or American Express if you don’t already have one. Obtaining a credit card is also useful as hotels, car rentals, Airbnb etc. require credit cards to make reservations.
SIM card
There are three cell service providers in Mexico: Telcel, Movistar and AT&T. We recommend Telcel due to its expense coverage throughout the country. You can purchase a SIM Card with 2GB of data valid for 28 days for $10.45 USD at one of the following locations:
- The Mexico City airport: The Telcel store is located on the first floor of Terminal 1. It operates from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm.
- Oxxo: This is a chain of convenience stores that are located everywhere in Mexico.
A detailed guide on how to purchase it, data plans and top up tips can be found here.