Felipe Ángeles International Airport

Felipe Ángeles International Airport (IATA: NLU, ICAO: MMSM), also known as Mexico City Felipe Ángeles International Airport or simply Mexico City-AIFA, is an international airport located in Zumpango, State of Mexico, 35 kilometres (22 mi) north of Mexico City. Originally named Santa Lucía Air Force Base, it opened for civilian use in 2022, serving as the second airport for Greater Mexico City. The passenger terminal facilitates domestic and international flights, functioning as a focus city for Viva and Aeroméxico Connect. It is the main hub for Mexicana, a state-owned airline. Apart from civilian operations, the airport accommodates the Mexican Air Force, general aviation, and charter flight services.
The airport is also set to become Mexico's largest air cargo hub, gaining a prominent role after recent restrictions at the busier Mexico City International Airport, and now serves as the primary hub for cargo airlines AeroUnion, Mas Air, and Awesome Cargo.
Owned by the Mexican government and operated by the Department of National Defense (SEDENA), the airport is named after General Felipe Ángeles, a significant figure in the Mexican Revolution. It is the second-largest airport by area in Mexico after Cancún International Airport, covering 1,531 hectares (3,780 acres). The airport served 6,348,091 passengers in 2024, a 140% increase from the previous year, becoming the 8th busiest in the country.
The Santa Lucía Air Force Base, established in 1952 to relocate the Balbuena Military Air Field, officially inaugurated its aerodrome on 24 November 1952, during Miguel Alemán´s administration. The complete transition of aircraft from Balbuena to Santa Lucía occurred in 1959. The aerodrome featured a runway measuring 3,780 metres (12,400 ft) in length and 75 metres (246 ft) in width, boasting the widest paved runway in Mexico at the time. It was named "General Alfredo Lezama Álvarez" in honor of its commander from 1961 to 1964.
Felipe Ángeles Airport's conversion as a civilian airport has been in response to congestion challenges at Mexico City International Airport, a longstanding topic in Mexican politics since the early 2000s. The airport, constrained by its location in a densely populated area, faced limitations in infrastructure expansion due to urban constraints, limited runway space, and congestion during peak hours.
Large infrastructure projects in Mexico, notably in transportation, have historically been key elements of presidential legacies. This is due to centralized decision-making, their symbolic importance for progress, and the desire of leaders to leave a lasting impact. In 2002, President Vicente Fox unveiled an ambitious plan for a new, expansive airport on 5,000 hectares (12,000 acres) of land in the municipalities of Atenco and Texcoco. This proposal aimed to address the congestion issues at Mexico City International Airport and meet the growing demands of air travel. However, the Atenco project faced significant opposition and controversy, particularly from the Community Front in Defense of Land (Spanish: Frente del Pueblo en Defensa de La Tierra, FPDT), an organization representing locals who would be displaced by the airport's construction. The protests against the project culminated in violent clashes, leading to the cancellation of the new airport.
In 2014, President Peña Nieto reignited plans for a major airport infrastructure project with the announcement of the Texcoco Airport. Positioned as Mexico's most significant public infrastructure undertaking in a century, the Texcoco Airport was designed to replace the aging Mexico City International Airport by 2023. Faced with mounting opposition and controversy, President López Obrador, then a presidential candidate, campaigned against the ongoing Texcoco Airport construction.
The new Mexico City Airport quickly became a focal point of intense and conflicting political discourse in Mexico, reflecting a broader ideological clash within the country regarding economic models and governance strategies.
Upon winning the presidency, López Obrador fulfilled his campaign promise to reassess the Texcoco airport. He initiated a referendum in the first half of October 2018, organized by the Arturo Rosenblueth Foundation and a group of citizens. This referendum aimed to measure public opinion on whether to complete the Texcoco Airport or proceed with the Santa Lucía expansion. However, the process faced criticism for lacking official validity and not adhering to established legal procedures. Controversy also arose over potential challenges in accurately interpreting the results.
Despite the controversy, the referendum took place, and the results favored the construction of the Santa Lucía project. A significant majority of participants (69.95%) voted in favor of Santa Lucía, while a smaller percentage (29.08%) supported the continuation of the Texcoco project. Although the informal nature of the survey raised some controversy, it influenced the decision to proceed with the Santa Lucía airport. Subsequently, López Obrador's administration moved forward with the expansion of the Santa Lucía air base into an airport, officially named Felipe Ángeles International Airport.
Construction started on 17 October 2019, following the lifting of multiple judicial suspensions against the project, primarily due to environmental and cultural study concerns and lack of transparency. The relocation and resizing of military facilities, including the runway, apron, and hangars, were undertaken to align with the specifications of the new civilian airport.
During construction, an accident occurred involving 22 workers, resulting in minor injuries. This incident took place when workers opted for a crane-type vehicle as their mode of transportation. The construction period coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to infection among at least four employees, along with 37 suspected cases and three deaths as of 9 June 2020, despite efforts to enforce social distancing and other preventive measures.
The terminal area's construction unearthed remains of at least 200 mammoths in the former Lake Xaltocan. Authorities confirmed that the findings did not warrant a halt in the airport project. Mexican architect Francisco González Pulido and military general Gustavo Vallejo oversaw the airport's design. Groupe ADP managed the master plan, and airspace navigability studies were conducted by Airbus subsidiary NAVBLUE. The first phase, completed as scheduled, included two runways and a new terminal.
Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) commenced operations on 21 March 2022, with VivaAerobús launching the first commercial passenger flight arriving from Guadalajara. Subsequently, Conviasa initiated the airport's first international flight to Caracas, Venezuela. The airport ventured into cargo operations on 1 September 2022, with AeroUnion's cargo flight arriving from Tijuana.
The airport's development has become a focal point in Mexico's political discourse, representing ideological clashes and embodying deeper conflicts. The rapid transition from canceling the previous administration's project to the swift realization of a new one underscores the airport's political significance. The military's role adds complexity to debates about its involvement in civilian projects and potential implications for democratic governance. Beyond its infrastructural aspects, the airport encapsulates broader sociopolitical tensions, symbolizing opposing visions and ideologies in Mexico.
The airport covers 1,531 hectares (3,780 acres) and is situated at an elevation of 2,246 metres (7,369 ft) above mean sea level. With a capacity to handle 20 million passengers annually, it is equipped to accommodate wide-body aircraft, including the Boeing 787 and 747. Notably, the Mexico City airspace is the first in the country to utilize the performance-based navigation system (PBN). This allows simultaneous operations at Felipe Ángeles International Airport, Mexico City International Airport, and Toluca International Airport without one airport's operations impeding those of the others.
Recognized as a "hot and high" airport, Felipe Ángeles Airport boasts the longest runways in the country and the second-longest commercial runway in North America, following a 4,900 metres (16,100 ft) runway at Denver International Airport. Setting it apart, it is one of the few airports in Mexico equipped with three runways, alongside those in Chihuahua and Tampico. Although the Department of National Defense (SEDENA) declared that the civilian runways at Felipe Ángeles Airport would feature a CAT III precision approach system, during the joint publication of official aerodrome information with the Department of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation (SICT) and SENEAM, on 16 December 2021, the ILS system was officially declared as CAT I for the airport's inauguration, allowing for simultaneous operations.
Over 28 kilometres (17 mi) of asphalt concrete taxiways facilitate the movement of aircraft around the airfield. These taxiways have a standard width of 23 metres (75 ft), featuring 7 metres (23 ft) of heavy-duty shoulders and 7 metres (23 ft) of erosion control pavement on each side. The airport stands out as the only one in Mexico, as of 2023, to utilize painted markings, lighted signage, and embedded pavement lighting as visual aids.
The primary apron, named the "East apron," is constructed of hydraulic concrete and offers parking positions for 29 narrow-body aircraft or a combination of 12 wide-body and 5 narrow-body aircraft. Additionally, the "central apron" provides parking for 5 wide-body or 10 narrow-body aircraft adjacent to the terminal, along with 6 remote positions. In total, there are 45 parking positions available, accommodating either narrow-body aircraft exclusively or a combination of 17 wide-body and 11 narrow-body aircraft.
The passenger terminal at Felipe Ángeles Airport accommodates both arrival and departure services for domestic and international flights within a multi-story building parallel to runway 04C/22C. The check-in area features 100 conventional counters, 86 self-service kiosks, 20 drop-off counters, and a space for future growth, covering 5,410 square metres (58,200 sq ft). Security check areas include 22 X-ray security belts and 6 additional belts for future expansion, across 4,740 square metres (51,000 sq ft). The departures concourse is a 1,080 metres (3,540 ft) long, 29,100 square metres (313,000 sq ft) structure with 34 gates.
The baggage claim area, covering an initial phase of 13,015 square metres (140,090 sq ft), incorporates three carousels for national baggage and four for international baggage, with an additional four carousels designated for future expansion. The airport also includes 1,312 square metres (14,120 sq ft) of VIP lounges, encompassing the VIPort Lounge, The Grand Lounge Elite, and Salón Hacienda Santa Lucía. Adjacent to the terminal, the Ground Transportation Terminal (Spanish: Terminal Intermodal de Transporte Terrestre, TITT), centrally located, hosts essential transportation services, such as a Suburban train and a bus station, organized within a six-level structure:
The cargo complex features a hydraulic concrete apron with six positions for wide-body aircraft, five of which can adapt to accommodate two narrow-body aircraft simultaneously. It encompasses three clusters of facilities: The first one is an airside area where activities revolve around airline cargo operations and ground handling services provided by regulated warehouses spanning 252,900 square metres (2,722,000 sq ft). Beyond the controlled area, a second set of facilities includes offices for customs agencies, branches of courier companies, and banking units, covering an area of 72,500 square metres (780,000 sq ft). The surrounding areas are designed for an industrial and logistics complex. By July 2023, cargo operations were scheduled to cease at Mexico City International Airport, following a government decree.
The General Aviation Building (FBO) is designated for general/non-commercial aviation or private jets. The terminal offers services for the convenience of passengers during their private flights, including a pilots' lounge and a passenger lounge. Adjacent to this facility is a general aviation apron, providing stands for fixed-wing aircraft and heliports for private aviation, as well as hangars and maintenance facilities.
Felipe Ángeles Airport features a unique cultural corridor designed for both transit passengers and local residents. According to authorities, this is the first cultural passageway of its kind in the country. The corridor houses three museums open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday, between 09:00 and 16:00:
While the initial project outlined comprehensive public transport connections to Mexico City in conjunction with private transport options, challenges in resolving transportation logistics for the airport's inauguration persist. As of November 2023, accessibility to the airport remains insufficient.
The primary vehicular entrance to the airport is connected to a highway from the Circuito Exterior Mexiquense, spanning approximately 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi). Within the airport grounds, a road with three entry lanes, three exit lanes, and mammoth sculptures reflecting discoveries in the central area facilitates access to the terminal. Future plans include extending the Mexico-Pachuca highway towards the airport, with a deviation near Santa Lucía to connect to the terminal.
On the ground floor of the Ground Transportation Terminal (TITT), a bus station accommodates long-distance passengers with space for 16 buses. The terminal comprises ticket counters, automated machines, waiting areas, a VIP lounge, ATMs, retail stores, currency exchange services, souvenir shops, package services, a cargo warehouse, toilets, administrative offices, staff rest areas, and other amenities, including Wi-Fi, fast food options, and toilets.
Private company Autobuses de Oriente provides connections to and from TAPO, Indios Verdes, and Mexico City International Airport. Additionally, ETN Turistar offers services connecting the airport to Terminal de Autobuses del Sur, Terminal de Autobuses del Norte, and Terminal de Autobuses de Querétaro. These services are current as of November 2023:
The airport provides designated boarding areas for taxis that have received approval from the Department of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation (SICT). These services are closely regulated by the airport authorities to ensure safety and reliability.
The Mexibús bus rapid transit system Line I, offers a connection to Ojo de Agua station in the State of Mexico. From Ojo de Agua, passengers can transfer to Ciudad Azteca metro station. Plans are underway to extend Mexibús Line IV to AIFA in the future, creating an additional connection between the airport and the metro system at Indios Verdes station.
A proposal, presented in 2020, outlines a 23 kilometres (14 mi) extension of the Suburban train network to serve the airport. The extension will branch off from the existing line at Lechería station, heading northeast to the airport grounds. Originally anticipated for completion by December 2023, delays related to construction challenges, particularly the relocation of tracks for cargo-carrying trains, pushed the expected opening to June 2024. The extension will be inaugurated in July 2025.
Air Force Base Nr. 1 (Spanish: Base Aérea Militar N.º 1, Santa Lucía) (B.A.M. No. 1) is located in the eastern section of the airport grounds just south of San Lucas Xolox. The base encompasses a housing complex for military personnel affiliated with the Mexican Army. The facilities at the Military Air Base include a military aviation apron, control tower, and runway 04R/22L, designated exclusively for military use. It serves as a hub for various units and headquarters related to reconnaissance, transport, combat wings, specialized training centers, and sports facilities. Additionally, it houses facilities dedicated to national security and natural disaster response. Following the construction of the civilian airport, B.A.M. No. 1 underwent a complete reconstruction, adopting a new configuration that includes a military town with housing units, the 37th Military Zone General Command, a Pavilion for Dignitaries, a housing complex, a military hospital, the Military Police Training Center, a Shopping Center, and The Military School of Specialist Troops (EMTEFAM). Operational Squadrons at BAM No. 1 include: