Ensenada International Airport Aeropuerto Internacional de Ensenada | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Military/Public | ||||||||||
| Operator | Secretariat of National Defense | ||||||||||
| Serves | Ensenada,Baja California,Mexico | ||||||||||
| Built | 1942 | ||||||||||
| Time zone | PST (UTC−08:00) | ||||||||||
| • Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC−07:00) | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 20 m / 66 ft | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 31°47′43″N116°36′09″W / 31.79528°N 116.60250°W /31.79528; -116.60250 | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  ESE Location of airport in Baja California Show map of Baja California ESE ESE (Mexico) Show map of Mexico | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Statistics (2023) | |||||||||||
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| Source: Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil | |||||||||||
Ensenada International Airport (Spanish:Aeropuerto Internacional de Ensenada); officiallyAeropuerto Internacional Gral. Alberto L. Salinas Carranza(Gral. Alberto L. Salinas Carranza International Airport) (IATA:ESE,ICAO:MMES) is an international airport located inEnsenada,Baja California,Mexico. Designated as Air Force Base No. 3 for theMexican Air Force, it serves not only as a military facility but also facilitates commuter flights within theBaja California peninsula and supportsgeneral aviation activities for Ensenada. Operated by theMexican Department of Defense, the airport is named afterAlberto L. Salinas Carranza, a distinguished Mexican aviator who played a significant role in theMexican Revolution.
In 1942, the airport was established as El Ciprés Military Airfield. In 1955, it officially became an Air Force Base under the administration of PresidentRuiz Cortines. Throughout its history, the airport has primarily focused on military operations. Passengers traveling within Mexico usually useTijuana Airport, located 80 kilometres (50 mi) north of Ensenada, while those heading to theUnited States and other international destinations useSan Diego International Airport, located 110 kilometres (68 mi) to the north.
During PresidentCalderón's administration, ambitious plans were made for a new international airport, with an estimated initial investment of $230 million Mexican pesos.[1] However, the construction did not materialize. In 2016, the Baja California State Congress passed a bill for the construction of Ensenada Airport, located in the Municipality of Ojos Negros, east of the city, but the project has not been realized.[2]
Currently, the airport primarily supports military activities, along with air taxi flights and commuter services to destinations within theBaja California peninsula. It also serves as a base for flight training activities conducted by the flight schoolInstituto Aeronáutico del Noroeste.
The airport is situated at anelevation of 20 metres (66 ft) abovemean sea level, within theEnsenada urban zone, and is accessible through its main entrance on Federal Highway 1, commonly referred to as theCarretera Transpeninsular (Transpeninsular Highway). It features a singleasphaltrunway, designated as 11/29, measuring 1,491 metres (4,892 ft), and multipleaprons catering to both military aircraft andgeneral aviation.
Air Force Base No. 3 (Spanish:Base Aérea Militar No. 3 El Ciprés)(B.A.M. 3) provides facilities forMexican Air Force personnel, including housing units, hospitals, pharmacies, schools, and administrative offices. Aviation facilities serve as the home of Squadron 203, which currently operatesBeechcraft T-6C+ Texan II aircraft. Adjacent to the apron andhangars, other facilities include a command center for the Federal Aviation Administration, a base command center, a cafeteria, an airport command center, Immigration and Customs services, as well as workshops for aviation mechanics and electronics. The airport operates from 08:00 to 18:00.
| Airlines | Destinations |
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| Aéreo Servicio Guerrero | Guerrero Negro,Isla de Cedros |
Media related toEnsenada Air Force Base 2 at Wikimedia Commons
