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Acapulco International Airport

Coordinates: 16°45′21.7″N 99°45′05.8″W / 16.756028°N 99.751611°W / 16.756028; -99.751611
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Acapulco International Airport

Aeropuerto Internacional de Acapulco
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner/OperatorGrupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte
ServesAcapulco, Guerrero, Mexico
Time zoneCST (UTC-06:00)
Elevation AMSL4 m / 13 ft
Coordinates16°45′21.7″N 99°45′05.8″W / 16.756028°N 99.751611°W / 16.756028; -99.751611
Websitewww.oma.aero/es/pasajeros/acapulco/
Map
ACA is located in Guerrero
ACA
ACA
Location of the airport in Guerrero
ACA is located in Mexico
ACA
ACA
ACA (Mexico)
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
06/24 1,700 5,577 Concrete
10/28 3,302 10,832 Concrete
Statistics (2023)
Total passengers894,012
Ranking in Mexico29th Decrease 3
Source: Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte[1]

Acapulco International Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional de Acapulco), officially Aeropuerto Internacional General Juan N. Álvarez (General Juan N. Álvarez International Airport) (IATA: ACA, ICAO: MMAA), is an international airport located in Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico. It serves as a gateway to Acapulco, a popular Mexican tourist destination. The airport also serves charter flights and facilitates various tourism-related activities, flight training, and general aviation. It is named in honor of Juan N. Álvarez, former President of Mexico. The airport is operated by Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte (OMA). In 2022, the airport handled 838,991 passengers, and in 2023 it handled 894,012 passengers.[1]

History

[edit]
Passenger terminal
Satellite view of the airport location

In 1929, commercial flights began in Acapulco, near Playa Hornos in the city center. Aeronaves de Mexico (now Aeromexico) initiated its operations in 1934, using a single Stinson SR aircraft for flights between Mexico City and Acapulco.[2] However, the initial location posed safety challenges, leading to the construction of a safer airport in Pie de la Cuesta in 1945.

Jetset era

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Acapulco Airport has played a significant role in the development of tourism in southern Mexico. Acapulco, a well-established coastal tourist destination in Mexico, experienced a period of high popularity from the 1940s to the 1970s. It became the preferred destination for the Jetset, Hollywood celebrities, and wealthy individuals seeking exclusive beach vacations in an exotic setting. During this surge in popularity, the decision was made to construct a new airport and transfer the Pie de la Cuesta facilities to the Mexican Air Force, now known as Air Force Base No. 7.[3]

The current Acapulco Airport, constructed in 1954, is situated 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) southeast of the city center, positioned between Tres Palos Lagoon and the Pacific Ocean in a zone known as Plan de los Amates. It was once considered a pioneering model for subsequent airport constructions due to its modern passenger terminal design and the fact that it was one of the first airports built with comprehensive planning and foresight.

Old terminal

The Acapulco Airport received flights from numerous international destinations, primarily from the United States and Canada. It was one of the few airports, apart from Mexico City, that was served by major United States airlines such as Eastern, Braniff, and American. For a brief period, it was a stopover on the Kangaroo air route connecting Australia and the United Kingdom via the Eastern Hemisphere. This route, known as the "Fiesta" route, involved flights from London to Sydney with layovers in Bermuda, Nassau, Mexico City, Acapulco, Tahiti, and Fiji in 1965.[4] Several other airlines, including Delta, Alaska Airlines, Air Canada, Alitalia, LTU, Northwest, US Airways, Western, Mexicana, and Aeromar, have also operated at this airport.

Between 1970 and 1973, the airport underwent significant construction and improvement projects, including the construction of a new, air-conditioned passenger terminal, a new parking area, an access road, a control tower, an apron, taxiways, perimeter roads, fencing, and facilities for fuel storage.

