Job Discussion Forums

[corporatehuman]

Hi, I just recently booked flight from Mexico City to Tuxtla, and thought I'd share the price difference with you all, because it was alarming.

So first I booked a flight from Philadelphia to Mexico City through US Airways. I did it through frequent flier miles...and three days later I need to go to Tuxtla. So US Airways told me I could book the Tutxla flight (from Mexico City to Tuxtla) through them, for 173 dollars. Essentially US airways would act as the middle man to Mexicana air.

At first I was worried, as most of the time the middle man makes a profit. In this case, US Airways was saving me over a thousand dollars.

According to the Mexicana website, a flight from Mexico City to Tuxtla on June 11th, would cost 1800 DOLLARS! WHAT?! An hour flight!?

Compared with the 173 dollars I paid to US Airways who booked through Mexicana, the same airline.

Has anyone else experienced price gaps like this?? It just seemed utterly ridiculous, does anyone know WHY there would be such a big gap in price?

Anyway, I was just surprised, and wanted to let you all know incase anyone is booking flights anytime soon.


- chris

[Samantha]

You are right. The price of national flights being ridiculously and unaffordably high is an age old problem in Mexico (a government thing). It is slowly changing as some new budget airlines are being introduced but in the meantime this is why bus travel is THE mode of transportation.

[Guy Courchesne]

[Samantha]

Oh yeah...It's a bargain at $1800 pesos because the same flight for tomorrow would be about $3800.00 pesos. If you have to get somewhere immediately and can't book ahead it is painful. My husband recently flew to Hermosillo, Sonora and back on a day trip to pick up his visa and it cost around $5000.00 pesos roundtrip. He booked a few days ahead but still...yikes. Expensive visa it turns out to be, but not enough time off work to drive.

[Guy Courchesne]

Flying major routes isn't so bad, especially out of Mexico City. Not sure from other places though. Aviacsa was around 2000 pesos round trip DF-GDL last I checked. Aerocalifornia was the cheapest until it was shut down for being unsafe and having mjor debt problems. Volaris is new, and there's Click - through Mexicana I think. Azteca airlines...haven't tried them. You can pretty much go one-way from DF to anywhere in Mexico for under 2500 pesos, and about the same to LA or Houston. Still pricier than the US or Canada.

[Dragonlady]

deleted

out of date

[corporatehuman]

Man I feel like an idiot, it is pesos. Anyway, thanks for the other advice.


- Chris

[Guy Courchesne]

It happens. Just remember this when you get to Mexico. Some cabbies and salespeople might try to play the peso/dollar trick on you. Often, a price quoted in Mexico is followed by MN, meaning, moneda nacional (national currency). At the street level, the $ sign is often used without MN, but it will always be in pesos. Anything in dollars should say USD or dolares.

[MELEE]

Any one heard any more about the plans for a discount airline in Mexico? I believe it was going to be called Aerobus. I hope it gets going. I took the bus to Monterrey for the MEXTESOL conference once, and 19 hour journey! But the flight was way too expensive.

[lozwich]

Don't forget the Mex-E-Savers part of the Mexicana website. They can have some bargains too. Last time I looked at the site in English it didn't work at all, but you can get good results if you view it in Spanish.

[Wouter]

I booked my oneway flight from Tuxtla to Mexico City for 800 pesos in highseason on www.clickmx.com.mx. The later you book the cheaper it was. I looked today (2 May) for the 4th of May and there is a flicht available for 800 pesos.

Wouter