Renting a Car at Mexico City Airport: All You Need to Know

Are you undecided about renting a car at Mexico City airport for your visit to this beautiful, bustling capital of the country and its charming surroundings? Don’t worry, I’ll tell you everything you need to know to make up your mind.

In this post, I’m going to tell you things like the cost of renting a car here, where to rent from, nifty details involved in the process, and most important of all – whether you even need a car or not! So let’s get started.

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Renting a Car at Mexico City Airport: Overview

💡 Do You Need To Rent a Car at Mexico City Airport?

So, first and foremost, do you even need to rent a car at Mexico City airport? The short answer is that you don’t need to rent a car in Mexico City if you’re only visiting the city. I would actually recommend against it.

Public transport is great in Mexico City and there are also services like Uber and DiDi so you can see around easily using those, which makes renting a car superfluous.

But if you want to explore the surroundings of the city (which I highly recommend you should do), then renting a car at Mexico City Airport is a fantastic idea.

There are so many amazing places that you can check out once you have a rental car, such as Tolantongo, Puebla, Queretaro, Guanajuato San Miguel de Allende, and Huasteca Potosina.

So assuming that your plans are to explore Mexico City surroundings, it’s best to rent a car at Mexico City airport so you are already away from the city traffic.

💡 How Much Does it Cost to Rent a Car at Mexico City Airport?

On average, it costs anywhere between 15-25 USD for the car only, mind, insurance and fees excluded. The exact number will vary because there are tons of factors involved – like the base rate, insurance coverage, and other taxes and fees.

That’s why you will see offers for as low as 7-8 USD per day. But these are generally just the base fee and you will end up paying close to even 20-25 USD when you go to pick up your car. That’s something you should always look out for and avoid offers that seem too good to be true.

Then on top of the fee, the insurance coverage fee varies as well. Expect at least 10 USD per day as the insurance fee along with the rental rate. So a ballpark figure comes down to 40-45 USD per day.

The deposit rate also varies based on things like the rental company, your duration of rent, and the car model. Rentals can ask for up to a 3000 USD deposit if you’re only buying the basic insurance coverage, but it’s usually much lower (between 200-500 USD) with full coverage.

Also, the way they hold a deposit is by blocking the deposit amount on your credit card and releasing it when there are no damages. This means you typically can’t use a debit card to rent a car from these rentals.

💡 Is Driving In and Around Mexico City Difficult?

Driving in Mexico City and the state, in general, can be a tad bit difficult because of how busy it gets here. The number of cars hitting the road is literally in the millions. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to drive here.

There are many things to watch out for on the roads of Mexico City, including people going against traffic rules and tons of speed bumps and once you get used to them, you can drive in the city.

You can also avoid peak hours (7-9 am and 5-8 pm) for better traffic conditions. Then there are things you can’t avoid, like the Hoy No Circula rules. Some restrictions decide the days and times a vehicle isn’t allowed on the roads depending on the number of its license plate ends.

All of those reasons are why I recommend using public transport or a car sharing App within the city instead because it takes away a lot of the hassle of getting around in Mexico City.

Oh, and as for the surroundings of the city, places like Puebla, Tolantongo, and Queretaro, driving to them is better because there’s relatively less chaos and aggression on the highway compared to the city.

Where to Rent a Car at Mexico City Airport

👍 Discover Cars

When it comes to renting cars somewhere, I always recommend Discover Cars. There’s a good reason why, the platform is the best way to find just the car for your needs minus all the hassle involved with it.

Just like any other service, Discover Cars has its pros and cons – but the pros heavily outweigh the cons if you want to rent a car at Mexico City airport.

Your chances of finding the best rates are higher with Discover Cars because you can sift through all the good rentals, and hidden fees and other unexpected costs aren’t a thing when you rent using it.

What’s more, there are perks like free 48-hour cancellation and a full coverage add-on that you can opt for so you don’t have to worry about anything while exploring places – it includes everything from scratches and lost keys to car body damage, tires, towing, and much more.

👍 Rental Companies at Mexico City Airport

The airport in Mexico City has several car rentals on-site, so you can also rent from those if you want. These include famous ones like Hertz, National, Sixt, and Alamo as well as local companies like Mex Rent-A-Car.

I have rented quite a few times with Mex Rent A Car because even if they are more expensive than others, they also have a full coverage with zero deductible and the deposit they hold is minimum. Something like 100 USD, which gives me peace of mind. Also one time I had to drop off the car sooner than expected and they have refunded me for the unused portion, which is kind of unusual.

I don’t like to use international car rentals such as Hertz or National because I find them extremely expensive and they hold a huge deposit.

Wherever you decide to rent, make sure to read reviews for the rentals that you like, to make sure they provide what they offer.

👍 Local Rentals in The City

An alternative to renting a car from the airport rentals is to rent one from rentals within the city.

These offer slightly cheaper rates because they don’t have to pay the airport fees and you can also just make a walk-in booking with them unless it’s an extremely busy time like Easter or Christmas.

But then again, the cost of getting to these rentals from the airport might end up negating the savings and there’s always a chance you might not find the right car available if you plan on renting on the day of your trip.

So you need to consider these trade-offs and make a choice based on whether it’d be better to book online or from these.

Things To Know Before Renting A Car at Mexico City Airport

👉 Car Rental Insurance

Insurance is a must when it comes to renting a car anywhere in Mexico, and its capital city is no exception to that. That’s why the base rate of rentals here includes a collision damage waiver (CDW), which is the minimum required.

