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Los Cabos International Airport

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Los Cabos International Airport
Aeropuerto Internacional de Los Cabos
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorGrupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico
ServesSan José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, Mexico
LocationSan José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Opened1977; 49 years ago (1977)
Viva
Time zoneMST (UTC-07:00)
Elevation AMSL114 m (374 ft)
Coordinates23°09′06″N 109°43′15″W / 23.15167°N 109.72083°W / 23.15167; -109.72083
Map
SJD is located in Baja California Sur
SJD
SJD
Location of the airport in Baja California Sur
SJD is located in Mexico
SJD
SJD
SJD (Mexico)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
16/34 3,000 9,843 Asphalt
Statistics (2025)
Total passengers7,529,900
Ranking in Mexico6th Steady
Source: Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico[1]

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 Los Cabos region on the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula. It offers flights to more than 50 destinations across the Americas and Europe, primarily functioning as a major destination for most U.S. and Canadian mainline airlines. The airport is also part of a high-traffic air corridor connecting the Baja California Peninsula with Mainland Mexico.

Operated by Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), the airport supports general and executive aviation, flight training, and tourism-related operations. It is the larger of two airports in the Los Cabos region; the smaller Cabo San Lucas International Airport is located approximately 26 kilometres (16 mi) to the south.

As of 2025, it is the sixth-busiest airport in Mexico and ranks 23rd in Latin America by passenger traffic.[2] It also ranks fourth in Mexico for international passengers. In 2024, Los Cabos International Airport handled 7,488,200 passengers, and 7,529,900 in 2025.[1]

History

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A Mexicana de Aviación Boeing 727-200 at SJD in 1993.

Los Cabos International Airport was inaugurated in 1977, featuring a provisional terminal with a tent-like roof. 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 was upgraded with advanced technology during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum hosted in Los Cabos. Terminal 2 was subsequently added to accommodate increased international flights, and a new highway provided direct access to the tourist zone. Between 2008 and 2011, Terminal 1 underwent renovations, and 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, non-stop flights to Shanghai, China were briefly operated. 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 resorts and rapid regional population growth, leading to congestion and reported capacity constraints during peak hours.[5]

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.[6] From 2019 to 2020, TUI Airways provided flights to and from London Gatwick Airport, and since 2023, Spain-based carrier Iberojet has operated daily flights to Madrid.[7]

Facilities

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Terminal 1 airside

Los 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 also capable of accommodating wide-body aircraft. For general aviation, there is a dedicated apron with stands for fixed-wing aircraft and helipads for private aviation. The airport operates two terminals.

Terminal 1

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Terminal 1, covering an area of 16,580 square metres (178,500 sq ft), houses 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, 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 eight gates on the ground level, allowing passengers to walk to their aircraft. A mezzanine level, housing a VIP lounge, is accessible from the departure concourse.[8]

Terminal 2

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Terminal 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 400 metres (1,300 ft) long departure 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 located past security, near the central food court.

