Los Cabos International Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional de Los Cabos) (IATA: SJD, ICAO: MMSD) is an international airport located in San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico, serving as the main gateway to the popular tourist destination of the Los Cabos region on the Baja California Peninsula. Annually, the airport attracts millions of tourists, predominantly from the United States and Canada, with flights connecting to 30 U.S. cities and 11 Canadian cities. Major U.S. and Canadian airlines operate flights to and from Los Cabos, linking to their primary and secondary hubs.
Los Cabos International Airport Aeropuerto Internacional de Los Cabos | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Operator | Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico | ||||||||||
| Serves | Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, Mexico | ||||||||||
| Location | San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico | ||||||||||
| Opened | 1977 | ||||||||||
| Focus city for | Viva | ||||||||||
| Time zone | MST (UTC-07:00) | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 114 m / 374 ft | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 23°09′06″N 109°43′15″W / 23.15167°N 109.72083°W | ||||||||||
| Website | www | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  SJD Location of the airport in Baja California Sur  SJD SJD (Mexico) | |||||||||||
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| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Statistics (2023) | |||||||||||
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Source: Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico[1] | |||||||||||
Additionally, the airport is a focal point for domestic travel, connecting to 18 cities within Mexico and serving as a focus city for Viva. It plays a crucial role in a busy air corridor linking the Baja California Peninsula to Mainland Mexico. Managed by Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico, the airport also supports various activities in general and executive aviation, as well as flight training. It is the larger of two airports that serve the Los Cabos region; the smaller Cabo San Lucas International Airport is about 26 kilometres (16 mi) to the south of San Jose del Cabo.
Los Cabos Airport is the sixth-busiest in Mexico and the 23rd-busiest in Latin America by passenger numbers.[2] It ranks fourth in Mexico for international passengers and ninth in aircraft movements. In 2023, it handled 7,715,600 passengers, a 9.92% increase from 2022, with 62% of them traveling to or from international destinations.[1]
History
editLos Cabos International Airport was inaugurated in 1977, featuring an initial provisional terminal with a roof reminiscent of a circus tent and equipped with technical systems using polyurethane foam and hot air vents. As the Los Cabos beach resort gained popularity among American and Canadian tourists, the airport underwent a substantial expansion and renovation in 1997, resulting in the construction of the current Terminal 1, accommodating both domestic and international flights.[3]
In 2002, the control tower received an upgrade with advanced technology during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum hosted in Los Cabos. Terminal 2 was subsequently added to facilitate increased international flights, and a new highway provided direct access to the tourist zone. Between 2008 and 2011, Terminal 1 underwent renovations, and a newly built Terminal 3 was constructed adjacent to Terminal 2. The general aviation apron was relocated, and a dedicated terminal for general aviation activities was established at the northern end of the airport grounds.
In September 2011, the airport briefly offered non-stop flights to Shanghai, China. In 2014, Hurricane Odile caused substantial damage, leading to an 18-day suspension of operations before reopening on October 3, 2014.[4] The airport's infrastructure has faced challenges due to a surge in holiday resorts and rapid regional population growth, resulting in insufficient capacity during peak hours.
Between 2018 and 2020, Terminal 3 was fully integrated with Terminal 2, adopting the name Terminal 2 and undergoing further expansion in 2022 with additional jet bridges for boarding planes. From 2019 to 2020, TUI Airways provided flights to and from London Gatwick Airport, and since 2023, Spain's carrier Iberojet has operated daily flights to Madrid.
Facilities
editLos Cabos International Airport is situated 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north of San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, at an elevation of 114 metres (374 ft) above mean sea level. The airport features a single runway, designated as 16/34, measuring 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) with an asphalt surface. The commercial aviation apron accommodates 22 narrow-body aircraft. Nonetheless, the airport is capable of receiving wide-body aircraft. For general aviation, there is a dedicated apron with stands for fixed-wing aircraft and heliports for private aviation.
Terminal 1
editThe airport operates two terminals. Terminal 1, covering an area of 16,580 square metres (178,500 sq ft), manages arrival and departure facilities for domestic flights within a single-story building. It features a distinctive roof over the departures concourse with peaked white structures. The arrivals area includes a baggage claim area, car rental services, taxi stands, snack bars, and souvenir shops. The departures section includes a check-in area, a security checkpoint, and a concourse with a food court and 8 gates on the ground level, allowing passengers to walk to their aircraft. From this departure concourse, access to a mezzanine is available, which houses a VIP lounge.[5]
Terminal 2
editTerminal 2 is a two-story structure. The ground floor manages arrivals with customs and immigration facilities, a baggage claim area, car rental services, taxi stands, snack bars, and souvenir shops. The upper floor is dedicated to departures, featuring check-in areas, a security checkpoint, and a departure area with a 400-meter-long concourse. This section includes restaurants, food stands, duty-free shops, and 19 gates, nine of which are equipped with jet bridges. A VIP lounge in Terminal 2 is situated past security, facing Gate 8.
