There are several choices for a domestic flight between Mexico City and Cancun. The typical choice would be Aeromexico because they fly more internationally and people seem more aware of the brand. However, a quick search through the reviews revealed Interjet to be a great choice as well. The price was reasonable, and even its basic fare includes a checked bag. Booking on its website was easy as well.
Mexico City's airport is quite close to town. It is directly accessible by metro, but is not recommended during rush hour thanks to plenty of pickpockets. Metrobus' Line 4 has a more premium service into the historic centre and cops are on the bus to give you a perception of safety. However, at 30 pesos a person, it is actually cheaper to Uber if you have a larger group of 3 or more.
When 48 hours before my flight arrived, I went to the website to check in. No luck. Such a popular domestic flight cannot enjoy the benefits of automation.
Saturday morning traffic was not problematic at all and it took less than 25 minutes to reach the old Terminal 1. This would be my only regret as Aeromexico uses a much nicer and newer Terminal 2. The interior decor looks slightly renovated although it still screams old world. One side of the terminal is for departures while the other side is for arrivals. Both are on the same level.
Interjet has 3 types of check-in clusters. Priority had the shortest line, followed by check-in without boarding pass, and check-in with boarding pass. The language seemed confusing, so I deciphered the last one being online check-in with bag drop.
Although there was a sizeable crowd in my line, it steadily moved thanks to many counters in operation. My boarding pass was printed on a supermarket-like receipt quickly and the agent reminded me to check at 11am for the gate number as it had not been assigned yet.
I explored the terminal a bit more thoroughly, noting many exchange shops on the departures section. The marble floor looked nice but you can definitely see how dated the facility has become.
Upstairs, there were lots of food options and a seating area to enjoy a fast meal before your flight. Nothing fancy here - just simple, middle class food.