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Culiacán International Airport

Aeropuerto Internacional de Culiacán
Culiacan International Airport.jpg
Summary
Airport type Military/Public
Operator Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte
Serves Culiacán and Navolato
Location Bachigualato, Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico
Focus city for VivaAerobús
Volaris
Elevation AMSL 108 ft / 33 m
Coordinates 24°45′52″N 107°28′28″W / 24.76444°N 107.47444°W / 24.76444; -107.47444
Map
CUL is located in Sinaloa
CUL
CUL
Location in Sinaloa
CUL is located in Mexico
CUL
CUL
Location in Mexico
Runway
Runway Length Surface
m ft
02/20 2,300 7,546 Asphalt
Statistics (2022)
Total Passengers 2,426,003
Ranking in Mexico 10th Steady
Source: Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte

Bachigualato Federal International Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional Federal de Bachigualato, (IATA: CULICAO: MMCL)), commonly named Culiacán International Airport (Aeropuerto Internacional de Culiacán), is an international airport located at Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico. It handles the national and international air traffic of the city of Culiacán.

The airport is among the Top 10 busiest airports in Mexico, and the busiest in domestic traffic and second busiest for international operations in the state of Sinaloa. It is currently handled by Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte, having undergone major construction consisting of a new terminal layout and a new boarding system. It has two jetways.

In 2021, Culiacán airport moved 1,970,211 passengers, and 2,426,003 in 2022.

Bachigualato Federal International Airport is named after the neighborhood of Bachigualato, where the airport is located.

In favorable weather, flights from the Baja California peninsula and north arrive to runway 02, and flights from the rest of the country to runway 20.

The state executive announced plans to expand the airport and the construction of a second runway to support Boeing 777 landings.

Culiacán (1)
Culiacán International Airport boarding on tarmac.
Aeropuerto Int'l Culiacán map
Culiacán Airport Terminal map.

Terminals

The CIA (Culiacán International Airport) has two terminals.

Main Terminal

The Main Terminal is used for all commercial flights, domestic and international. It has two jetways and 3 remote positions.

Terminal expansion

From February to November 2012, the airport began the work of expansion to the terminal building. The work consists of improve the operation, the airport functionality and the passenger comfort, with an expansion of 3,000m², including: the new terminal lobby and the growth in outpatient, remodeling of 2,500m² for passengers, reconfiguration of check-in point on upper level with 3 simultaneous check-in lines, the construction of a vertical circulation core in the front façade including a panoramic elevator, the growth of the waiting lounge area, the shopping area redesign and a projection of an image of modernity in its façade and inside it.

General Aviation Terminal

The General Aviation Terminal (also known as the Private Aviation Terminal) is located next to the Main Terminal. The Terminal is used for private planes, and helicopters.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

Airlines Destinations 
Aeroméxico Mexico City
Aeroméxico Connect Mexico City
Aero Pacífico San José del Cabo
Calafia Airlines La Paz, Loreto
TAR Chihuahua, Hermosillo, La Paz, Mexicali, Monterrey
Viva Aerobus Cancún, Guadalajara, La Paz, Mexico City, Monterrey, San José del Cabo, Tijuana
Seasonal: Chihuahua
Volaris Cancún, Ciudad Juárez (begins July 11, 2023), Guadalajara, Hermosillo (begins July 13, 2023), León/El Bajío (begins July 14, 2023), Mexicali, Mexico City, Mexico City–AIFA (begins July 11, 2023), Monterrey (begins July 10, 2023), Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Puerto Vallarta (begins July 13, 2023), Querétaro (begins July 13, 2023), San José del Cabo, Tijuana

Destinations map

Destinations map

Cargo

Airlines Destinations 
Estafeta San Luis Potosí, Tijuana

Statistics

Passengers

Busiest routes

Busiest routes at Culiacán International Airport (2022)
Rank City Passengers Ranking Airline
1  Baja California, Tijuana 489,715 Steady VivaAerobús, Volaris
2  Mexico City, Mexico City 271,173 Steady Aeroméxico, Aeroméxico Connect, VivaAerobús, Volaris
3  Jalisco, Guadalajara 147,776 Steady VivaAerobús, Volaris
4  Baja California Sur, San José del Cabo 80,651 Steady Aero Pacífico, VivaAerobús, Volaris
5  Baja California, Mexicali 78,212 Steady Calafia Airlines, TAR, Volaris
6  Nuevo León, Monterrey 62,356 Steady Calafia Airlines, TAR, VivaAerobús
7  Baja California Sur, La Paz 33,015 Steady Calafia Airlines, TAR, VivaAerobús
8  Quintana Roo, Cancún 18,124 Increase 2 VivaAerobús, Volaris
9  United States, Phoenix 7,734 New entry American Eagle
10  Chihuahua, Chihuahua 7,494 Decrease 1 TAR, VivaAerobús
11  Sonora, Hermosillo 7,143 Decrease 1 TAR

Accidents and incidents

  • On July 5, 2007, a twin-engine Sabreliner cargo jet failed to take off from the airport due to a loss of control resulting from a tire blowout and slid off the runway onto a highway. Three people died on board the plane and six on the ground; five more were injured.
  • On April 24, 2012, a Cessna 182 registered XBMPN for private use crashed in the airport few seconds after took off. The plane was heading to Chihuahua Airport and at the time of the crash the plane carried only the pilot who resulted with only minor injuries. The aircraft remained in some trees at the end of the runway, still on airport property.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional Federal de Culiacán para niños

  • List of the busiest airports in Mexico
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