Planning a trip to Mexico and flying to Mexico City airport and wondering if you can buy a prepaid sim card on arrival? Don't waste money on expensive roaming charges this is a complete guide for buying a sim card for tourists at Mexico City Airport in 2025.

This guide will show you where to buy a sim card, up to date prices as per January 2025, my recommendation, info about eSIMs for Mexico and more.

Table of Contents

In recent years I have spent more than 8 months in Mexico and found out Mexico is more than just Cancun or Cabo San Lucas. The country has so many cool tourist destinations. Check out my list of 20 Amazing Places to Visit in Mexico and I promise you it will fuel you with wanderlust.

Rent a car and go off the beaten path and see the real Mexico. You won't regret it! I drove more than 4,000 kilometer through the country and visited almost 20 different Mexican States.

Some links in this article about buying a sim card at Mexico City Airport are affiliate links. If you buy any of the products after using an affiliate link I will earn a small commission. This is at absolutely no extra cost to you.

My recommendation

Traveltomtom recommends buying a Telcel prepaid sim card at Mexico City Airport. There is a Telcel phone shop at Puerta 5 on the second floor and you can also buy a Telcel sim card at the 7-Eleven at Puerta 8.

Telcel is the best mobile internet provider in Mexico and they have by far the best 4G/5G network. Prepaid sim cards for tourists are not expensive, downside is that the Telcel shop at Mexico City Airport has limited opening hours.

Prices for tourist sim cards at Mexico City Airport are similar to elsewhere in the city center. For more info on how to buy a prepaid sim card in Mexico check out my complete guide.

If you buy a sim card at the 7-Eleven you have to register it first and then buy credit to add a data package. A bit complicated and time consuming, therefore also consider an eSIM.

With an eSIM for Mexico you are online as soon as the plane lands. Make sure you get a Mexico eSIM that operates on the Telcel network.

A Jetpac eSIM for Mexico operates on the Telcel network and for $30 USD you get a 5G ready eSIM with 10 GB data.

Check out my comparison of the best eSIMs for traveling to Mexico in 2025 for all details.

If your phone is not eSIM compatible you can order a physical prepaid sim card for traveling in Mexico on the internet. Check out my list of the best international sim cards for traveling abroad in 2025. These physical prepaid sim cards will be deliverd to your home address.

Why buying a sim card for Mexico

First of all, when buying a prepaid sim card in Mexico City or getting an eSIM you avoid high roaming charges.

Did you know that overseas data plans limit their internet speed? You will mostly be roaming on 3G! We are already in 2025, we want 5G!

Don't rely on Wifi either. It is no guarantee and also a reminder that public WiFi is through an UNSECURED network. Use a VPN to protect your data.

Last but not least, life is simply much easier with a data connection and it makes traveling in Mexico City much more fun.

Think about finding nearby restaurants or rooftop bars, looking up info about a historical site you are looking at or simply getting directions from Google Maps, access your banking apps or find your friends when lost.

Buying a local prepaid sim card for Mexico on arrival at Benito Juarez International Airport is pretty easy and quick and it makes traveling to Mexico much more convenient. But it takes some time and effort to get one, register the sim card and add a data package.

Therefore Traveltomtom also highlights eSIMs in this guide because it is an even much faster and easier way to get connected when traveling to Mexico in 2025.

Having a working data connection on your phone makes traveling to Mexico so much easier: use Google Maps to find places and get directions, translate Spanish to English, stay up to date, order a taxi through an app, for safety reasons, emergencies, etc. There are so many reasons to stay connected when visiting Mexico.

Traveling onwards to Central America then check out my sim card guides for Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama or may be you travel the other way towards USA, New York, Miami or Canada.

Arrival at Airport Benito Juarez (MEX)

The Mexico City Airport (MEX) is very easy to navigate. There is basically one very long hall for both the International and Domestic Arrivals divided in Puerta (Doors) from 1 to 10.

Whenever you walk out of arrivals you will see the numbered doors straight away. In and between the doors you will find loads of shops, restaurants, banks and ATM's, car rental companies and money exchange boots.

Where to buy a sim card at Mexico City Airport

There are a couple different shops selling prepaid Mexico sim cards for tourists:

  • Puerta 3 - MOBO shop - only AT&T prepaid sim card
  • Puerta 5 - MOBO shop - only AT&T prepaid sim card

telcel mexico city airport

  • Puerta 5 - 2nd floor - Official TelCel store - only open from 9.00 am - 7.00 pm
  • Puerta 6 - OXXO - only Telcel sim cards
  • Puerta 7 - MOBO shop - only AT&T sim cards
  • Puerta 7 - OXXO - only Telcel sim cards
  • Puerta 8 - 7Eleven - only Telcel sim cards

Mobile internet providers in Mexico

There are 3 main mobile internet operators. Telcel is the biggest mobile internet operator in Mexico, followed by Movistar and AT&T.

At Mexico City Airport there is an official Telcel store, but there is no AT&T or Movistar store. When buying a Mexico sim card, Telcel is you best option! Why? Read my full article on best Mexico tourist sim card in 2025.

As I have done multiple trips in more than 25 of the 32 states in Mexico I can tell you there is a lot of difference between the Mexico mobile internet operators. Don't get fooled by more value for money. When traveling to off the beaten path tourist attractions in Mexico, good network coverage is all that matters.

Prices Mexico sim card for tourists

All info and prices are updated as per January 2025. Prices are in Mexican Pesos: $1 USD = $20.5 MXN and $100 MXN = $4.9 USD.

As per 2025 you can now also get eSIMs for tourists, but only in official phone stores of Telcel, AT&T and Movistar. In convenience stores they only offer physical prepaid sim cards.

So the only place at Mexico City Airport to buy an eSIM is at the Telcel store, but it has limited opening times.

AT&T prepaid sim card for tourists

att mexico prepaid sim card plans

All prepaid AT&T Mexico sim cards come with unlimited texting and calling to and from Mexico and the USA as well as free social media like: Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, WhatsApp.

  • 1.5 GB data + unlimited social media + unlimited calling/texting for 14 days = $100 MXN - $5.5 USD
  • 4.6 GB data + unlimited social media + unlimited calling/texting + 2.3 GB for Tiktok + YouTube for 20 days = $150 MXN - $8 USD
  • 6 GB data + unlimited social media + unlimited calling/texting + 3 GB for Tiktok + YouTube for 30 days = $200 MXN - $11 USD
  • 9 GB data + unlimited social media + unlimited calling/texting + 4.5 GB for Tiktok + YouTube for 30 days = $300 MXN - $16.5 USD

Telcel prepaid sim card for tourists

sim card mexico city airport 6

The same counts for Telcel Mexico prepaid sim cards: unlimited texting, calling + social media apps.

Prices for the prepaid Telcel sim cards at Mexico City Ariport are roughly the same at OXXO and 7ELEVEN however OXXO charges 150 pesos ($7) extra to activate it for you. NOT NEEDED, you can easily do it yourself!

OXXO Mexico Airport Telcel prepaid sim card

oxxo telcel sim card mexico city airport

If you are looking for a specific Mexico sim card package then head to the OXXO convenient stores as they offer a whole selection, see the picture above.

Remember that Oxxo charges you 150 pesos ($7) extra just for setting up your sim card. But you can opt out of that and do it yourself.

7-Eleven Mexico Airport Telcel prepaid sim card

At the 7-Eleven at the Puerta 8 they offer the following TELCEL prepaid sim card:

  • 3.2 GB data - unlimited social media apps and sms + calling for 30 days = 200 pesos - $10 USD

At the Telcel phone store they will offer you the following prepaid sim card plans:

  • 3 GB data + unlimited social media + unlimited calling/texting for 30 days = $200 MXN - $1 USD
  • 4 GB data + unlimited social media + unlimited calling/texting for 30 days = $300 MXN - $15USD
  • 6 GB data + unlimited social media + unlimited calling/texting for 30 days = $600 MXN - $29 USD

Best prepaid sim card at Mexico City Airport

Telcel has by far the best network coverage in Mexico, so that is Traveltomtom's preferred sim card for traveling in Mexico.

So when ordering an eSIM for Mexico make sure it operates on the Telcel network. eSIMs from Airalo and eSIMs from Jetpac operate on the Telcel network and are therefore recommended.

A Jetpac eSIM for Mexico gives you 10 GB data for $30 USD.

Check out my complete guide for buying an eSIM for Mexico in 2025.

best sim card mexico city airport

But buying a prepaid sim card at Mexico City Airport is cheaper...

For the best prepaid sim card for tourists in Mexico City Airport go to the 7Eleven shop at Puerta 8. For around $10 USD you get a sim card with free social media and 3 GB data for 30 days.

After you bought the sim card you put it in your phone. Switch off your phone and restart it. Your new sim card is activated and will work immediately without changing any settings.

Then you add credit to your number and activate your data package. If you are lucky the staff isn't that busy and they will help you setting it up. People in Mexico are super friendly and helpful.

Best eSIMs for Mexico

The easiest way to stay connected when traveling to Mexico is an eSIM. You arrange everything directly online and within just a couple clicks you are connected without swapping a physical sim card or visiting a sim card shop.

You order an eSIM for Mexico on the internet, you receive a QR code, scan it, follow the simple steps and within less than 2 minutes you have a Mexico eSIM installed on your phone.

Upon arrival at Mexico City it automatically connects you to an available network and you enjoy data on your phone pretty much when the plane lands.

For much more detailed information about using eSIMs and an answer to all your FAQ check out my guide with everything you need to know before ordering an eSIM for Mexico in 2025.

Jetpac

The best eSIM for Mexico is from Jetpac. They have great eSIM deals and their eSIMs operate on the Telcel network. Who is Jetpac? Check out the complete Jetpac review by the Traveltomtom Team.

jetpac esim cards for mexico

These are the Mexico eSIM plans from Jetpac for 2025:

  • 1 GB data for 4 days = $1 USD
  • 3 GB data for 7 days = $10 USD
  • 5 GB data for 30 days = $18 USD
  • 10 GB data for 30 days = $30 USD
  • 20 GB data for 30 days = $61 USD

Click here to order a Jetpac eSIM for Mexico.

Traveltomtom readers now get an extra 10% off on all Jetpac eSIMs when using the promo code: TOMTOM10 at check out!

Airalo

Airalo is a reliable eSIM provider and Traveltomtom has used them in more than 50 countries around the world.

airalo esim cards for mexico

Here are the Airalo eSIM plans for Mexico in 2025:

  • 1 GB data for 7 days = $6 USD
  • 2 GB data for 15 days = $11.5 USD
  • 3 GB data for 30 days = $15.5 USD
  • 5 GB data for 30 days = $23.5 USD
  • 10 GB data for 30 days = $42 USD

Click here to order an eSIM for Mexico from Airalo.

The above Chorro Fon eSIMs are data-only eSIMs and valid only in Mexico. They operate on the 4G/LTE network of Telcel and therefore are a recommended eSIM for Mexico.

Make sure your phone is eSIM compatible before ordering an eSIM for Mexico.

For more detailed info check out my comparison of the best eSIMs for traveling to Mexico in 2025.

Order a prepaid sim card for Mexico online

If your phone is not eSIM compatible and you would like to order a sim card for Mexico on the internet then look into the following.

Arrive prepared in Mexico City with an international prepaid sim card. You order them online and a physical prepaid sim card will be delivered to your home address. You put this sim card in your phone and it automatically connects to an available network upon arrival in Mexico City, basically when the plane lands you are instantly online.

international prepaid sim cards for mexico

SimOptions offers the following international prepaid sim card for Mexico:

  • 10 GB data for 14 days = $49.90 USD

Click here for more info or to order this international prepaid sim card for Mexico via SimOptions.

How to get from Mexico City Airport to the city

Luckily Mexico City is blessed with Uber and some other taxi apps. Anywhere around the city your Uber fare from Mexico City Airport to your hotel should not be more than $15 USD.

You can also take the metro, but I would not recommend that as an Uber is very affordable and they are always around 24/7.

Worried that you won't have an internet connection upon arrival in Mexico City Airport? Don't worry there is accessible free internet at Mexico City Airport that actually works pretty good. Definitely good enough to order an Uber.

But hey you won't need this of course! As this whole blog is to help you buying a Mexico sim card straight on arrival!

Can I use my USA sim card in Mexico?

Yes you can! For Americans there is no need to buy a Mexico sim card for tourists as US sim cards can be used in Mexico without any extra charges!

BUT…

From my experiences traveling with Americans in Mexico, your data roaming plan is super SLOW. There are limitations per day and if you hit the Fair Use Policy (FUP) of 500 MB per day your data speed will be reduced to 528 Kbps. Which is useless...

These overseas data roaming are terrible. Mostly they operate on the Movistar or AT&T network and often there is no network coverage.

Therefore also my advice to Americans traveling to Mexico, just buy a sim card at Mexico Airport or simply get an eSIM for Meixof, it will save you a lot irritation!

Want to be fuelled with wanderlust then go hop over to my Instagram profile @traveltomtom and find me traveling around the world trying to visit every country in the world. As of January 2025 I have visited more than 155 countries.

Enjoy your trip to Mexico!