How to Get to Monterrey Airport (MTY) for Your Flight
To get to Monterrey airport (MTY) from the city, most visitors take Uber or DiDi straight to their terminal; taxis and rental cars work too, and there is no metro service to the terminals at the time of writing. The part that needs planning is not the ride itself but when you leave and which terminal you ask for.
People research how to get out of the airport when they land. Hardly anyone researches the trip back, and the return leg — with bags, a deadline and big-city traffic — is where flights get missed. If you need the opposite direction, see our guide to Monterrey airport and getting around.
First: the airport is not in Monterrey
Monterrey International Airport (code MTY) is in Apodaca, northeast of the metro area. In practice:
- From the east and north of the metro area — Guadalupe, Apodaca, San Nicolás — the trip is relatively direct.
- From San Pedro, Valle Oriente or the south of Monterrey you cross a large part of the city, and traffic matters far more.
We are not going to give you exact minutes, because there are none: the same route can take twice as long on a Friday evening as on a Sunday morning. What you can do is check the estimate in your maps app the day before, at the same hour you plan to leave. That is the most honest number you will get.
Your options
Ride apps
Uber and DiDi operate across the whole metro area, and dropping passengers at the airport is routine. For most visitors this is the simplest choice.
- Order with a buffer. Before dawn and at rush hour, getting matched with a driver can take longer than usual.
- Consider scheduling it. Both apps let you reserve a ride ahead of time. It is not an absolute guarantee, but it lowers the risk for a 6 a.m. flight.
- Keep both apps installed. When one cannot find a driver, the other often can.
Taxi
A taxi from a stand, or one called by phone from where you are staying, works well, especially before dawn. Agree on the fare before you get in if there is no meter.
Rental car
If you rented, return it early. The handover, the inspection and the shuttle from the lot to the terminal eat more minutes than people expect. Fill the tank before you reach the airport area so you are not depending on the one station you find in a hurry. More on that in renting a car in Monterrey.
A lift from someone
If a friend or relative drives you, the terminals have a quick drop-off zone and paid parking. Getting out at the door and saying goodbye there is the fastest way.
Public transport
There is bus service toward the airport, but with luggage and a departure time it is not what we would suggest for a visitor: it depends on schedules, transfers and knowing exactly where to board.
Toll road or free road
There are two usual ways in by road: the airport toll highway and the free road (Avenida Miguel Alemán).
- The toll highway is usually faster and more predictable. You pay a toll.
- The free road costs nothing but has traffic lights, intersections and industrial-zone traffic.
In a ride app the driver normally chooses; you can ask for the toll road if you are tight on time, and the toll is added to your fare. If you are driving yourself, carry some cash in pesos for the booth just in case.
How early to leave
Work backwards:
- Your departure time.
- Subtract the airline's check-in margin: usually two hours for domestic flights and three for international ones.
- Subtract the estimated drive you saw in your maps app at that same hour.
- Subtract an extra cushion. At rush hour or in rain, make it generous.
Monterrey's heaviest traffic is early on weekday mornings and in the late afternoon and evening, especially on Fridays. Heavy rain makes everything worse: specific spots flood and traffic stops. If it is raining on the day you fly, leave earlier than seems reasonable.
Do not go to the wrong terminal
The airport has three terminals: A, B and C. Which airline uses which one can change over time, so the only reliable source is your boarding pass or the airline's app.
Check before you order the ride, and tell the driver the terminal from the start. The terminals are part of the same complex, but being dropped at the wrong one with bags and a ticking clock is an entirely avoidable bad moment.
Before you go through security
- Eat first or bring something. There is food inside the terminal, but it is airport food: limited and expensive. If you have a free evening before you fly, our guide to what to eat in Monterrey is the better use of your last meal — particularly if you came to eat meat in Monterrey and have not had cabrito yet.
- Meat does not travel abroad. If you bought cuts hoping to take them out of Mexico, check your destination's rules before you check a bag. The United States does not allow it in passenger luggage.
- Have your documents handy. Keep your passport and any immigration paperwork you were given on arrival where you can reach them.
One advantage of staying in Guadalupe
The airport sits on the east side of the metro area, the same side as Guadalupe, so leaving does not mean crossing the whole city. Our independent studio for two has a private entrance and self check-in, so you can leave before dawn without coordinating with anyone, and free parking if you arrive by car. Message us on WhatsApp and we will check availability.
Frequently asked questions
Most visitors use Uber or DiDi, which drop off at all three terminals. Taxis and rental cars also work. There is no metro line in service to the terminals at the time of writing, so plan on a road trip of some kind.
In the municipality of Apodaca, northeast of the metro area, not in central Monterrey. From San Pedro or the south of the city you have to cross much of the urban area to reach it.
Airlines usually recommend two hours before domestic flights and three before international ones. Add your travel time on top of that, which can stretch considerably at rush hour or in heavy rain.
MTY has three terminals, A, B and C, and your airline determines which one you use. Check your boarding pass or the airline app before you order your ride, not when you arrive.