However, full coverage comes with an additional fee and it depends on the rental you’re getting the insurance from.

Discover Cars offers one of the cheapest full coverage fees. You can get total peace of mind at a coverage fee of as low as 7-10 USD per day.

But getting full insurance from the rental company itself also has its pros. Because then you don’t have to pay for any damage out of your pocket and wait for reimbursement from the third party.

Similarly, if you’re someone from the US, your credit card insurance won’t be very convenient in Mexico because the rentals will still deduct any damage fees from your account and then you have to claim with your credit card provider for reimbursement. So make sure your credit card provider confirms you that your car insurance will cover you in Mexico as well.

Note: You need a credit card to rent a car with because the rentals freeze a certain amount of credit on your card as the deposit – which can’t be done on a debit card unless they take the money out of your account.

👉 Driving License

In case you’re wondering about the license requirements to drive in Mexico, you won’t have to worry about getting any additional permits if you have a driving license from the US or one written in Roman letters.

Just the driving license you have, along with your passport and credit card, should be enough to rent and drive a car at Mexico City airport and drive to all the places on your itinerary.

However, if your driving license is in some other script (like Arabic or Chinese), you will need one additional document to drive in Mexico.

Issued by Mexico’s ANA Automobile Club, it’s called the International Driving Permit and it allows you to drive a vehicle in Mexico as a tourist. So if you need one, you can get it from anamx.com and read more about it at internationaldrivingpermit.org/country/mexico/.

👉 “Scams”/Hidden Fees

There are many things to look out for when renting a car at Mexico City airport. These aren’t necessarily scams, but they might as well be – because you end up paying way more than what you bargained for.

The first one among these is the insurance add-on scam. You will come across a rental with unbeatable prices, you will book a car thinking you’re getting a great deal, and then you end up paying almost double that price because insurance wasn’t included in the base rate and you can’t rent without it.

Also, there are many other hidden fees that rentals stack onto the rate they quoted, such as VATs, processing fees, and airport tax. So make sure you rent from a place that’s transparent with its pricing and everything else.

This one is more of a policy thing that gets overlooked sometimes, but you also need to pay attention to the gas policy of the rental you’re getting the car from.

Some give you the car with a full tank and require that you return it with a full tank as well. If you don’t bring it back with a full tank, they will charge you a fee for it that will be way more than the gas price.

Others charge you a gas fee, which is higher than gas prices but it saves you the trouble of having to find a gas station near the rental agency and filling up the tank before returning the car.

And speaking of gas stations, that’s another thing where you might encounter a scam. These gas stations have attendants who fill up your car for you.

Always check that the meter is reset to zero before they start filling the gas because they sometimes start from the previous filling.

Practical Driving Tips in Mexico City

📌 Book your car in advance: When renting a car at Mexico City airport, it’s always a better idea to reserve it way in advance. That way you won’t have to deal with availability issues, plus you might also get a better deal.

📌 Get full insurance when renting a car: You need insurance to rent a car in Mexico City and there’s a minimum tier for it, but getting full, zero-deductible insurance is the better choice. It gets you covered for most everything at just a small additional cost.

📌 Be wary of scammy rentals: There are many scams involved in renting cars at Mexico City Airport. These are mainly hidden charges, penalties, and add-ons you didn’t ask for. Look out for all those.

📌 Read your rental agreement very carefully: You should always carefully read any agreements you’re getting into, and car rental ones are no exception.

This way, you will not only know exactly what you’re getting and avoid the hidden charges I mentioned above but also be aware of things like the rental’s return and fuel policies – saving you a lot of trouble and penalties.

📌 Do a thorough inspection of the car: This one is a little less obvious, but you also need to take a good look at the car when you go pick it up and fill out the form they give you to mark existing damage. It’s even better if you take a short video of the car before leaving the rental.

📌 Drive like the locals: The first and foremost rule of driving safely in Mexico City, or anywhere else in the world, is to drive like the others are driving on the road. Don’t break any laws, but try to keep up with them.

📌 Keep an eye out for potholes on the roads: You will encounter potholes on the roads, and they can make it even more difficult to drive along with the insane traffic. Watch out for them.

📌 Speed bumps: Speaking of things to watch out for on the road, Mexico is famous for its speed bumps (topes). Some of them have warning signs before, but many don’t – so be careful.

📌 Read road signs: Warning about upcoming speed bumps is just one benefit, you should pay attention to all the road signs you come across when driving in Mexico.

📌 Download offline maps: If you’re driving, especially to the surrounding places of Mexico City, you should download offline maps of the region on your phone for easy access. Also, I recommend getting a local SIM card to use while driving here to use Maps and other services.

Frequently Asked Questions About Renting A Car At Mexico City Airport

Final Thoughts: Renting a Car at Mexico City Airport

Renting a car at Mexico City airport is a great idea if you want to set out on a scenic trip to the charming surroundings of the capital. You will get to enjoy a variety of magical places at your own pace, like Huasteca Potosina, Puebla, Queretaro, and Tolantongo.

You can pre-book your car using Discover Cars. Plus it’s a good way to get the best rate from the rentals at the airport, and there are many benefits like a great cancellation policy, no hidden fees, and affordable full insurance.

However, if you want to explore Mexico City itself, renting a car isn’t a good idea. Driving on the roads here is a challenge. I recommend using Uber and DiDi to get around town. And if you need it, the Metro bus is a cheaper option as well.