21st century

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However, in the 21st century, the Mexican Drug War has had a detrimental effect on tourism in Acapulco, resulting in a decline in the airport's importance as an international gateway. The airport reached its peak in terms of passenger numbers in 2008 but has since been experiencing a decline. In 2018, the terminal was renovated, with the construction of a new terminal building adjacent to the old one, with plans to eventually demolish the old structure.[5][6]

Furthermore, the airport has been subjected to the impact of hurricanes on multiple occasions. In 2013, Tropical Storm Manuel led to severe flooding at the airport, which forced the suspension of airport activities for several days. In 2023, Hurricane Otis, classified as a Category 5 hurricane, caused extensive damage at the airport when it made landfall nearby.

Terminal diagram

Facilities

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The airport covers an area of 450 hectares (1,100 acres). It is situated at an elevation of 4 metres (13 ft) above mean sea level. The airport has two runways: Runway 06/24, which is 1,700 metres (5,600 ft) long and 35 metres (115 ft) wide, and Runway 10/28, which is 3,300 metres (10,800 ft) long and 45 metres (148 ft) wide. Both runways can accommodate up to 40 operations per hour, and the airport can handle jets as large as the Boeing 747. Additionally, the airport has six taxiways leading to an apron with 18 parking positions.

The passenger terminal is a two-story building with a total floor area of 19,000 square metres (200,000 sq ft) and an annual passenger capacity of 1.3 million. It combines concrete and steel structures with extensive interior and exterior gardens, sleek windows, high ceilings, and steel accents in clear geometric shapes.[7][8]

Departures concourse

The main hall serves essential functions, including check-in and baggage handling on the eastern side, and the arrivals section on the west side, which includes customs and immigration facilities. The arrivals section also offers car rental services, taxi stands, snack bars, and souvenir shops. The upper floor of the terminal houses the security checkpoint and a 3,600 square metres (39,000 sq ft) departure lounge equipped with a food court, duty-free shops, a VIP lounge, and a concourse with six gates, three of which are equipped with jet bridges.[9]

Adjacent to the terminal, there are other facilities such as civil aviation hangars, cargo and logistics companies, and courier services. Additionally, there is a dedicated general aviation terminal that supports various activities, including tourism, flight training, executive aviation, and general aviation.

Airlines and destinations

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Passenger

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AirlinesDestinations
Aeroméxico Mexico City
Aeroméxico ConnectMexico City
Air TransatSeasonal: Montréal–Trudeau
American EagleSeasonal: Dallas/Fort Worth
MagniMonterrey
Mexicana de Aviación Mexico City–AIFA
Sunwing AirlinesSeasonal: Montréal–Trudeau, Toronto–Pearson
United ExpressSeasonal: Houston–Intercontinental
Viva Mexico City–AIFA, Monterrey[10]
Volaris Guadalajara, Mexico City, Tijuana

Destination maps

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Domestic destinations from Acapulco International Airport
Red = Year-round destination
Blue = Future destination
Green = Seasonal destination
International destinations from Acapulco International Airport
Red = Year-round destination
Blue = Future destination
Green = Seasonal destination

Statistics

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Main hall

Passengers

[edit]
Acapulco Airport Passengers. See Wikidata query.

