MacPuente (McBridge)

There is one major international airport within the limits of Mexico City, and it is known by many names. The official full name is Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez, after the country's president from 1858 and 1872, who became one of the most influential figures in its history. Shorter versions include AICM (Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México, or Mexico City International Airport) and its three-letter code MEX. The first airport operations at this site began in 1915, becoming international by 1943, and considered to be at capacity since 2014. The airport has had many expansions and renovations, although is unlikely to be able to grow any more as it is practially surrounded by established residential and industrial areas. Proposals for a second airport to serve the city have been a topic of controversy and political issues even after the 2022 opening of Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA / NLU) in the State of Mexico, outside of the city's limits.

Aircraft movements in and out of AICM have been a difficult subject for a long time due to the airport's urban situation. While this means that a large number of nearby residents often have issues with noise and vibrations, it also represents a boon for plane-spotters and fanatics, given the accessibility to view these operations. Perhaps nowhere is this clearer than on a predestrian footbridge above Boulevard Puerto Aéreo, which is parallel to one of the airport's runways. One end of the bridge is found right in front of a McDonald's fast food outlet, which lead to it commonly being known as the McPuente or MacPuente (McBridge).

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the MacPuente was something of an attraction in its own right as, particularly during weekends, some sellers would offer toy planes and aviation-related items to families with children who came to watch the airplanes. Since then, however, it remains a popular spot but not to the same degree. The MacPuente does continue to offer a great opportunity for viewers to appreciate aircraft, specially since the neighborhoods closests to the airport are often working class. In this context, many of its neighbors might have never had a chance to actually ride an airplane before, yet find themselves hearing them on a constant basis.