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As the final leg of my EuroBonus Millionaire adventure, I was flying Aeromexico’s Business Class from Mexico City to Buenos Aires on their newer Boeing 787-9. I was excited to try out this cabin, compare it to their 787-8, and see their renowned Sky Bar. Here’s a full breakdown of how it went—from check-in to landing in Buenos Aires.
| Route | MEX-EZE |
| Flight | AM30 |
| Cabin | Business |
| Equipment | Boeing 787-9 |
| Aircraft | XA-ADC (8 years old) |
| Flight Time | 8H 50m |
How I Booked This Flight
While arranging my EuroBonus Millionaire trip, I wanted to start my return to Argentina from Seoul (my last Asian stop), and I found availability on the recently-opened route from Seoul to Mexico City, working out the dates, I could have a 23h stopover and connect with a flight to Buenos Aires the next day. For all of it, I paid 114.000 EuroBonus points in Business Class. I was also excited because I could compare their 787-8 and 787-9 with the Sky Bar.
Check-In & Security
I spent the night at Hilton Benito Juarez Airport, which is located at Terminal 1. I had to take the Aerotren between the two terminals to go to Terminal 2, a train that you can access only by showing a valid boarding pass for that day. The train arrives right next to the security entrance, near dock M. The security lane was chaotic, and there was very little room for waiting and multiple parallel queues, but it went fast as the X-ray machines are very modern.
Luckily, as in the US, outgoing flights do not require passport control, which makes the process much simpler. The airline automatically reports to the government which passengers/passport numbers have left the country.
Once on the airside, the terminal was busy, crowded, and noisy. It felt like a busy shopping mall right before the holidays. All shops were full of people and even queuing to buy items.
Aeromexico Premier Lounge (Terminal 2)
At Terminal 2, all lounges are on the second floor, including two Aeromexico lounges (Salón Premier), an Amex Centurion Lounge, an HSBC Premier Lounge, and others. Several elevators are across the hall; one is through the duty-free shop. It seemed it was rush hour, as there were extremely long queues to access every lounge. I tried going to the (higher quality) Amex lounge, but it had a waiting time of 40 minutes! Instead, I headed straight to one of the Aeromexico lounges and waited for about 5 minutes until I got in.
Overall, I didn’t have a great time at the lounge, but it did its job, which was getting a quick coffee and some bottles of water before boarding, as I didn’t have breakfast at the hotel. As you get in, there are multiple seating areas or living rooms, two coffee bars (barista-style and sponsored by Café Punta del Cielo), and one area with a snack bar and fridges.
Boarding
After half an hour, I headed to Gate 69, which is a 10-minute walk from the lounge. People had already started to queue. The area is very small and feels crowded, but it’s well delimited by the signs. After a few minutes, the boarding was opened. For a few moments, I was worried about having a second security screening, as some of the gates had the machine ready, mainly for destinations in the US.
Cabin & Seat
I had seat 10A, which is in the “second” Business Class cabin, right after the center gate. The smaller cabin feels intimate and cozy but has the drawback of being in the middle of the way for passengers in other classes, so you don’t get a welcome drink until the boarding is almost done.
Compared to my recent flight on the 787-8, these seats are also Collins Aerospace Diamond but in a 1-2-1 configuration. A much newer design, with plenty of storage space. It feels tidy, organized, and clean. It also feels quite private despite not having a closing door. These seats are exactly the same as those I tested recently on China Airlines’ A350 Business Class. I liked China Airlines’ design better, though, as the colors and touches were more soothing. Aeroméxico went for a cleaner and more basic design, almost all white.
At the seat, there was a bag with the bedding kit (pillow and duvet), headphones, and a seat cover that acts as a mattress pad/extra cushion, which is nice and soft. The bag, this time, is reusable and has a zipper. There was also a bottle of water in one of the storage compartments.
This smaller Business Class cabin is interesting because it has four seats in the middle but just one on the sides, which makes it really nice for solo travelers. There’s also plenty of storage space in the overhead bins.
When facing front, the IFE screen looks sharp. The tray table can be extended, and it’s quite large. It’s great for working or using a laptop. It is much more comfortable and stronger than the table on their 787-8.
The armrest has two storage compartments that are closed with a lid. It keeps everything tidy and organized, but it has two main disadvantages: the compartments are not too deep, and it doesn’t work very well if you have things sitting on the armrest, such as a glass.
