USA airport > Mexico City > Zihua Customs twice?
I usually fly direct from Chicago to Zihua. That flight wasn’t available this year. Instead, I have a layover in Mexico City where I’ll catch my flight to Zihua later that day. Can someone tell me if I have to collect (then recheck) my luggage in Mexico City, where I assume I’ll be going through customs? (I actually don’t mind and besides have 4+ hours between flights.) Another question: do I have to go through customs again when I land in Zihua? Since I’ve always flown directly from the US to Zihua, everyone on my flights goes through customs. I’ve never seen what happens when planes arrive from another Mexican airport. Many thanks!
USA airport > Mexico City > Zihua Customs twice?
by midalake 
, Tuesday, January 03, 2023, 18:17 (1226 days ago) @ SandyB
I usually fly direct from Chicago to Zihua. That flight wasn’t available this year. Instead, I have a layover in Mexico City where I’ll catch my flight to Zihua later that day. Can someone tell me if I have to collect (then recheck) my luggage in Mexico City, where I assume I’ll be going through customs? (I actually don’t mind and besides have 4+ hours between flights.) Another question: do I have to go through customs again when I land in Zihua? Since I’ve always flown directly from the US to Zihua, everyone on my flights goes through customs. I’ve never seen what happens when planes arrive from another Mexican airport. Many thanks!
You will go through immigration in Mex.
Then you will collect your luggage and go to the location for "re-checking bags" you will have to put your luggage through a goofy x-ray machine. then deliver them to a conveyor belt for your next flight.
When you arrive in Z, you walk off the plane collect your luggage and walk out the front doors.
USA airport > Mexico City > Zihua Customs twice?
Perfectly clear! Thank you!
USA airport > Mexico City > Zihua Customs twice?
I would check with your carrier too.
When we flew out of Vancouver Canada (YVR) to ZIH via Mexico City this past October with AeroMexico, our bags were checked through to ZIH and we never touched them until we received them in Zihua.
All we did was go through Immigration in Mexico City then through the "Nothing to Declare" line and then took a tram to Terminal 1 to catch the flight to Zihua. Your carry on (like a backpack) might be searched on a random basis by attendants as you clear the "Nothing to Declare" line but we weren't even questioned.
On our return trip, we landed at Terminal 1 (instead of the scheduled Terminal 2) and were escorted to Terminal 2 by some AeroMexico staff and took a bus to Terminal 2. They simply asked if we had anything to declare before we got on the bus. Our bags were checked through to YVR in Zihua and again we never saw them until we arrived in Vancouver.
Our bags had the Apple AirTags inside them and it was interesting watching as they progressed on their journey.
Roberto!
YVR airport > Mexico City > Zihua = Customs Once
by Little Guy , Tuesday, January 03, 2023, 20:34 (1225 days ago) @ Roberto!
My experience last October was very similar to yours. I didn’t have any check baggage (see below), but when I got to the AM check in desk the attendant said the flight was very full and put my carry on into checked luggage. I didn’t see it again until I arrived at ZIH.
I booked through WestJet. My travel started on Vancouver Island with a WestJet partner airline, Pacific Coastal flight to YVR. I was planning to take one checked piece, but I didn’t have any confidence in the information WS gave me about the cost.
WS said that I would pay only one checked baggage fee, when I boarded on the Island. I would get all of my boarding passes when I started and my baggage would be tagged through to ZIH. Yay! 
Pacific Coastal said they would only ticket me as far as YVR. I would pay their checked luggage fee. I would have to exit the secure area at YVR, then get my further ticketing and boarding passes from AM, check any luggage with AM, and pay AM.
That didn’t sound very cost-effective. 
USA airport > Mexico City > Zihua Customs twice?
When I flew in from MSP-MEX-ZIH, my bags were checked all the way Zihua. I was expecting to pick them up and recheck them in MEX, but I didn't have to. I flew on Delta.
USA airport > Mexico City > Zihua Customs twice?
by Sunlight Dancer , Tuesday, January 03, 2023, 22:52 (1225 days ago) @ Bart
We haven't had to recheck our bags in MEX for at least two years. The flight from MEX to ZIH is in-country, not international. Just grab your bags and go when you arrive in Z. Eazy-peezy.
BTW, the train in MEX that connects passengers between T1 and T2 (Aerotren) was operating in October but was not operating when we came back through MEX to return to the States last month. Finding the bus to take us from T1 to T2 was a bit of a challenge.
