When requesting Uber or DiDi in Mexico with a data-only eSIM, the first obstacle is your account, rather than the connection. Uber requires you to verify your mobile number to register, and DiDi’s help center describes the same step: enter your number, receive a code by SMS, enter it in the app, and only then create a password and add payment. A data-only eSIM does not receive text messages, so that code will arrive on the line you register, usually your home line.

Install the apps, register, and sign in while you’re still at home, with your line working and without being rushed. If your number is not Mexican, check the country selection: Uber’s help recommends confirming the selected country is correct and the registered number matches the phone where you have the app. If you already have accounts, open both apps before traveling and check that you’re still signed in.

Decide what to do with your home line during the trip. If you turn it off to avoid charges, no new codes will arrive until you turn it on; if you leave it active, ask your carrier beforehand about the cost of receiving SMS in Mexico. Avoid signing out of or reinstalling a transport app mid-trip. If you need to, keep your home line available in case it asks you to verify your number again.

According to its help center, DiDi accepts Visa, MasterCard, and American Express credit and debit cards, and cash is available only in some Mexican cities; DiDi recommends confirming availability with support. The payment method is chosen before confirming the trip and cannot be changed afterward, so check before tapping the button. In Uber, review the payment options in the app before your first trip, rather than when getting into the car.

For foreign cards, DiDi explains another detail: for account security, it makes a preliminary authorization charge that is canceled immediately, although the balance may take time to reappear, usually 7 to 10 business days depending on your bank. Tell your bank you’ll be traveling and ask how it will send confirmation codes if a purchase requires them; codes sent by SMS depend on your home line.

If you prefer cash, bring small bills. DiDi recommends checking beforehand that you have roughly the right change for the price shown in the app, and reminds you that the price is an estimate based on distance and travel time.

Both apps document how to share an ongoing trip. In Uber, after requesting the ride, swipe up, tap Share Trip Status, and choose up to five contacts; Uber says they receive a text with a link to a map showing your live location, the driver’s name, and vehicle details. DiDi includes this in its Safety Toolkit, which lets you share a trip with up to five trusted contacts and includes a direct 911 button available only during a trip.

Set up trusted contacts before leaving, rather than on the day you need them; DiDi lets you add them through the Safety Center in its main menu. Since your eSIM is data-only, confirm those people receive the link and, if uncertain, also share your location through the messaging app you already use together.

Before getting in, compare the car and driver with what the app shows. DiDi says the following details identify your driver when requesting a ride, and asks you to cancel if any do not match:

Airports are a poor place to improvise. In March 2026, Mexico City International Airport (AICM) management reiterated that app-based taxi services are not authorized to operate in the airport’s federal zone and announced National Guard operations to prevent irregular services.

The alternative inside the terminal is an authorized taxi. The same statement mentions the 11 taxi associations serving AICM and new sales booths installed during remodeling, along with the planned relocation of sales points in the restricted international arrivals area. Follow the day’s official signs rather than a map from several months ago. Book only at those booths and decline transport offers in corridors.

If you arrive at another airport, don’t assume the same rules apply: before flying, check its official website and where each type of transport can pick up passengers. If the terminal offers Wi-Fi, keep it as a backup if your eSIM has not connected after landing.