Don Miguel Hidalgo Y Costilla International Airport
The airport is the second-busiest in Mexico for cargo flights, providing cargo services to countries in the Americas, Asia, and Europe. Additionally, the airport supports various tourism initiatives, flight training programs, and general aviation activities. In terms of passenger traffic, Guadalajara Airport ranks as the third busiest in Mexico, following Mexico City and Cancún. It stands as the ninth busiest in Latin America and the 44th busiest in North America. It handled 17,710,200 passengers in 2023, a 13.5% compared to the 15,606,600 passengers it handled in 2022.
History
Early operations
The Guadalajara Airport was inaugurated on March 1, 1951, featuring two asphalt runways, an apron, and a small passenger terminal. The opening ceremony was officiated by President Miguel Alemán Valdés.
Guadalajara Airport has undergone significant expansions since its early days. In 1966, operations were briefly suspended due to safety concerns raised by the Technical Commission of the Mexican Pilots Association (Spanish: Asociación Sindical de Pilotos Aviadores de México ASPA). Urgent repairs were carried out, with airlines temporarily redirected to the Zapopan Air Force Base. The renovation efforts included enlarging the original 2,200 metres (7,200 ft) runway 10/28. By 1968, the runway was reconstructed and extended to 4,000 metres (13,000 ft), coinciding with the reconstruction of the airport's passenger building.
The airport was reinaugurated as the new Miguel Hidalgo International Airport. This transformation allowed it to accommodate wide-body aircraft and was executed largely using existing infrastructure, with the old runway, apron, and building repurposed for general aviation. Throughout the following years, the airport underwent further transformations. In 1973, runways, taxiways, aprons, passenger buildings, parking lots, a control tower, and fuel storage areas were completely renovated or newly constructed. Technological enhancements, such as jetbridges, high-intensity lights, visual approach slope indicator (VASI) and runway end identifier lights (REIL), were implemented to ensure operational efficiency and safety.
Hub operations
In the 1980s, Mexicana, a key player in the country's aviation industry, began a decentralization effort to address congestion at Mexico City International Airport. Guadalajara, alongside airports like Monterrey and Mérida, played a pivotal role in accommodating additional routes and frequencies to alleviate pressure on the capital's airport. As part of this initiative, a Maintenance Base was inaugurated in 1988. This facility had the capacity to service ten Boeing 727-200 aircraft and two DC-10s, constituting a significant portion (approximately 23%) of the airline's fleet. Until Mexicana's bankruptcy, the airport served as a hub for the airline, functioning as one of its gateways to the United States.
On May 24, 1993, the airport parking lot became the site of a tragic firefight between the Logan Heights Gang, associated with the Tijuana Cartel, and the Sinaloa Cartel. This confrontation resulted in seven fatalities, including Catholic Archbishop Juan Jesús Posadas Ocampo.
In 1994, expansion and adaptation projects were funded by Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares (ASA), leading to significant improvements in the passenger terminal and departures concourse. The apron was extended, and two taxiways were added. A transformative year came in 1995 with the publication of the 'Ley de Aeropuertos' (Airports Law) by the Department of Communications and Transportation (Spanish: Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transporte), marking the inception of Mexico's airport privatization program. In 1999, Guadalajara Airport joined Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), a consortium headquartered in Guadalajara.
The airport served as a hub for Aero California from its establishment in 1960 until its bankruptcy in 2006. In the 2000s, it also served as the primary hub for the now-defunct regional airline ALMA and was a secondary hub for Aeromar. In 2010, Volaris commenced service to Guadalajara, absorbing routes from the defunct Aerocalifornia and Mexicana. This marked the establishment of what is now Volaris' largest hub.
Expansion challenges and local concerns
In 2020, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico announced a substantial investment of 14 billion pesos in Guadalajara Airport. This funding was dedicated to essential developments, including the construction of a new runway located on the northern side of the airport, converting the terminal and other buildings into midfield facilities. Other developments include improved terminal access, an expanded parking lot, a hotel, an office complex, and a solar power plant. The comprehensive expansion project is slated for completion by 2024.
