León/Bajío International Airport Aeropuerto Internacional del Bajío | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Owner/Operator | Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico | ||||||||||
| Serves | León, Guanajuato,Mexico | ||||||||||
| Location | Silao,Guanajuato,Mexico | ||||||||||
| Focus city for | Volaris | ||||||||||
| Time zone | CST (UTC−06:00) | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 1,815 m / 5,955 ft | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 20°59′36″N101°28′51″W / 20.99333°N 101.48083°W /20.99333; -101.48083 | ||||||||||
| Website | www | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  BJX Location of the airport in Guanajuato Show map of Guanajuato BJX BJX (Mexico) Show map of Mexico | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Statistics (2024) | |||||||||||
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| Source: Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico[1] | |||||||||||
León/Bajio International Airport (Spanish:Aeropuerto Internacional de León/Bajío); officiallyAeropuerto Internacional de Guanajuato (Guanajuato International Airport) (IATA:BJX,ICAO:MMLO), is an international airport situated inSilao,Guanajuato,Mexico. It is the main international airport serving theGreater León Metropolitan Area and theState of Guanajuato, which is home to a population of 6 million residents, including the cities ofCelaya,Guanajuato,Irapuato,Salamanca, andSan Miguel de Allende. In addition to offering domestic flights within Mexico, it serves as a gateway for international travel, connecting Central Mexico to various destinations in theUnited States. It serves as a focus city forVolaris and supports flight training, cargo, logistics and general aviation activities.
Operated byGrupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), Bajío Airport derives its name from the cultural region"El Bajío" (the lowland), which is situated within thecentral Mexican plateau. It ranks as theninth-busiest airport in Mexico in terms of passenger numbers and the seventh-busiest for international passenger traffic.[2] In 2022, the airport served 2,603,200 passengers, a figure that increased to 3,169,000 in 2024, marking a 21% growth compared to the previous year and becoming the ninth airport in Mexico to surpass three million passengers in a calendar year.[1]
The airport was inaugurated in 1991 byPresident Carlos Salinas de Gortari, replacing the former San Carlos International Airport located in León.[3] The growing industrial activity in the Bajío region and the massivemigration of Mexicans to the United States in recent decades has been reflected in a substantial increase in international air transport demand. In 1999 the terminal went through an expansion project, improving equipment, and enhancing services for passengers. In February 2001, this airport received Air Force One duringPresident George W. Bush's visit to Mexico. On March 23, 2012, the airport welcomedPope Benedict XVI, who arrived on a direct flight fromRome, Italy, during his first and only visit to Mexico.
At the end of 2015, work began on the construction of a paralleltaxiway along the entire length of therunway. In August 2016, the airport opened its first and onlyVIP lounge, while modernization and expansion work in the departure area and the entire terminal began, including the relocation of the customs and immigration checkpoint. Work was completed in mid-2018. Throughout its history, the airport has been served by various airlines, includingAeromar,Aviacsa,Calafia Airlines,Delta Air Lines,Delta Connection,Interjet,Mexicana,TAESA, andTAR Aerolíneas.
The airport is located between the cities of León and Silao in Guanajuato, at anelevation of 1,815 metres (5,955 ft) abovemean sea level. It has a singlerunway, designated as 13/31, with a length of 3,500 metres (11,500 ft) and anasphalt surface. The commercial aviationapron provides nine stands for receivingnarrow-body aircraft. Thegeneral aviation apron offers stands for fixed-wing aircraft, in addition toheliports for private aviation. The airport also includes a cargo area called"Puerto Interior," which connects the airport with a freight rail and motor transportation hub.[4][5] It is equipped to handle up to 26 flights per hour.
The passenger terminal accommodates both arrivals and departures for domestic andinternational flights. The ground floor houses the arrivals area with customs and immigration facilities, the baggage claim area, and the departures section that includes a check-in area, a security checkpoint, and a departures concourse with gates 4-6 that provide direct access to the apron, enabling passengers to walk to their aircraft. From this departure concourse, access to the upper floor is available, which houses snack bars, souvenir shops, and gates 1 to 3, which are equipped withjet bridges for boarding.
