Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Guadalajara International Airport (IATA: GDL, ICAO: MMGL), simply known as Guadalajara International Airport, is the primary international airport serving Guadalajara, Jalisco, the third-largest city in Mexico. It facilitates flights to and from destinations across Mexico, the Americas, and Europe.[2] It is the largest hub for Volaris, functioning as the airline's primary gateway to the United States.[3] Additionally, it serves as a hub for Aeromexico and Viva Aerobus. Operated by Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), the airport is named after Miguel Hidalgo, a prominent leader in the Mexican War of Independence.
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla 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; 73 years ago (1951-03-01) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Focus city for | Aeromexico | ||||||||||||||||||
| Operating base for |
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| Time zone | CST (UTC-06:00) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 1,529 m / 5,016 ft | ||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 20°31′18″N 103°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 | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Statistics (2023) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico[1] | |||||||||||||||||||
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.[1]
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.[4]
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.
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.[5]
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.
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.[6]
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.[7]
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 two asphalt runways: Runway 11R/29L measuring 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) and Runway 02/20 measuring 1,818 metres (5,965 ft). To the north of the airfield, plans for a new Runway 11L/29R are underway, situated in a build-up area that is currently in the process of expropriation.
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:
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.[9] Car rental services include Avis, Enterprise, Hertz, Veico Car Rental, City Car Rental, and Mex Rent A Car. Restaurants at the airport include:
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.[10] 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.
 Guadalajara  Red = Year-round destination Blue = Future destination Green = Seasonal destination |
 Guadalajara  Red = Year-round destination Blue = Future destination Green = Seasonal destination |
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European destinations from Guadalajara International Airport Red = Year-round destination Blue = Future destination Green = Seasonal destination |
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
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| Year | Passengers | % change |
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| 2010 | 6,918,621 | 
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| 2011 | 7,154,959 |  3.41%
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| 2012 | 7,389,897 | 3.28%
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| 2013 | 8,104,762 | 9.67%
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| 2014 | 8,695,183 | 7.28%
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| 2015 | 9,758,516 | 12.22%
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| 2016 | 11,362,552 | 16.43%
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| 2017 | 12,779,874 | 12.47%
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| 2018 | 14,340,152 | 12.21%
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| 2019 | 14,823,592 | 3.37%
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| 2020 | 8,125,600 |  45.40%
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| 2021 | 12,243,000 | 50.7%
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| 2022 | 15,606,600 | 30.6%
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| 2023 | 17,710,200 | 13.5%
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| Rank | City | Passengers | Ranking | Airline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Mexico City, Mexico City
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1,496,980 |
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Aeromar, Aeroméxico, Aeroméxico Connect, Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 2 |  Baja California, Tijuana
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1,111,478 |
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Aeroméxico, Magni, Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 3 |  Quintana Roo, Cancún
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540,126 |
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Magni, Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 4 |  Nuevo León, Monterrey
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512,389 |
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Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 5 |  Baja California Sur, Los Cabos
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271,197 | 1 |
Calafia Airlines, Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 6 |  Chihuahua, Ciudad Juárez
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252,740 | 1 |
TAR, Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 7 |  Sonora, Hermosillo
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238,069 | 1 |
Interjet, Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 8 | Baja California, Mexicali
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204,411 | 3 |
Volaris |
| 9 |  Yucatán, Mérida
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188,779 | 2 |
Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 10 | Baja California Sur, La Paz
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167,241 |
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Aeromar, Calafia Airlines, Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 11 |  Sinaloa, Culiacán
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161,445 | 2 |
Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 12 |  Jalisco, Puerto Vallarta
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160,722 | 1 |
Aeromar, TAR, Viva Aerobus |
| 13 | Chihuahua, Chihuahua
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155,419 | 1 |
Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 14 |  Veracruz, Veracruz
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121,559 | 1 |
Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 14 |  State of Mexico, Mexico City-AIFA
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116,069 | 
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Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| Rank | City | Passengers | Ranking | Airline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  United States, Los Angeles
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528,241 |
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Aeroméxico, Alaska Airlines, Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 2 | United States, Chicago (Midway and O'Hare)[a]
|
239,493 |
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Aeroméxico, Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 3 | United States, Dallas/Fort Worth
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209,273 |
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American Airlines, Volaris |
| 4 | United States, Houston–Intercontinental
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160,918 |
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United Airlines, United Express, Viva Aerobus, Volaris |
| 5 | United States, San Jose
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159,456 | 2 |
Alaska Airlines, Volaris |
| 6 | United States, Oakland
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122,528 | 2 |
Volaris |
| 7 | United States, Fresno
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121,576 | 1 |
Aeroméxico, Volaris |
| 8 | United States, Sacramento
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119,077 | 3 |
Aeroméxico, Volaris |
| 9 | United States, Las Vegas
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101,589 |
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Volaris |
| 10 | United States, Phoenix–Sky Harbor
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82,333 |
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American Airlines, American Eagle, Volaris |
| 11 | United States, Ontario
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78,497 | 1 |
Volaris |
| 12 | United States, Seattle
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66,974 | 1 |
Volaris |
| 13 | United States, Portland
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59,936 |
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Volaris |
| 14 |  Spain, Madrid
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57,413 |
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Aeroméxico |
| 15 | United States, San Antonio
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56,246 |
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Volaris |
Media related to International airport of Guadalajara, Mexico at Wikimedia Commons
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