Terminal 2

90-minute security lines in T2 aren’t rare, so build the buffer.

Terminal 2 at MEX sits 3 km from T1 and runs mostly on Aeroméxico and Delta, with Aeroméxico using it as a SkyTeam hub. The building feels newer and more compact than T1, but reviews on Skytrax and TripAdvisor hammer on slow security and check-in. Regulars treat T2 as the “short walks, long queues” terminal and plan their day around that tradeoff.

If you’re flying Aeroméxico or Delta in or out of Mexico City, you’re almost certainly in T2. Aeroméxico handles the bulk of departures here, with Delta piggybacking on its operation. Several TripAdvisor posts describe more than an hour in security alone, plus long check-in lines when multiple Aeroméxico flights bank around the same time. There’s no real fast track, and staff sometimes funnel everyone into the same lanes, so business class doesn’t always mean a quicker line.

The two terminals are linked by a free inter-terminal train that only accepts passengers with an onward ticket and carry-on luggage; SleepingInAirports calls out that checked bags or missing proof of travel push you onto the paid bus instead. That 3 km gap has bitten people who showed up at T1 for an Aeroméxico flight from T2 and then had to switch under time pressure. If you’re on a SkyTeam connection, best move is booking T2–T2 on one ticket and skipping checked bags entirely.

Once you clear security, T2 is easier to read than T1, with a long spine of gates and dining clustered by letter zones like A, B, C, D, E, and F. McDonald’s sits near F4, Starbucks shows up around E4, and chain spots repeat, so you rarely walk more than 5–7 minutes for food. Free Wi‑Fi runs throughout the terminal, and frequent flyers mention grabbing a quiet seat near far-end gates once they’re airside instead of staying in the central areas that jam up when Aeroméxico banks hit.

For proper sit-down meals, Bistrot Mosaico by gate B5 gets better comments than most, and Italianni’s near A4 is the predictable pasta-and-pizza backup. La Cantina around D5 comes up for heavier local plates and drinks, while Vips by C3 works as a 24-hour diner-style option for early or late flights. Wingstop at A3 covers the wings-and-fries craving, and Café Punta del Cielo at E2 gives you a local coffee alternative if the Starbucks line at E4 snakes into the hall.

Quick bites in T2 lean hard on chains. McDonald’s at F4 is the fastest caloric fix when boarding is 40 minutes out. 7‑Eleven inside the terminal sells packaged snacks, drinks, and basic toiletries, usually cheaper than the duty-paid gift shops. Prices are airport-marked but not outrageous by international-hub standards, so a basic combo meal sits roughly in mid-tier city-restaurant territory rather than luxury-hotel levels.

Shopping runs from local to global: FONDO DE CULTURA ECONOMICO sells Spanish-language books, Pineda Covalin stocks colorful Mexican designs, and M·A·C Cosmetics, Lacoste, Boss, and Victoria’s Secret cover the predictable international brands. Flyers often mention T2 retail as “fine if you forgot something,” not a place to burn hours. If you need a last-minute gift, grabbing a scarf at Pineda Covalin or a paperback at FONDO DE CULTURA ECONOMICO usually beats buying yet another logo mug.

Aeroméxico runs two main lounges in T2: Salón Premier Aeroméxico and the more exclusive Salón Premier Aeroméxico Diamond. Both sit airside and serve SkyTeam elites and premium cabins, with the Diamond room held for higher-tier and select cardholders. Seats fill fast around the evening transatlantic and US bank, and regulars warn that turning up 35 minutes before boarding is a waste; treat it as a 60–90 minute stop if you actually want a shower, a drink, and a snack.

On long layovers, some travelers drop bags at Viajes Kokai on the T2 lower level, where lockers are available landside. SleepingInAirports also flags sleep capsules in T2 that frequent overnight connectors use instead of hoping to stay in the gate area, since staff sometimes push people out of airside zones once the last bank of flights leaves. If you’re planning to crash here, check operating hours ahead of time and keep a backup hotel option within a short taxi ride.

Biggest pattern from regulars: treat MEX T2 as a compact but slow-moving hub. For an Aeroméxico or Delta departure, add 30–45 minutes to whatever you’d normally allow at your home airport, keep your bags carry-on if you might switch terminals, and head toward quieter end gates once you’re through security instead of camping by the central food court.