Bajío Airport currently lacks direct public transportation services, requiring travelers to use other transport options. The airport provides both short-term and long-term parking facilities. Car rental services are available on-site, with rental counters for Hertz, Budget, Veico, and City Car Rental located in the arrivals hall.[6]
For intercity bus travel, Primera Plus and Unebus offer services to various destinations including León,San Miguel de Allende, Silao, Guanajuato,Purísima del Rincón, andSan Francisco del Rincón. From León, passengers can connect to various destinations across Mexico. Advanced bookings can be made through shuttle services listed on local tourist websites, such as Viva Aerobus, Primera Plus, and Unebus.
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León/Del Bajío Domestic destinations from León/Bajío International Airport Red = Year-round destination Blue = Future destination Green = Seasonal destination |
 International destinations from Bajío International Airport Red = Year-round destination Blue = Future destination Green = Seasonal/charter destination Italic = Suspended passenger destination |
| Year | Total passengers | Change % |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 1,102,800 |  |
| 2009 | 886,100 |  19.65% |
| 2010 | 853,800 | 3.5% |
| 2011 | 854,200 |  0.50% |
| 2012 | 950,300 | 11.30% |
| 2013 | 998,100 | 5.02% |
| 2014 | 1,222,100 | 22.44% |
| 2015 | 1,492,100 | 22.09% |
| 2016 | 1,711,400 | 16.19% |
| 2017 | 1,955,600 | 14.30% |
| 2018 | 2,323,772 | 19.76% |
| 2019 | 2,746,824 | 18.21% |
| 2020 | 1,387,700 | 49.6% |
| 2021 | 2,119,000 | 52.7% |
| 2022 | 2,581,976 | 23.1% |
| 2023 | 3,195,946 | 23.8% |
| 2024 | 3,179,905 | 0.50% |
| Rank | City | Passengers | Ranking | Airline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Baja California,Tijuana | 343,343 | | Viva,Volaris |
| 2 |  Mexico City,Mexico City | 181,111 | 1 | Aeroméxico,Aeroméxico Connect |
| 3 |  Quintana Roo,Cancún | 166,547 | 1 | Viva, Volaris |
| 4 |  Nuevo León,Monterrey | 131,675 | | Viva |
| 5 |  Jalisco,Puerto Vallarta | 65,284 | | Volaris |
| 6 |  Chihuahua,Ciudad Juárez | 59,818 | | Viva |
| 7 |  Yucatán,Mérida | 32,574 | 2 | Viva, Volaris |
| 8 |  Baja California Sur,San José del Cabo | 31,226 | 1 | Volaris |
| 9 | Baja California,Mexicali | 22,331 | 1 | Volaris |
| 10 |  Sonora,Hermosillo | 13,654 | | Volaris |
| Rank | City | Passengers | Ranking | Airline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  United States,Dallas/Fort Worth | 130,818 | | American Airlines,American Eagle,Viva |
| 2 | United States,Houston-Intercontinental | 114,615 | | United Airlines,United Express, Viva |
| 3 | United States, Chicago (O'Hare andMidway)[a] | 77,717 | | Viva,Volaris |
| 4 | United States,Oakland | 38,997 | | Volaris |
| 5 | United States,Los Angeles | 31,778 | | Volaris |
| 6 | United States,Atlanta | 21,728 |  | Aeroméxico Connect |
| 7 | United States,Fresno | 20,098 | | Volaris |
| 8 | United States,Sacramento | 18,554 | 2 | Volaris |
| 9 | United States,San Jose | 15,612 | 1 | Volaris |
| 10 | United States,San Antonio | 13,154 | 1 | Viva |
Media related toDel Bajío International Airport at Wikimedia Commons