Annual traffic

[edit]
Check-in area
Check-in area
Baggage claim area
Departures lounge
Annual passenger traffic at Acapulco International Airport (2001–2022)[11][12]
Year Passengers % change Domestic
passengers
% change International
passengers
% change
2001 940 197 Decrease 7.6% 569 195 Increase 3.3% 371 002 Decrease 20.6%
2002 793 420 Decrease 15.6% 523 172 Decrease 8.0% 270 248 Decrease 27.1%
2003 774 349 Decrease 2.4% 527 208 Increase 0.7% 247 141 Decrease 8.5%
2004 821 301 Increase 6.0% 542 437 Increase 2.8% 278 864 Increase 12.8%
2005 880 190 Increase 7.1% 554 988 Increase 2.3% 325 202 Increase 16.6%
2006 994 393 Increase 13.0% 638 543 Increase 15.1% 355 850 Increase 9.4%
2007 1 057 332 Increase 6.3% 740 289 Increase 15.9% 317 043 Decrease 10.9%
2008 1 087 974 Increase 2.9% 818 671 Increase 10.6% 269 303 Decrease 15.1%
2009 839 048 Decrease 22.9% 636 418 Decrease 22.3% 202 630 Decrease 24.8%
2010 736 878 Decrease 12.2% 547 420 Decrease 14.0% 189 458 Decrease 6.5%
2011 596 326 Decrease 19.1% 495 018 Decrease 9.6% 101 308 Decrease 46.5%
2012 546 951 Decrease 8.2% 486 268 Decrease 1.7% 60 683 Decrease 40.1%
2013 617 079 Increase 12.9% 560 945 Increase 15.4% 56 134 Decrease 7.5%
2014 631 570 Increase 2.3% 576 042 Increase 2.7% 55 528 Decrease 1.1%
2015 730 382 Increase 15.7% 677 698 Increase 17.7% 52 684 Decrease 5.1%
2016 718 493 Decrease 1.7% 664 418 Decrease 2.0% 54 075 Increase 2.6%
2017 673 809 Decrease 6.2% 631 829 Decrease 4.9% 53 295 Decrease 1.4%
2018 739 120 Increase 9.7% 681 587 Increase 7.9% 57 533 Increase 8.0%
2019 875 315 Increase 18.4% 814 636 Increase 19.5% 60 679 Increase 5.5%
2020 395 948 Decrease 54.8% 361 029 Decrease 55.7% 34 919 Decrease 42.5%
2021 670 239 Increase 69.3% 623 763 Increase 72.8% 46 476 Increase 33.1%
2022 838 991 Increase 25.2% 773 846 Increase 24.1% 65 145 Increase 40.2%
2023 894 012 Increase 6.6% 838 123 Increase 8.3% 55 889 Decrease 14.2%

Busiest routes

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Departures lounge
Busiest routes from Acapulco International Airport (2023)[13]
Rank City Passengers Ranking Airline
1  Mexico City, Mexico City 230,260 Steady Aeroméxico, Aeroméxico Connect, Volaris, Viva Aerobus
2  Baja California, Tijuana 74,300 Steady Volaris
3  Jalisco, Guadalajara 43,154 Increase 1 Volaris
4  State of Mexico, Mexico City-AIFA 32,345 New entry Aeroméxico Connect, Viva Aerobus, Volaris
5  Nuevo León, Monterrey 20,460 Decrease 2 Magni, Viva Aerobus
6  Quintana Roo, Cancún 13,579 Decrease 1 Viva Aerobus
7  Canada, Montréal-Trudeau 4,955 Increase 2 Air Transat, Sunwing Airlines
8  United States, Houston-Intercontinental 4,955 New entry United Express
9  Guanajuato, León/El Bajío 3,128 New entry Volaris
10  United States, Dallas/Fort Worth 2,752 Decrease 2 American Eagle

See also

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Baggage claim area

References

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Baggage claim area
Terminal airside
  1. ^ a b "OMA's December 2023 Total Passenger Traffic" (PDF). oma.aero. Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte S.A.B. de C.V. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Stinson Reliant SR-5A, joya aeronáutica" (in Spanish).
  3. ^ "AEROPUERTOS. Historia de la construcción, operación y administración aeroportuaria en México" (PDF) (in Spanish).
  4. ^ "From Twelve Days To Non-Stop In 20 Hours".
  5. ^ "OMA invertirá 547 mdp en nueva terminal de Aeropuerto de Acapulco • Forbes México". Forbes México (in Mexican Spanish). 13 June 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  6. ^ "¡La nueva terminal del Aeropuerto de #Acapulco, a la altura de la belleza incomparable del puerto!". Mexican Government (in Spanish). 25 May 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  7. ^ "OMA opens new terminal in Mexico".
  8. ^ "Acapulco Airport Opens New Terminal". Travel Agent Central. 30 May 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  9. ^ "Acapulco Adding New Terminal to Airport".
  10. ^ "Acapulco recovers air connectivity with flights from Monterrey". ANEWS (in Spanish). May 2024. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  11. ^ "Investor Relations". Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte de México. January 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  12. ^ a b "Passenger's Traffic". Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte de México. January 2017. Archived from the original (XLS) on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  13. ^ "Estadística operacional por origen-destino / Traffic Statistics by City Pairs" (in Spanish). Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil. January 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
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Passenger terminal