Airlines and destinations

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Passenger

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AirlinesDestinations
Aero Charter: Los Angeles–Van Nuys[9]
Aeroméxico Mexico City–Benito Juárez[10]
Aeroméxico Connect Mexico City–Benito Juárez[10]
Air Canada Seasonal: Montreal–Trudeau,[11] Toronto–Pearson,[11] Vancouver[11]
Air Transat Seasonal: Montréal–Trudeau (begins 10 December 2026)[12]
Alaska Airlines Los Angeles,[13] Portland (OR),[14] San Diego,[13] San Francisco,[15] Seattle/Tacoma[16]
Seasonal: Sacramento[17]
American Airlines Austin,[18] Chicago–O'Hare,[18] Dallas/Fort Worth,[18] Los Angeles,[18] Phoenix–Sky Harbor[18]
Seasonal: Charlotte[19]
Condor Seasonal: Frankfurt[20]
Copa Airlines Panama City–Tocumen[21]
Delta Air Lines Atlanta,[22] Los Angeles,[23] Salt Lake City,[24] Seattle/Tacoma[25]
Seasonal: Austin,[26] Detroit,[27] Minneapolis/St. Paul,[28] New York–JFK[23]
Flair Airlines Seasonal: Vancouver[29]
Frontier Airlines Atlanta[30]
Seasonal: Las Vegas[30]
JetBlue New York–JFK[31]
Mexicana de Aviación Mexico City–Felipe Ángeles[32]
Porter Airlines Seasonal: Edmonton (begins 16 November 2026),[33] Ottawa (begins 18 December 2026),[33] Toronto–Pearson (begins 16 November 2026)[33]
Southwest Airlines Denver,[16] Houston–Hobby,[34] Las Vegas,[35] Orange County,[16] Phoenix–Sky Harbor,[16] Sacramento,[36] San Diego[37]
Seasonal: Austin,[38] Baltimore,[39] Chicago–Midway,[40] Indianapolis,[41] Kansas City,[42] Nashville,[43] Oakland,[44] St. Louis[45]
Sun Country Airlines Seasonal: Minneapolis/St. Paul[46]
United Airlines Chicago–O'Hare,[47] Denver,[48] Houston–Intercontinental,[49] Los Angeles,[50] Newark,[49] San Francisco[51]
Seasonal: Washington-Dulles (resumes October 25, 2026)[52]
Viva Culiacán,[53] Guadalajara,[53] Hermosillo,[53] Mexico City–Benito Juárez,[53] Mexico City–Felipe Ángeles,[53] Monterrey,[53] Querétaro,[53] Tijuana,[53] Toluca/Mexico City,[53] Torreón/Gómez Palacio[53]
Volaris Culiacán,[54] Guadalajara,[54] León/El Bajío,[54] Mexicali,[54] Mexico City–Benito Juárez,[54] Mexico City–Felipe Ángeles,[54] Puebla,[55] Tijuana,[54] Toluca/Mexico City[54]
WestJet Calgary,[56] Montreal–Trudeau,[45] Toronto–Pearson,[45] Vancouver[57]
Seasonal: Edmonton,[58] Kelowna,[59] Victoria,[60] Winnipeg[61]

Statistics

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Annual Traffic

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Passenger statistics at Los Cabos International Airport[62]
YearTotal Passengerschange %
20102,745,500Steady
20112,807,000Increase 2.25%
20123,018,500Increase 7.55%
20133,234,287Increase 7.20%
20143,130,986Decrease 3.26%
20153,523,010Increase 12.55%
20164,089,000Increase 16.05%
20174,701,580Increase 14.99%
20185,249,000Increase 11.6%
20195,609,100Increase 6.9%
20203,064,200Decrease 45.4%
20215,549,600Increase 81.1%
20227,019,300Increase 25.1%
20237,715,500Increase 9.9%
20247,488,100Decrease 2.9%
20257,529,900Increase 0.6%

Busiest routes

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Busiest domestic routes from SJD (Jan–Dec 2025)[62]
Rank Airport Passengers
1 Mexico City, Mexico City 419,920
2 Jalisco, Guadalajara, Jalisco 258,929
3 Tijuana, Baja California 252,979
4 Culiacán, Sinaloa 99,845
5 Toluca, State of Mexico 96,262
6 Monterrey, Nuevo León 95,645
7 Mexico City-AIFA, State of Mexico 87,061
8 León/El Bajío, Guanajuato 29,659
9 Querétaro, Querétaro 23,357
10 Mexicali, Baja California 18,787
Busiest international routes from SJD (Jan–Dec 2025)[62]
Rank Airport Passengers
1 Los Angeles, United States 300,465
2 Dallas/Fort Worth, United States 248,583
3 Phoenix–Sky Harbor, United States 204,079
4 Houston (Intercontinental and Hobby, United States)[a] 189,875
5 San Francisco, United States 158,083
6 Denver, United States 134,569
7 Seattle–Tacoma, United States 113,636
8 Chicago (O'Hare and Midway, United States)[b] 91,926
9 San Diego, United States 83,763
10 Atlanta, United States 81,581
Notes
  1. ↑ The official statistics combine both George Bush Intercontinental and Hobby airports.
  2. ↑ The official statistics combine both O'Hare and Midway airports.