Airlines and destinations
editPassenger
editDestination maps
editLos Cabos Domestic destinations from Los Cabos International Airport Red = Year-round destination Blue = Future destination Green = Seasonal destination |
Canadian destinations from Los Cabos International Airport Red = Year-round destination Blue = Future destination Green = Seasonal destination |
United States destinations from Los Cabos International Airport Red = Year-round destination Blue = Future destination Green = Seasonal destination |
Statistics
editPassengers
editGraphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Busiest routes
edit| Rank | City | Passengers | Ranking | Airline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico City | 528,486 | Aeroméxico, Aeroméxico Connect, Magni, Viva Aerobus, Volaris | |
| 2 | Tijuana | 266,033 | Viva Aerobus, Volaris | |
| 3 | Guadalajara | 263,017 | Viva Aerobus, Volaris | |
| 4 | Culiacán | 113,280 | Viva Aerobus, Volaris | |
| 5 | Monterrey | 91,256 | Magni, Viva Aerobus, Volaris | |
| 6 | Toluca | 88,116 | Viva Aerobus, Volaris | |
| 7 | León/El Bajío | 36,318 | Volaris | |
| 8 | Mexico City-AIFA | 29,441 | Viva Aerobus, Volaris | |
| 9 | Querétaro | 23,481 | Viva Aerobus, Volaris | |
| 10 | Hermosillo | 15,683 | Viva Aerobus |
| Rank | City | Passengers | Ranking | Airline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | 377,847 | Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, United Airlines | |
| 2 | Dallas-Fort Worth | 242,763 | American Airlines, Spirit Airlines | |
| 3 | Phoenix–Sky Harbor | 222,371 | American Airlines, Southwest Airlines | |
| 4 | Houston (Intercontinental and Hobby)[a] | 207,863 | Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, United Airlines | |
| 5 | San Francisco | 143,305 | Alaska Airlines, United Airlines | |
| 6 | Denver | 128,324 | Southwest Airlines, United Airlines | |
| 7 | Seattle | 105,910 | Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines | |
| 8 | Chicago (O'Hare and Midway)[b] | 101,687 | American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines | |
| 9 | Atlanta | 77,092 | Delta Air Lines, Volaris | |
| 10 | New York | 72,412 | Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways |
- Notes
See also
edit- List of the busiest airports in Mexico
- List of airports in Mexico
- List of airports by ICAO code: M
- List of busiest airports in North America
- List of the busiest airports in Latin America
- Transportation in Mexico
- Tourism in Mexico
- Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico
- List of beaches in Mexico
- Los Cabos Corridor
References
edit- ^ a b "GAP Traffic Report 2023" (PDF). Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico. January 2024. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ "Estadística Operacional de Aeropuertos / Statistics by Airport". Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ "About Cabo Airport: San José del Cabo International Airport".
- ^ "Hurricane Odile: Mexico begins airlifts of tourists stranded in Los Cabos". The Guardian. September 2014. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
- ^ "Los Cabos Airport Maps".
- ^ "Alaska Airlines expands winter travel options with 18 exciting new sun and ski routes". Alaska Airlines News & Stories. July 10, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
- ^ "Condor Adds Los Cabos Service in NW24". AeroRoutes. March 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
- ^ "Frontier Adds New Service to New York-JFK, Resumes Newark Flights". Airline Geeks. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
- ^ "Iberojet returns to Los Cabos next summer". Aviacion Online. February 2024. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
- ^ "Southwest Airlines Extends Schedule". PR Newswire. August 2024. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
- ^ "Volaris Enhances Travel Options with New Daily Flights from Oakland International Airport to los Cabos International Airport - Travel and Tour World". Travel and Tour World. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
- ^ "The WestJet Group further solidifies its position as Canada's leisure champion with expanded 737 service to sun destinations". westjet.com. May 21, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
- ^ a b "Estadística operacional por origen-destino / Traffic Statistics by City Pairs" (in Spanish). Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil. January 2024. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
External links
editMedia related to Los Cabos International Airport at Wikimedia Commons
- Aeronautical chart and airport information for MMSD at SkyVector
- Current weather for MMSD at NOAA/NWS
- Accident history for SJD at Aviation Safety Network