Los Cabos Airport Is Getting a $370M Makeover. Here’s What It Means for You.

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Los Cabos International Airport (SJD) is already the sixth-busiest in Mexico, and with visitor numbers smashing records every quarter, the pressure is on to keep planes (and vacation days) moving.

That’s why Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP) has green-lit a 7-billion-peso master plan—roughly US $370 million—to future-proof the gateway to paradise.

We at The Cabo Sun are more than a little excited about these changes coming to Los Cabos Airport—so let’s dive into what this massive makeover really means for your next Cabo getaway.

✈️ More Direct Flights—Goodbye, Awkward Layovers

A bigger, smarter airfield means airlines get the green light to launch new nonstop routes.

SJD already connects to 32 U.S. cities (up from fewer than 20 just four years ago), and officials say the apron expansion and added gates will “unlock room for even more markets.”

What this means for you: expect to see secondary hubs—think Nashville or Pittsburgh—join the nonstop party, and East-Coast service becomes financially viable once gate and runway capacity catch up with demand.

🛫 Fewer Delays & Smaller Crowds

The most dramatic air-side upgrade is a 52 % expansion of the commercial aircraft apron—from 23 to 30 parking positions. That alone will ease the Tetris-like shuffle of arriving jets during peak hours.

On the ground, GAP is carving out 27,000 m² of new access roads and parking space, meaning your ride-share doesn’t spend half an hour in a taxi queue.

Traveler win: Less circling in the sky, quicker taxi-in, and fewer elbow-to-elbow moments at baggage claim.

⚡ A Faster, More Modern Terminal Experience

Phase one (now through 2029) pours money into Terminal 2: three new jet bridges, 20 self-service check-in kiosks, 12 autonomous immigration e-gates, and a 33 % larger baggage hall.

GAP’s blueprint leans heavily on touch-free bag drops, biometric boarding, and walk-through security scanners—the tech big hubs like Dallas and LAX rolled out during the pandemic.

Translation? You’ll spend more time sipping a cold Pacifico and less time standing in slow-moving lines.

🏗️ A Second Runway & Long-Term Growth

SJD has snapped up 80 hectares of adjacent land—roughly 200 acres—to build an additional runway once traffic warrants it.

A second strip will let the airport double hourly movements, keeping delays low even on holiday weekends.

Bottom line: Your plane won’t have to queue for take-off behind a conga line of holiday charters once the extra runway is operational.

🌉 Major Perks For Cross-Border Xpress Travelers

If you’re one of the thousands of Californians who duck across the pedestrian bridge at Tijuana’s Cross Border Xpress (CBX) to snag ultra-cheap domestic fares, listen up: Terminal 1—the current domestic facility—will be demolished after 2030 and replaced by a brand-new, three-level showpiece.

Domestic flights will shift temporarily to Terminal 2 in 2028 while construction crews work their magic.

Expect brighter interiors, more dining, and—finally—enough gates so CBX flyers aren’t funneled into bus-boarding stands.

🚀 Why It All Matters For Your Next Trip

• More choice, better prices: Airlines love brand-new gates and longer operating windows. More seats heading south usually translate into friendlier fares.
• Stress-free peak seasons: Holiday crush at Thanksgiving or Easter? The extra aircraft stands and check-in capacity should keep the chaos to a minimum.
• Future-proofed vacations: From biometric e-gates to a planned second runway, SJD is gearing up for decades of growth—so your 2035 spring break crew won’t inherit today’s bottlenecks.

🔮 The Future Looks Bright

Los Cabos has been on a tear—welcoming record visitor totals and adding headline-grabbing resorts.

Airport capacity was the final puzzle piece. With US$370 million now in the pipeline, your path from jet bridge to beach lounger is set to get faster, calmer, and a whole lot cooler over the next five years.

Keep an eye on this space; we’ll be tracking construction milestones and new route announcements every step of the way. Until then, pack that swimsuit and let the countdown to an even breezier Cabo vacation begin!