Despite the promising vision, expansion initiatives have faced setbacks due to conflicts with residents. Protests have disrupted parking lot access, leading to a reevaluation of the construction timeline. Residents argue that Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico holds debts for the land, originally expropriated in 1975 for airport expansion. This contested terrain, spanning the airport's polygon and an additional 320 hectares (790 acres), designates 51 hectares (130 acres) for the second runway. The ongoing dispute has prompted Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico to appeal to the Department of Communications and Transportation, resulting in a temporary postponement of the second runway's construction. Successful completion of these expansions is anticipated to substantially boost the airport's capacity, accommodating over 40 million passengers. In the absence of fruitful negotiations, the potential for another expropriation remains an option to advance the project.
In December 2021, Guadalajara Airport achieved a significant milestone with the introduction of Aeroméxico's nonstop flights to Madrid, operated by a Boeing 787. This marked the airport's inaugural direct connection to Europe.
Facilities
The airport is located in the municipality of Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, approximately 17 kilometres (11 mi) southeast of Downtown Guadalajara. Situated within built-up areas of the Metropolitan zone, the airport is situated at an elevation 1,529 metres (5,016 ft) above sea level, featuring three asphalt runways: Runway 11R/29L measuring 4,000 metres (13,000 ft), Runway 02/20 measuring 1,818 metres (5,965 ft), and Runway 11L/29R 3,538 metres (11,608 ft).
Passenger Terminal
The airport's single terminal spans an area of 89,300 square metres (961,000 sq ft) and is currently undergoing renovations. Operating as a two-story facility, the terminal facilitates domestic and international flights. The ground floor encompasses arrival amenities, including baggage claim carousels, domestic check-in sections, and a commercial corridor housing snack kiosks, banks, souvenir shops, and car rental services. The upper floor features security checkpoints and a departures area extending 630 metres (2,070 ft), housing food courts, restaurants, and 43 gates distributed across four concourses:
- Concourse A: Airside Walk-up gates A1 - A8
- Concourse B: Jetbridge gates B10 - B13
- Concourse C: Jetbridge gates C30 - C37
- Concourse D: Ground Floor, Bus gates D40 - D50
Food court at the departures concourse 
Terminal main entrance 
Volaris Airbus A320-271N N530VL at GDL 
Aeromexico Boeing B737-9 MAX XA-HSB at GDL
Various VIP lounges, such as the Aeroméxico Salón Premier, Citibanamex Salón Beyond, VIP Lounge East, and VIP Lounge West, are available within the passenger terminal. Additionally, nearby hotel services include City Express Guadalajara Aeropuerto, Hampton Inn by Hilton Guadalajara-Aeropuerto, and Hangar Inn. Car rental services include Avis, Enterprise, Hertz, Veico Car Rental, City Car Rental, and Mex Rent A Car. Restaurants at the airport include:
Restaurants
- Burger King
- California Pizza Kitchen
- Carl's Jr.
- Chili's
- Corner Bar
- De Volada Grab N' Go
- El Quijote
- Fronteras Bar
- Guacamole Mexican Grill
- Johnny Rockets
- Krispy Kreme
- La Pausa
- Los Tres Amigos Tacos
- Medas
- Natural Break
- Sbarro
- Shake Shack
- Starbucks
- Subway
- Wings
Other facilities
Air Force Station No. 1 (Spanish: Estación Aérea Militar N.º 1 Aeropuerto Internacional de Guadalajara) (E.A.M. 1) is situated on the airport grounds. Adjacent facilities encompass a maintenance base for Volaris, Aeromexico, an FBO terminal, a general aviation apron with several hangars, and a cargo terminal, recently expanded to store approximately 350,000 tons of goods annually within its 27,000 square metres (290,000 sq ft). The cargo terminal features six positions capable of handling various wide-body aircraft.
Airlines and destinations
Passenger
Notes
^1 Viva flight to Nuevo Laredo makes a stopover in Mexico City.
Cargo
Destinations map
Statistics
Passengers
 | Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
| Year | Passengers | % change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 6,918,621 | 
|
| 2011 | 7,154,959 |  3.41%
|
| 2012 | 7,389,897 | 3.28%
|
| 2013 | 8,104,762 | 9.67%
|
| 2014 | 8,695,183 | 7.28%
|
| 2015 | 9,758,516 | 12.22%
|
| 2016 | 11,362,552 | 16.43%
|
| 2017 | 12,779,874 | 12.47%
|
| 2018 | 14,340,152 | 12.21%
|
| 2019 | 14,823,592 | 3.37%
|
| 2020 | 8,125,600 |  45.40%
|
| 2021 | 12,243,000 | 50.7%
|
| 2022 | 15,606,600 | 30.6%
|
| 2023 | 17,710,200 | 13.5%
|
Busiest routes
| Rank | City | Passengers | Ranking | Airline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Mexico City, Mexico City
|
1,496,980 |
|
Aeromar, Aeroméxico, Aeroméxico Connect, Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 2 |  Baja California, Tijuana
|
1,111,478 |
|
Aeroméxico, Magni, Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 3 |  Quintana Roo, Cancún
|
540,126 |
|
Magni, Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 4 |  Nuevo León, Monterrey
|
512,389 |
|
Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 5 |  Baja California Sur, Los Cabos
|
271,197 | 1
|
Calafia Airlines, Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 6 |  Chihuahua, Ciudad Juárez
|
252,740 | 1
|
TAR, Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 7 |  Sonora, Hermosillo
|
238,069 | 1
|
Interjet, Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 8 | Baja California, Mexicali
|
204,411 | 3
|
Volaris |
| 9 |  Yucatán, Mérida
|
188,779 | 2
|
Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 10 | Baja California Sur, La Paz
|
167,241 |
|
Aeromar, Calafia Airlines, Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 11 |  Sinaloa, Culiacán
|
161,445 | 2
|
Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 12 |  Jalisco, Puerto Vallarta
|
160,722 | 1
|
Aeromar, TAR, Viva Aerobus |
| 13 | Chihuahua, Chihuahua
|
155,419 | 1
|
Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 14 |  Veracruz, Veracruz
|
121,559 | 1
|
Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 14 |  State of Mexico, Mexico City-AIFA
|
116,069 | 
|
Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| Rank | City | Passengers | Ranking | Airline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  United States, Los Angeles
|
528,241 |
|
Aeroméxico, Alaska Airlines, Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 2 | United States, Chicago (Midway and O'Hare)
|
239,493 |
|
Aeroméxico, Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 3 | United States, Dallas/Fort Worth
|
209,273 |
|
American Airlines, Volaris |
| 4 | United States, Houston–Intercontinental
|
160,918 |
|
United Airlines, United Express, Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 5 | United States, San Jose
|
159,456 | 2
|
Alaska Airlines, Volaris |
| 6 | United States, Oakland
|
122,528 | 2
|
Volaris |
| 7 | United States, Fresno
|
121,576 | 1
|
Aeroméxico, Volaris |
| 8 | United States, Sacramento
|
119,077 | 3
|
Aeroméxico, Volaris |
| 9 | United States, Las Vegas
|
101,589 |
|
Volaris |
| 10 | United States, Phoenix–Sky Harbor
|
82,333 |
|
American Airlines, American Eagle, Volaris |
| 11 | United States, Ontario
|
78,497 | 1
|
Volaris |
| 12 | United States, Seattle
|
66,974 | 1
|
Volaris |
| 13 | United States, Portland
|
59,936 |
|
Volaris |
| 14 |  Spain, Madrid
|
57,413 |
|
Aeroméxico |
| 15 | United States, San Antonio
|
56,246 |
|
Volaris |
- Notes
- ^ The official statistics combine both Midway and O'Hare airports.
Accidents and incidents
- On June 2, 1958, Aeronaves de México Flight 111, a Lockheed L-749A Constellation (registration XA-MEV), crashed into La Latilla Mountain, 16 kilometers (10 miles) from the airport, shortly after takeoff for a flight to Mexico City, after the airliner's crew failed to follow the established climb-out procedure for the airport after taking off. The crash killed all 45 people on board, and two prominent American scientists – oceanographer Townsend Cromwell and fisheries scientist Bell M. Shimada – were among the dead. It was the deadliest aviation accident in Mexican history at the time.
- On August 31, 1986, Aeroméxico Flight 498, a DC-9 originating from Mexico City made several stopovers at Guadalajara, Loreto and Tijuana. Collided with a private aircraft while attempting to land at Los Angeles International Airport leaving no survivors.
- On May 24, 1993, Juan Jesús Posadas Ocampo, the Archbishop of Guadalajara, and six other people were killed in a shootout between rival drug cartels in the airport parking lot.
- On September 16, 1998, Continental Airlines Flight 475, a Boeing 737-500 registered N20643 departed Houston–Intercontinental at 20:56 CDT for an IFR flight to Guadalajara. After executing a missed approach on their first ILS approach to Runway 28, the flight was vectored for a second approach to Runway 28. Second approach was reported by both pilots to be uneventful, the aircraft drifted to the left side of the runway after touchdown. Left main landing gear exited the hard surface of the runway approximately 2700 feet from the threshold and eventually, all 3 landing gears exited the 197-foot wide asphalt runway while the aircraft had substantial damages and was declared damaged beyond repair, all passengers survived.
See also
- 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
- Zapopan Air Force Base
- Economy of Jalisco
- Tlajomulco de Zúñiga
- Guadalajara International Film Festival
- Guadalajara International Book Fair
- List of longest runways
References
- ^ "GAP Traffic Report 2023" (PDF). Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico. January 2024. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ "Statistics by Airport" (Web). Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
- ^ "Volaris cements Guadalajara as a hub" (Web). Milenio. April 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
- ^ "Guadalajara dio una Calurosa Recepción al Presidente. Gran Concurrencia en el Aeropuerto". El Informador (in Spanish). March 2, 1951. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
- ^ Golden, Tim (May 25, 1993). "Cardinal in Mexico Killed in a Shooting Tied to Drug Battle". The New York Times.
- ^ "Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta airports in line for major upgrades". Mexico News Daily. February 7, 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
- ^ "Fly nonstop to Europe from Guadalajara". Aeroméxico. August 5, 2021. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
- ^ Quarter Studios - Soluciones Digitales. "Aeropuerto de Guadalajara". Archived from the original on July 21, 2015. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
- ^ Hangar Inn
- ^ "Bases Aéreas. Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional".
- ^ "Aeromexico Schedules Additional US Routes in NW24". Aeroroutes. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
- ^ "Alaska Adds 18 New Routes". Airline Geeks. July 10, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
- ^ Robertson, Becky (April 11, 2024). "New cheap and direct flights under $150 will connect Toronto to historic sun destination". blogTO. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
- ^ Parkinson, Bruce (November 1, 2023). "Flair Touts Improved Performance, Announces New YVR-GDL & YYZ-YQB Routes". TravelPulse Canada. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
- ^ "Mexicana de Aviacion to launch Guadalajara-Puerto Vallarta service". Center for Aviation (CAPA). November 5, 2024. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
- ^ "Viva expands new frequencies from Monterrey and Guadalajara". A21 (in Spanish). August 2024. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
- ^ "Volaris connects Guadalajara with Tulum: Take advantage of the opening offer with flights from $99 pesos". El Debate (in Spanish). April 2024. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
- ^ "Volaris Costa Rica Plans Guadalajara Service in NW24". Aeroroutes. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ "Atlas Air Schedule". Atlas Air. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
- ^ "Estadística operacional por origen-destino / Traffic Statistics by City Pairs" (in Spanish). Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil. January 2024. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
- ^ "Accident". Aviation Safety Network. June 1958. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- ^ "Bell Masayuki Shimada (1922-1958)". National Ocean Service. July 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- ^ "NOAA Honors Nisei with Launch of Fisheries Vessel". Japanese American Veterans Association. December 2008. Archived from the original on May 10, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- ^ Golden, Tim (May 25, 1993). "Cardinal in Mexico Killed in a Shooting Tied to Drug Battle". The New York Times. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
- ^ "Runway excursion Accident Boeing 737-524 N20643, Wednesday 16 September 1998".
External links
Media related to International airport of Guadalajara, Mexico at Wikimedia Commons- Official website
- Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico
- Puerto Vallarta Airport information at Great Circle Mapper
- Aeronautical chart and airport information for MMGL at SkyVector
- Current weather for MMGL at NOAA/NWS
- Accident history for GDL at Aviation Safety Network
- AeropuertosMexico.com (in English)
- FlightAware U.S. airport activity to/from: Don Miguel Hidalgo Y Costilla Int'l (MMGL)
- A-Z World Airports: Don Miguel Hidalgo Airport (GDL/MMGL) Archived November 25, 2005, at the Wayback Machine
- Official Travel Resource for English Speakers
