More About Aeromexico for Bass Anglers
With the addition of direct routes between several US Cities and Mexican hubs – notably Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez in Mexico City – Aeromexico is now an option for even more anglers headed to lakes like El Salto and Picachos for a fishing vacation.
The new routes (some of which are actually the resuscitation of older discontinued routes) add options for several Texas cities, as well as for the geographically diverse hubs in Boston, Detroit, Salt Lake City and Washington, D.C. Even if that doesn’t help you directly, it may take some of the pressure off of the limited existing options, and hopefully exert some downward pressure on fares.
These routes are a codeshare with Delta, which may be especially valuable to those of you who put all or most of your Frequent Flyer eggs in the basket of the Delta SkyMiles Program.
If these additions may apply directly to you, here is some more information:
Mexico City Benito Juárez Airport
Mexico City’s longest-standing and largest airport (there’s also a newer one that will be serviced by Aeromexico flights from Dallas and McAllen, Texas) is enormous and is the busiest in Latin America and one of the top 20 in the world. Based on our limited experience, if you are going to have a layover there leave plenty of time because it can take a while to navigate.
In recent years there have been some issues with it. In 2022, it was so crowded that they needed to reduce volumes at certain times. In May, they suspended flights for a while due to ash from the Popocatepetl volcano.
More significantly, in August the country’s President approved the transfer of the airport’s control to the Mexican Navy to account for national security concerns.
Aeromexico’s Frequent Flyer Program
While my guess is that most American (or non-Mexican) travelers will book through a codeshare with Delta and thereby garner miles in their “native” program, Aeromexico does have its own program, the creatively named Aeromexico Rewards (formerly Aeromexico Club Premier). If you will be traveling to and within Mexico quite a bit, it might be worth your while to explore what it offers and if it’s right for you. Here are a few articles that may help you make that decision:
Aeromexico’s Baggage Allowances
For most of us heading to Mexico, luggage allowances (and the likelihood of it getting there in one piece) are a critical part of every trip. That’s especially true if you’ll be bringing a rod tube. As we noted previously, Delta and Aeromexico state that they’ll enforce “consistent checked and carry-on luggage policies” but it remains to be seen what that means, and whether it’ll be the same in each direction – so if you’re planning to tote a rod tube it’s buyer beware.
Under their “Special Baggage” guide, Aeromexico makes clear that “Fishing Equipment” shall carry a charge of $75 USD within Mexico and $150 USD internationally. In the high season, those rates shall rise to $83 and $165, respectively. However, it does fall within the “sports equipment” exception that can be exchanged for your allowed checked bag under certain fare codes – so if you’re traveling with a partner and you each get one free checked bag, you may be able to combine rods into a single tube and additional gear/clothing into another without incurring additional charges.
Please note, however, that they do not expressly define what shall constitute “Fishing Equipment.”
Aeromexico’s maximum length of checked luggage is 80” on narrow cabin planes and 115 inches in wide cabin planes.
Delta’s sports luggage policy is a little bit better explained, and mostly consistent with Aeromexico’s They only list the 115” limit, and it’s combined linear inches (length + width + height) rather than just length.
Delta also allows multipiece rods up to a certain length to be carried on, although in our experience, Mexico’s security scanners will not allow travel rods onboard.
Notably, some other airlines categorize a rod tube and a tackle bag as a single piece of baggage for purposes of fees, but neither of these two carriers follows that model.
Aeromexico’s Different Classes of Service
Depending on how you like to travel and what your budget will allow, Aeromexico has multiple classes of service, each with its own benefits and possibly drawbacks. As you read the following links, please be sure to note that the opinions offered and facts presented may be specific to particular aircraft or routes:
