Aquarius Moon

March 15, 2005

AP MEXICO! Flights & Ground transport

Please let me know your travel arrangements when you have made them.

FLIGHT INFORMATION (updated 01-10-06)

- The best airport to fly into is Morelia International Airport (MLM).
- Airlines that fly to Morelia are: Continental, American, United, Mexicana, and Aeromexico. United and Mexicana partner with a smaller local carrier called Aeromar.
- Direct flights from individual cities (like San Francisco) may be possible. However if transferring, typical transfer cities are Houston (IAH), Los Angeles (LAX), and Mexico City (MEX). Houston is probably best. And if possible, it's best to avoid transferring in Los Angeles. The Tom Bradley terminal is like a huge hangar, filled with masses of people, and no sense of direction or lines. If you must transfer there, just allow plenty of time and try to bring only a carry-on, no checked baggage.
- Prices are going down a bit, so keep an eye on the web for deals. Today a R/T ticket from San Francisco is $550 on Continental -- down from $728 a few months ago.

EARLY ARRIVAL

- It looks like most flights are arriving in Morelia in the evening, between 7:40 and 7:58 pm. As a result, some people have suggested arriving the day before (3/2), staying overnight in Morelia, then travelling to Patzcuaro during the day on 3/3. This is an excellent idea!! Morelia is a great city, not overly large and with a beautiful historic center and a huge, rare curving aqueduct. Well worth exploring on foot for a few hours or more before continuing to Patzcuaro.
- To accommodate those who might want to do this, I've reserved (5) rooms at the colonial Best Western hotel on Morelia's main plaza for the evening of 3/2. The cost per room is between $67.50 and $72 per night. (2) of the rooms have a king bed, and (3) of the rooms have two beds if anyone would like to share the cost. Click here, or on the picture below, for more info about the hotel.

- Please let me know if you would like one of these rooms before Feb 18th. For those staying I'll arrange a shared mid-afternoon ride up to Patzcuaro at about 3:30 pm on Friday 3/3. You'll arrive at the Casa in Patzcuaro at about 4:30 pm, which is plenty of time to settle in, explore a little, and have dinner.

GROUND TRANSPORT

- Patzcuaro is approximately 1-1/2 hours from Morelia airport.
- The Casa Encantada has a driver who can pick people up at the airport for $40 per pick up. Up to 4 people can share the car and cost.
- If several people are arriving on a common plane, I can arrange for you to be picked up by a small private bus, which would cost approximately $10-$20 per person.
- If you're staying in Morelia on 3/2 please let me know if you would like to catch a mid-afternoon ride from central Morelia to Patzcuaro on 3/3 instead. (see Early Arrival above)

ALTERNATIVE TRAVEL

- Mexico City (MEX) and Guadalajara (GDL) are alternative arrival points and flights to those cities from the US are often cheaper. Each is an approximately 4-5 hour drive from Patzcuaro. Intrepid travellers or backpackers may want to come into one of these cities, and either hire a rental car or try taking a first class Mexican coach, city to city. For these options I can't help with arrangements but I can tell you my stories. It's doable, but you'd be on your own.