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 "GAP Traffic Report 2026" (PDF). Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico. January 2026. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Estadística Operacional de Aeropuertos / Statistics by Airport". Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  3. ↑ "About Cabo Airport: San José del Cabo International Airport".
  4. ↑ "Hurricane Odile: Mexico begins airlifts of tourists stranded in Los Cabos". The Guardian. September 2014. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Los Cabos Tourist Alert: Depart For Airport Early Due To Traffic Congestion".
  6. ↑ "Los Cabos Airport Expanding With More Gates To Keep Up With Tourist Demand".
  7. ↑ "Iberojet schedules two seasonal routes to Mexico".
  8. ↑ "Los Cabos Airport Maps".
  9. ↑ "Aero Is Taking Air Travel to New Heights". Los Angeles Magazine. May 2025. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Aeromexico Busiest Domestic Routes in 2025". Aviation A2Z. September 2025. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  11. 1 2 3 "Los Cabos Is A Trending Destination For Canadians As More Flights Options Launch This Summer". Cabo Sun. May 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  12. ↑ Bruce Parkinson (April 27, 2026). "Air Transat Adds 3 Winter Sunspots from YUL: Aruba, Barbados & San José del Cabo". Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  13. 1 2 Simon, Alma (November 15, 2023). "Alaska Airlines' Mexico Flights Start at $99—Book Now". TravelWires. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  14. ↑ Aljobory, Sana (February 22, 2026). "Alaska Airlines, Volaris cancel Portland routes amid unrest in western Mexico". KATU. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  15. ↑ D'Amore, Dino (August 13, 2021). "Alaska Airlines Adds Nonstop Flights Between San Francisco And Mexico". Airline Economics Ltd. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Slyke, Michelle Van (July 16, 2024). "Alaska Airlines Launching New Route To Los Cabos From This California City". Cabo Sun. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  17. ↑ McKrell, McKenna (July 10, 2024). "Alaska Airlines announces 18 new non-stop routes, including several out of Sacramento - CBS Sacramento". CBS News. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 "Your Gateway To Los Cabos Is Closer Than You Think With 29 Nonstop U.S. Flights". Cabo Sun. September 2024. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  19. ↑ "American Airlines Launches New Nonstop Flights to the Caribbean, Latin America". Travel and Leisure. June 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  20. ↑ "Los Cabos strengthens its presence in Europe with a new season of the direct flight from Frankfurt to Los Cabos". EnElAire (in Spanish). September 2025. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
  21. ↑ "Copa Airlines expands its network in Latin America and the Caribbean: a new destination and two reactivations". Aviación al Día (in Spanish). July 2025. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
  22. ↑ Baratti, Laurie (April 13, 2024). "Passengers Stranded on Planes Overnight After Diverting To Airport Without Customs". TravelPulse. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  23. 1 2 "Delta and Aeromexico see recovery in transborder flights". FlightGlobal. November 21, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  24. ↑ Williams, Carter (July 11, 2025). "Delta's newest direct flight will link Utah to South America for the first time". Deseret News. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  25. ↑ Schladebeck, Jessica (March 5, 2021). "Delta flight out of Mexican resort city of Cabo diverted after passenger dies on board". New York Daily News. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  26. ↑ "Delta Adds Two New Routes in Africa and One in Mexico". Aviation A2Z. February 28, 2025. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
  27. ↑ Lassetter, Jon (November 29, 2023). "Detroit gains four new airlines in 2023; 70% of seats remain by Delta; Atlanta is the top route". Air Service One. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  28. ↑ "Delta jet runs off taxiway amid icy conditions at Minnesota airport". WVTM. January 4, 2023. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  29. ↑ "Flair Announces Fall/Winter Schedule". OpenJaw. April 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  30. 1 2 "Frontier Airlines Launches New Nonstop Flights To Los Cabos From These 2 Cities". Cabo Sun. September 2025. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  31. ↑ "It's Now Easier Than Ever To Fly Non-Stop From New York To Cabo". Cabo Sun. September 2025. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  32. ↑ "Mexicana launches flights to Los Cabos". Mexico News Now. April 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  33. 1 2 3 "Porter Introduces 4 New Winter Destinations for 2026-27 Season, Increases Sun Capacity by Greater Than 150%". Business Wire. April 30, 2026. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  34. ↑ Turner, Sammy; McCord, Cory (April 17, 2025). "Flight from Houston to Cabo returns to Hobby, passengers evacuated on tarmac". KHOU. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  35. ↑ "4 New Nonstop Flights To Los Cabos Confirmed In 2026". Cabo Sun. February 2026. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  36. ↑ Baratti, Laurie (February 6, 2025). "Southwest Airlines Extends Schedule Through Fall 2025". TravelPulse. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  37. ↑ Kompanik, Noreen (February 13, 2026). "Southwest Airlines Adds More Routes, Departures, First International Red-Eye". TravelPulse. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  38. ↑ "9 New Nonstop Flights To Los Cabos Confirmed In 2025: Is Your City On The List?". Cabo Sun. September 2025. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  39. ↑ "These 2 Low-Cost Airlines Are Launching New Nonstop Flights To Los Cabos". Cabo Sun. August 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  40. ↑ "These 3 Airlines Have the Cheapest Flights to Los Cabos. Here's Where They Fly From". Cabo Sun. September 2025. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  41. ↑ "Southwest Airlines introducing new nonstop flight from Indianapolis for Spring Break 2026". WTHR. August 14, 2025. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  42. ↑ Hartle, Sam (March 9, 2023). "Southwest Airlines adds 2 nonstop international routes from Kansas City International Airport". KSHB 41 Kansas City News. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  43. ↑ Cappetta, Michael (August 23, 2024). "Southwest Adds a Half-dozen New Routes to Los Cabos, Austin, Punta Cana, and More". Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  44. ↑ "Americans Can Fly Nonstop To Cabo From 23 U.S. Cities This Winter". Travel Off Path. September 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  45. 1 2 3 Kucheran, Trevor (February 17, 2026). "4 New Nonstop Flights To Los Cabos Confirmed In 2026: Is Your City On The List?". Cabo Sun. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  46. ↑ "More travel deals for Minnesotans on Cyber Monday and Travel Tuesday". Mexico News Now. December 2025. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  47. ↑ Kaufman, Elyssa; Feurer, Todd (February 12, 2025). "United Airlines flight to Mexico returns to Chicago after issue with cockpit window - CBS Chicago". CBS News. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  48. ↑ Asaf, Seher (October 19, 2020). "United adds eight new routes, increases flights to destinations in Latin America". Business Traveller. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  49. 1 2 Bowser, Martie (March 23, 2026). "Spring and Summer Travel to Mexico Is Still Happening: Your Ultimate Guide to Sun, Style, Safety Tips, and Nonstop Flight Deals". The Black Wall Street Times. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  50. ↑ Timmons, Tony (August 26, 2023). "This U.S. State Has The Cheapest Flights To Los Cabos". Cabo Sun. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  51. ↑ Miceli, Cristina. "These Are The Most Popular U.S. Airlines That Fly To Los Cabos Right Now".
  52. ↑ "New at Dulles: United adding daily flights to Southern California, seasonal service to Mexico resort locale". Washington Business Journal. May 2026. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  53. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Viva Aerobus anuncia la 6° ruta aérea para conectar Los Cabos - Inversión Turística" (in Spanish). May 25, 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  54. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Anuncia Volaris dos vuelos hacia EU saliendo de Zacatecas y Los Cabos". A21 (in Spanish). July 7, 2025. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  55. ↑ "Volaris triggers massive expansion with 33 new routes across North America". AviaciOnline. February 2026. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  56. ↑ "WestJet Vacations Expands Summer 2026 Sun Flights". travelpulseCA. March 25, 2026. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  57. ↑ Parkinson, Bruce (March 26, 2026). "WestJet Vacations to Offer More Summer Sun This Year". Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  58. ↑ Tozer-Pennington, Victoria (June 26, 2019). "Westjet Airlines Introduces New Flights". Airline Economics Ltd. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  59. ↑ MacNaull, Steve (July 8, 2025). "Kelowna getting non-stop flights to 6 sun destinations starting this fall". VernonNow. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  60. ↑ "WestJet adds non-stop Los Cabos & Punta Cana flights from YYC & YYJ". June 25, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  61. ↑ Mowers, Marsha (May 22, 2024). "WestJet Adds Tulum and Grenada for Winter 2024/2025". travelpulseCA. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  62. 1 2 3 "Estadística operacional por origen-destino / Traffic Statistics by City Pairs" (in Spanish). Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil. January 2026. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
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