Guadalajara International Airport Aeropuerto Internacional de Guadalajara Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||||||
| Operator | Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico | ||||||||||||||||||
| Serves | Guadalajara,Jalisco,Mexico | ||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Tlajomulco de Zúñiga,Jalisco | ||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | March 1, 1951 (1951-03-01) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Hub for | |||||||||||||||||||
| Focus city for | Aeromexico | ||||||||||||||||||
| Time zone | CST (UTC-06:00) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 1,529 m / 5,016 ft | ||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 20°31′18″N103°18′40″W / 20.52167°N 103.31111°W /20.52167; -103.31111 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Website | www | ||||||||||||||||||
| Maps | |||||||||||||||||||
 Guadalajara airport diagram | |||||||||||||||||||
  GDL Location of airport in Jalisco Show map of Jalisco GDL GDL (Mexico) Show map of Mexico | |||||||||||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Statistics (2024) | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Source: Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico[1] | |||||||||||||||||||
Guadalajara International Airport (Spanish:Aeropuerto Internacional de Guadalajara); officiallyAeropuerto Internacional Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla(Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport) (IATA:GDL,ICAO:MMGL), is theinternational airport servingGuadalajara,Jalisco, Mexico. It isMexico’s third-busiest airport in passenger traffic, aircraft operations, and cargo volume, offering flights across Mexico,the Americas, andEurope. It ranks ninth inLatin America and 39th inNorth America by passenger traffic.[2]
The airport is the largest hub forVolaris, serving as the airline’s main gateway to theUnited States.[3] It is also a hub forViva, and a focus city forAeroméxico. Additionally, it supportscharter flights, flight training programs, andgeneral aviation activities. Guadalajara International Airport is operated byGrupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP) and is named after Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a leader of theMexican War of Independence. In 2024, it handled 17,848,700 passengers, marking a 0.78% increase from the previous year.[1]
Guadalajara Airport was inaugurated on March 1, 1951, featuring two asphaltrunways, an apron, and a small passenger terminal. The opening ceremony was officiated by PresidentMiguel Alemán Valdés.[4] It 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).[5] Urgent repairs were carried out, with airlines temporarily redirected to theZapopan 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.[6]
The airport was reinaugurated as the new Miguel Hidalgo International Airport in 1968. This transformation allowed it to accommodatewide-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, acontrol tower, and fuel storage areas were completely renovated or newly constructed.[citation needed] Technological enhancements, such asjetbridges, high-intensity lights,visual approach slope indicator (VASI) andrunway end identifier lights (REIL) were implemented to ensure operational efficiency and safety.[7]
In the 1980s,Mexicana, a key player in the country's aviation industry, began a decentralization effort to address congestion atMexico City International Airport. Guadalajara, alongside airports likeMonterrey andMérida, played a pivotal role in accommodating additional routes and frequencies to alleviate pressure on the capital's airport.[8] As part of this initiative, a Maintenance Base was inaugurated in 1988. This facility had the capacity to service tenBoeing 727-200 aircraft and twoDC-10s, representing 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 theUnited States.[9]
On May 24, 1993, the airport parking lot became the site of a deadly firefight between theLogan Heights Gang, associated with theTijuana Cartel, and theSinaloa Cartel. This confrontation resulted in seven fatalities, including Catholic ArchbishopJuan Jesús Posadas Ocampo.[10]
In 1994, expansion and adaptation projects were funded byAeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares (ASA), leading to significant improvements in the passenger terminal and departures concourse.[11] 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 theDepartment of Communications and Transportation (Spanish:Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes), marking the inception of Mexico's airport privatization program. In 1999, Guadalajara Airport joinedGrupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), a consortium headquartered in Guadalajara.[12]
The airport served as a hub forAero California from its establishment in 1960 until its bankruptcy in 2006.[13] In the 2000s, it also served as the primary hub and secondary hub for the now-defunct regional airlinesALMA andAeromar. In 2010, Volaris commenced service to Guadalajara, absorbing routes from the defunct Aerocalifornia andMexicana. This marked the establishment of what is now Volaris' largest hub.[14]
In 2020, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico announced an investment of 14 billionpesos in Guadalajara Airport. This funding was allocated to key developments, including the construction of a new runway on the northern side of the airport, which would position the terminal and other buildings between the two runways, creating a midfield layout. 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.[15]
Despite the promising vision, the expansion faced setbacks due to resident conflicts. Protests disrupted parking access, and residents claimed that Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico still owed compensation for land expropriated in 1975. This dispute delayed the construction of the second runway and raised the possibility of further expropriations.[citation needed]
In December 2021, Guadalajara Airport achieved a significant milestone with the introduction of Aeroméxico's nonstop flights toMadrid, operated by aBoeing 787. This marked the airport's first direct connection to Europe.[16]
In July 2023, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP) inaugurated a second parallel runway (3,538 metres (11,608 ft) long, 45 metres (148 ft) wide) 270 metres (890 ft) north of runway 11/29. While it does not allow simultaneous operations, it facilitates segregated operations, with one runway dedicated to departures and the other to arrivals, allowing for up to 60 operations per hour under segregated-use conditions.[17]
Expansion plans moved forward with a $1.26 billion USD investment, part of a larger $2.52 billion USD master plan for 2025–2029. The acquisition of 285 hectares (700 acres) of surrounding land, which had previously been a point of contention, was resolved, providing space for a potential third runway.[18] The project also includes a $1.07 billion USD investment in a new 69,000 square metres (740,000 sq ft) terminal, increasing capacity by 70%.[19]
The airport is located in the municipality ofTlajomulco de Zúñiga, approximately 17 kilometres (11 mi) southeast of Downtown Guadalajara. Located within built-up areas of the Metropolitan zone, the airport is situated at anelevation of 1,529 metres (5,016 ft) abovesea level, featuring twoasphalt runways: Runway 11R/29L measuring 4,000 metres (13,000 ft), and Runway 11L/29R measuring 3,538 metres (11,608 ft).
