Medical evacuation from Mexico to the US, step by step

Reviewed by the AirAmbulance.org editorial team · Updated 6 November 2026 · Editorial policy

Mexico is the most common country for US medical evacuations: short flights from beach resorts and cities to hospitals in Texas, California, Arizona and Florida.

Common routes

• Cancún to Houston: about 1,300 km, roughly 2 hours.
• Los Cabos to Los Angeles: about 1,500 km.
• Mexico City to Houston: about 1,200 km.

Steps

• Medical report and fit-to-fly confirmation from the Mexican hospital.
• A US hospital or doctor accepts the patient.
• Payment or insurer guarantee, then the operator handles permits, customs and ground ambulances.

Practical points

• Many Mexican private hospitals ask for payment or a guarantee before discharge.
• US health insurance and Medicare often pay little abroad; travel insurance is usually key.

More routes from Mexico

• Cancún to Miami: about 860 km, roughly 1 hour 35 minutes by medical jet.
• Puerto Vallarta to Los Angeles: about 1,960 km; Puerto Vallarta to Dallas: about 1,580 km.
• Guadalajara to Los Angeles: about 2,110 km, for patients from Guadalajara and Lake Chapala.
• Monterrey to Houston: about 660 km, one of the shortest cross-border medical flights.
• Los Cabos to Phoenix: about 1,170 km.

From northern Mexico: fly or drive?

• From cities near the border, a ground ambulance across the border can sometimes be an option for stable patients, with a hand-over to a US ambulance or hospital.
• For longer distances, unstable patients or anyone who needs critical care, a fixed-wing air ambulance is usually safer and faster.

General information only, not medical, legal or insurance advice. Rules, coverage and prices change; confirm with your provider and insurer.