Which terminal or airlines? If you're flying from the US it should be either T2 or T3. A leg from Mexico City (typically) would be T1. Most flights from the US land in T3 but one lands at T2, I've done both but I can't remember which one is different.....I'd find out if possible at which terminal your flight are scheduled to arrive. We can give you more specific advice. Both have general meeting places. If worse comes to worse you can always meet at the car rental office which will probably be a lot less frantic than the arrivals pick up area!

As for your cell phones, if you have any of the major carriers, and any kind of smartphone your phones should work just fine. I regularly text, Facebook or use WhatsAp (free app) to contact anyone in Mexico. You'll get a nice Welcome to Mexico on your phone message as you arrive!! It's kind of my official "I'm HERE!" happy message. Just make sure it's off and not data roaming for the length of your trip. You can double check with your carrier but most people don't have any problem with their US plans in Mexico.

thank you for your suggestions. Turns out one child is coming in to Terminal 2 and the other is arriving at Terminal 3. Are they that far apart? I am not sure how they'd get to the car rental, as we will already have the car! Is there no good spot that we can have them meet us?

There is a bus that goes from termnal 2 to 3 and They arae not that far apart but it is very difficult and dngerous to try to walk btwn them as there are no sidewalks connecting them and you really do not want to be wlking on that airport road lugging suitcases.

There is an outdoor sit-down restaurant and bar right outside the exit from TErminal 3 (where people who have gotten through customs and immigration come out of the terminal into the outside world). Since they are coming nto different terminals and you have a car, if it ws me I woudl park the car right outside terminal 3 (very close to the terminal exit), walk very close by to that outdoor restaurant, and have them both get to that restaurant. Fo rht eone coming in to terminal 3, no problema, just exit terminal, make an immediate right thru the turnstile, and take about 10 steps, turn right and the resturant is in open view right there, cant miss it.

The one coming into terminal 2 will need to get the shutle from terminal 2 to 3, get to outside exit area of terminal 3, and see you at that outdoor restaurant.

There is sign next to the outdoor restaurant area that says "Meeting Poitn." And Cancun's airport site calls the restaurant "Meeting Point," but I think it is actually a part of the BErryhill restaurant which is indoors and just across from the outdoor area I am talking about.

A pic is worth a thousand words, so see the pics of this "meeting point" ourside terminal 3 on this thread from Playa.Info, on 1st pg. of the thread, just scroll down and you will see.

http://www.playa.info/playa-del-carmen-forum/39203-cancun-airport.html

I hope that helps.

Yes, very helpful. I liked seeing the picture of coconuts to tell my kids. Thanks so much!!

glad to be of help. tThe last thing you want is to lose one of your kids at the start of a foreign vacation in MX!