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, includingbaggage claim carousels, domesticcheck-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), with food courts, restaurants, and 43 gates distributed across four concourses:
Various VIP lounges, such as theAeroméxico 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.[21]
Air Force Station No. 1 (E.A.M. 1) (Spanish:Estación Aérea Militar N.º 1 Aeropuerto Internacional de Guadalajara) is situated on the airport grounds.[22] Adjacent facilities encompass maintenance bases for Volaris and Aeromexico, an FBO terminal, a general aviation apron with several hangars, and a cargo terminal, recently expanded to handle 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 wide-body aircraft.
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Guadalajara Domestic destinations from Guadalajara International Airport Red = Year-round destination Blue = Future destination Green = Seasonal destination |
 Guadalajara North American destinations from Guadalajara International Airport Red = Year-round destination Blue = Future destination Green = Seasonal destination |
European destinations from Guadalajara International Airport Red = Year-round destination Blue = Future destination Green = Seasonal destination |
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| 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% |
| 2024 | 17,848,700 | 0.78% |
| Rank | City | Passengers | Ranking | Airline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico City | 1,384,324 | | Aeroméxico,Aeroméxico Connect,Viva,Volaris |
| 2 | Tijuana, Baja California | 970,612 | | Aeroméxico,Magni, Viva, Volaris |
| 3 | Monterrey, Nuevo León | 509,744 | 1 | Viva, Volaris |
| 4 | Cancún, Quintana Roo | 443,144 | 1 | Magni, Viva, Volaris |
| 5 | Mexico City-AIFA | 264,432 | 10 | Aeroméxico Connect,Mexicana, Viva, Volaris |
| 6 | Los Cabos, Baja California Sur | 244,228 | 1 | Calafia Airlines, Mexicana, Viva, Volaris |
| 7 | Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua | 200,689 | 1 | TAR, Viva, Volaris |
| 8 | Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco | 200,689 | 4 | TAR, Viva, Volaris |
| 9 | Hermosillo, Sonora | 187,213 | 2 | Viva, Volaris |
| 10 | La Paz, Baja California Sur | 174,658 | | Calafia Airlines, Viva, Volaris |
| 11 | Culiacán, Sinaloa | 167,388 | | Viva, Volaris |
| 12 | Mexicali, Baja California | 148,527 | 4 | Volaris |
| 13 | Mérida, Yucatán | 148,368 | 4 | Viva, Volaris |
| 14 | Chihuahua, Chihuahua | 138,008 | 1 | Viva, Volaris |
| 15 | Veracruz, Veracruz | 129,926 | 1 | Viva, Volaris |
| Rank | City | Passengers | Ranking | Airline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Los Angeles, California | 569,646 | | Aeroméxico,Alaska Airlines,Viva,Volaris |
| 2 | Chicago, Illinois (Midway andO'Hare)[a] | 252,346 | | Aeroméxico, Viva, Volaris |
| 3 | Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas | 214,371 | | American Airlines, Volaris |
| 4 | Houston–Intercontinental, Texas | 175,993 | | United Airlines,United Express, Viva, Volaris |
| 5 | Fresno, California | 159,193 | 2 | Aeroméxico, Volaris |
| 6 | San Jose (CA), California | 152,200 | 1 | Alaska Airlines, Volaris |
| 7 | Oakland, California | 140,898 | 1 | Volaris |
| 8 | Sacramento, California | 138,157 | | Aeroméxico, Volaris |
| 9 | Las Vegas, Nevada | 123,342 | | Volaris,Frontier Airlines |
| 10 | Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Arizona | 101,546 | | American Airlines,American Eagle, Volaris |
| 11 | Ontario, California | 85,926 | | Volaris |
| 12 | Atlanta, Georgia | 72,799 | 4 | Delta Air Lines |
| 13 | San Antonio, Texas | 68,777 | 2 | Volaris |
| 14 | Seattle/Tacoma, Washington | 68,493 | 2 | Volaris |
| 15 | Portland, Oregón | 67,694 | 2 | Volaris |
Media related toInternational airport of Guadalajara, Mexico at Wikimedia Commons
