Los Cabos Airport Remains Smooth Despite Huge Increase In Passenger Numbers

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Last Updated 9 months ago

Los Cabos continues to cement its place as one of the most popular tourism destinations in the world, with more than 4 million international passengers arriving at its airport in 2023.

That’s a nearly 10% increase in international passenger numbers compared to 2022.

However, while that is good news for the destinations many tourism-focused businesses, as well as the airport itself, travelers would be forgiven for wondering if this may affect their arrival and departure through the busy airport.

Stable Wait Times

Higher traveler numbers passing through the airport could mean higher wait times at immigration, as well as longer wait times at baggage reclaim.

In that respect, 2023 saw no extended periods of problematic wait times for either. This is a super-important outcome for travelers, as the fix for these problems is additional terminals and immigration inspection points, neither of which have a reputation for being implemented fast.

Although that doesn’t mean these problems won’t occur in the future, with Los Cabos re-classification in 2023 as a Category 1 nation by the FAA, the number of direct routes from the U.S. is expected to grow rapidly.

With that being said, Los Cabos authorities have a good track record for proactively working to ensure a vacation to the destination remains a highly attractive idea, and no doubt avoiding issues at the already busy Los Cabos airport ranks highly on their list of priorities.

Important Information

Traveling abroad can be an exciting and rewarding experience, especially for those on their first trip outside of their home nation. But that new experience can also be a little intimidating, especially when the addition of different laws and regulations is added into the mix.

The following are important arrival tips when traveling to Los Cabos Airport to keep the process smooth and unimpeded.

Not Smoker Friendly

Mexico has some of the strictest anti-smoking laws in the world, and while these laws aren’t always enforced strictly throughout Los Cabos, the airport is a place where they are applied vigorously.

Travelers are free to travel with cigarettes (200 cigarettes maximum – as of 1/3/2024), but may at no time or place smoke on the airport grounds.

The law states that all public areas in Mexico, including sidewalks, parks, and beaches are smoke-free areas.

Leave The Vape At Home

Mexico’s strict anti-smoking laws also extend to e-cigarettes/vapes, and the trade, sale, distribution, importation, and exportation of vapes are strictly illegal.

Like smoking in public places, the use of vapes is not evenly enforced outside of the airport, but getting caught with one in checked luggage or carry-on can lead to a hefty fine and potentially long detention at the airport.

Firearms Are Strictly Controlled

The rules & regulations around firearms are very different in Mexico when compared to the U.S., and traveling with a firearm without a special dispensation obtained from the Mexican Consulate in the U.S. can lead to seriously high fines and potentially even a prison sentence.

Be Careful With Currency

One of the biggest issues travelers can face is being caught traveling through the airport with more than $10,000 USD in undeclared currency (this applies to all currencies equivalent to the same amount by the current exchange rate).

This amount applies to cash, checks, money orders, and anything else that the authorities may deem as a monetary instrument.

That doesn’t mean travelers are unable to travel with larger amounts, but anything over $10,000 USD must be declared at customs, where additional questions about the source and planned use of the currency will be requested.

Failing to provide sufficiently adequate answers to these questions can result in the confiscation of the currency, deportation, and being reported to the authorities in the U.S.

Traveling With Medication

Entering Mexico with medication for personal use also carries some restrictions. Traveler must declare any medication at customs and provide a prescription from their GP stating the amount of the medication required during the stay, as well as the daily dosage.

Unfortunately, travelers may not bring with them more medication than is required during their stay, this is a situation that can cause issues as it’s not uncommon for travelers to bring a little extra in case of emergencies.