Bedding
The bedding was wrapped in a reusable bag. Instead of a separate container or area, headphones were included in this bag along with the bedding. Along with the items, there was a card with instructions to install the seat cover.
The opposite armrest was rebatable, and you can adjust its height and store the headphones inside.
IFE
The IFE was responsive, and the screen looked sharp even when the cabin was bright. Aeromexico has an extensive movie selection with very recent titles, which is enough to keep you entertained for hours. Their system also has some nice features, such as a PIP map (not available on all IFEs), and switching languages is very quick.
Welcome Drink & Menu
Once boarding was almost done, we were offered a glass of water, juice, or champagne.
We were also asked to select our meals from the menu. In my case, this was the second time all the meals were gone, and there were no options available but one: the shrimp. The crew handed out a small card explaining how to choose meals beforehand online.
We pushed back on time while a safety video was played in Spanish and English.
We taxied for about 15 minutes before we took off. I was lucky with my seat selection. A few minutes after takeoff, the captain announced that the Popocatépetl volcano had some activity on the left side of the plane, which looked impressive.
Right after takeoff, the crew came and offered to install the seat cover for me.
Amenity Kit
The Etro amenity kit was made of recycled materials, including plastic and leather. It is quite complete, including slippers, an eye mask, a dental kit with toothbrush, toothpaste, and mouthwash, a hair comb, ear plugs, hand cream, lip balm, and, something that greatly surprised me, a small 48-page notebook (“field notes”) along with a pen. Nice touch!
WIFI
Aeromexico uses modern equipment from Panasonic, which works fast and has good coverage. The downside is that Business Class passengers only get a 2h voucher for the entire flight. I didn’t ask the crew if they would hand out another one. However, it should be complimentary for the entire flight, as is the case with many other airlines these days.
The system was straightforward, and it took a few clicks to apply for the voucher. Register and create a new account (recommended) if you want to switch devices with the same voucher or bought package. The prices were USD $5.99 for 1h or USD $21.99 for the whole flight. One nice aspect is that the whole plane gets free internet access for messages (WhatsApp, iMessage, and Facebook Messenger only, no pictures or videos).
Lavatories
The Business Class cabin has access to one front lavatory, and two rear lavatories along the galley. The toilets were well lit and cleaned often by the crew. Unlike the 787-8, this plane has a window inside.
Sky Bar: Aeromexico’s 787-9 Highlight
One of the highlights of Aeromexico’s 787-9 is its Sky Bar, located between the two business class cabins. They have transformed the galley into a big open area where you can get snacks, Nespresso coffee, drinks, and spirits.
The snacks change as the flight progresses, from fruits and cookies to sandwiches and small canapes. There’s a nice fridge with many soft drinks and a handy water dispenser. Overall, this area gives a nice touch and makes the cabin look more open and welcoming. There’s also less noise, as the crew doesn’t use this space for any of the operations.
Meal 1 (Breakfast)
As this flight departs early, the first meal is the “light meal,” and the second service is where you get the “full meal.” The breakfast was an egg quiche. The whole service was quick (under 20 minutes).
After breakfast, the cabin was dimmed for sleeping.
Meal 2 (Dinner)
About two hours before arrival, the crew started handing out hot towels before dinner.
The starter was a salmon and cream cheese tower with cheese.
For the main dish, the only option available was the sauteed shrimp with a side salad.
Finally, there was ice cream and coffee or tea for dessert.
Arrival
The last two hours were quite turbulent, something common while crossing the Andes mountains. The sky looked beautiful. The arrival was peaceful and on time.
Video Review
Summary
I had a very solid flight with Aeromexico. I already liked this seat design and particularly liked the second Business Class cabin configuration, which felt intimate and cozy. The cabin design is slightly too-white, but at the same time, it feels clean and organized. The IFE is responsive and has lots of options to keep you entertained. The seat is comfortable, and the extra seat cover adds some cushion. Having WIFI was a nice touch, but for Business Class passengers, it would be nice to have free unlimited WIFI access for the entire flight, not just for 2 hours. The main downside was again the food. Not only did they run out of options almost instantly, but also, the experience and taste weren’t great. Other than that, it was a great flight, and I wouldn’t hesitate to fly with Aeromexico again.