Puebla International Airport

Puebla International Airport
Aeropuerto Internacional de Puebla
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerGrupo Olmeca-Maya-Mexica (GAFSACOMM)
ServesPuebla Metropolitan Area
LocationHuejotzingo, Puebla
Hub forVolaris (begins June 1, 2026)[1]
Time zoneCST (UTC−06:00)
Elevation AMSL2,244 m / 7,362 ft
Coordinates19°09′29″N 98°22′17″W / 19.15806°N 98.37139°W / 19.15806; -98.37139
Websitewww.grupomundomaya.com/PBC
Maps
PBC
Location of the airport in Puebla
PBC
PBC (Mexico)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
17/35 3,600 11,811 Asphalt
Statistics (2025)
Total passengers1,255,041
Ranking in Mexico25th
Source: Agencial Federal de Aviación Civil[2]

Puebla International Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional de Puebla), officially Hermanos Serdán International Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional Hermanos Serdán) (IATA: PBC, ICAO: MMPB) is an international airport located in Huejotzingo, Puebla, Mexico.[3] It handles national and international air traffic for the Metropolitan area of Puebla, the fourth-largest metro area in Mexico. It also supports cargo services and various executive and general aviation activities.

Puebla Airport was named after Aquiles Serdán, Máximo Serdán, and María del Carmen Serdán, known as the Serdán siblings, who were leaders of the anti-reelection movement during the Mexican Revolution. It is operated by Grupo Olmeca-Maya-Mexica (GAFSACOMM), a holding company owned by the Mexican military. The airport is one of the fastest-growing in the country, crossing the one-million passenger threshold for the first time in 2024. In 2025, it handled 1,255,041 passengers.[2]

History

The airport commenced operations in 1985, with its inaugural flight arriving from Guadalajara and operated by Mexicana de Aviación. In 1993, Puebla Air Lines started connecting Puebla to major destinations within Mexico but ceased operations in 1995 due to the Mexican peso crisis. In 1996, the airport, which began as a domestic airport, was designated as the "Hermanos Serdán" International Airport.

Operadora Estatal de Aeropuertos (OEA) assumed the airport management and development in 2001, with shared ownership among the Puebla State Government (26%), Operadora Internacional de Aeropuertos (49%), and Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares (25%). In 2011, OEA was dissolved by the State Government of Puebla due to budgetary issues, and Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares (ASA) took over the airport operations.

Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, there were political initiatives aimed at positioning Puebla Airport, along with Toluca, Cuernavaca, and Querétaro airports, as supplementary options for serving the Mexico City Area. Various airlines, including MexicanaLink, Copa Airlines, Aeroméxico, Aero California, and American Eagle introduced flight services at the airport. However, most air travelers to Puebla still tend to use the Mexico City International Airport, which is situated less than 100 km (65 mi) west of the city and very well connected via highways and bus services. Puebla Airport's capacities remain underutilized, even though it has the potential to serve the Puebla Metropolitan Area, which is home to nearly three and a half million inhabitants.[4] Furthermore, the opening of Mexico City-Felipe Angeles Airport has made it more challenging for PBC to attract commercial flights.

In 2007, the Logistic Airport Center was established, offering comprehensive cargo management and commercial processing facilities. The airport experienced significant growth in passenger numbers, operations, and cargo handling during the 2010s. Over the years, the airport has faced temporary closures due to ash spewing from the nearby Popocatepetl volcano.[5]

In 2022, the Mexican government executed the merger of several state-operated airport companies, consolidating infrastructure entities into a larger holding company known as Grupo Olmeca-Maya-Mexica, which is under the ownership of the Department of Defense (SEDENA). This action was part of the broader strategy of the López Obrador administration to engage the armed forces not only in significant infrastructure projects but also in civilian functions. This trend of militarization extended to other endeavors such as the Tren Maya, the Felipe Angeles and Tulum airports, and the revival of Mexicana de Aviación, prompting concerns regarding accountability and transparency.[6][7]

Facilities

The Puebla Airport is located at an elevation of 2,244 metres (7,362 ft) above mean sea level. It features a single runway with a length of 3,600 metres (11,800 ft) and an apron featuring 6 Category D aircraft stands, accommodating both commercial and cargo operations. The airport is also equipped with facilities dedicated to general and executive aviation.

The terminal building includes arrival and departure facilities for both domestic and international flights within a single-story building. It has the capacity to cater to up to 450 passengers per hour. The departures concourse comprises five gates and an airport lounge managed by the Global Lounge Network.[8]

In addition to passenger services, Puebla Airport serves as a hub for logistics and courier companies, overseeing an annual cargo volume of two thousand tons. The cargo handled encompasses various items such as textile products, vehicle motor parts, machinery, postal items, airborne parcel services, and perishable goods like fruits and flowers.[9]

Airlines and destinations

Passengers

AirlinesDestinations
Magnicharters Seasonal: Cancún
United Express Houston–Intercontinental[10]
Viva Cancún,[10] Guadalajara,[10] Mérida,[10] Monterrey,[10] Tijuana[10]
Volaris Aguascalientes (begins June 2, 2026),[11] Cancún,[10] Guadalajara,[10] Houston–Intercontinental (begins June 2, 2026),[11] Huatulco (begins June 1, 2026),[11] Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo (begins June 2, 2026),[11] León/Bajío (begins June 1, 2026),[11] Los Angeles (begins June 1, 2026),[11] Newark (begins June 2, 2026),[11] Puerto Vallarta (begins June 2, 2026),[11] San José del Cabo (begins June 1, 2026),[11] San Luis Potosí (begins June 2, 2026),[11] Tijuana,[10] Tuxtla Gutiérrez (begins June 2, 2026),[11] Villahermosa (begins June 1, 2026)[11]

Cargo

AirlinesDestinations
Aeronaves TSM Laredo
Estafeta Chihuahua, San Luis Potosí, Villahermosa

Destinations map

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

Airlines previously flying to Puebla International Airport

Airlines
Aero California, Aeromar, Aeroméxico, Aeroméxico Connect, Aladia, Alma de México, Avolar, American Eagle, Continental Express, Copa Airlines, Líneas Aéreas Azteca, Mexicana, MexicanaLink, Puebla Air Lines

Statistics

Annual Traffic

Passenger statistics at PBC[2]
Year Air operations change % Cargo (t) change % Passengers change %
2006 16,328 603 201,094
2007 23,181 41.97% 593 1.65% 428,791 113.22%
2008 24,753 6.78% 648 9.27% 530,320 23.67%
2009 19,845 19.82% 1,091 68.36% 344,699 35.0%
2010 19,331 2.59% 1,619 48.39% 318,037 7.73%
2011 17,416 9.90% 1,141 29.52% 218,401 31.32%
2012 18,130 4.09% 798 30.06% 264,085 20.91%
2013 15,925 12.16% 666 16.54% 292,152 10.62%
2014 17,080 7.25% 461 30.78% 285,041 2.43%
2015 19,817 16.02% 492 6.72% 327,811 15.0%
2016 19,227 2.97% 846 71.95% 383,361 16.94%
2017 20,258 5.36% 1,166 37.82% 511,833 33.51%
2018 20,391 0.66% 1,236 6.01% 685,583 34.10%
2019 19,723 3.28% 842 31.85% 761,575 11.08%
2020 11,065 43.90% 1,012 20.19% 384,103 49.56%
2021 12,854 16.17% 2,706 167.39% 565,387 47.20%
2022 18,164 41.31% 7,127 163.38% 790,931 39.89%
2023 20,869 14.89% 3,794 46.77% 935,500 18.28%
2024 18,755 10.13% 4,232 11.54% 1,059,073 10.47%
2025 22,495 19.94% 4,867 15.00% 1,255,041 18.50%

Busiest routes

Busiest routes from PBC (Jan–Dec 2025)[12]
Rank Airport Passengers
1 Cancún, Quintana Roo 176,706
2 Tijuana, Baja California 169,279
3 Monterrey, Nuevo León 122,293
4 Guadalajara, Jalisco 95,533
5 Mérida, Yucatán 30,159
6 Houston–Intercontinental, United States 13,281

See also

References

  1. ^ "Aeropuerto de Puebla amplía su oferta aérea con 12 nuevas rutas de Volaris". Facebook (in Spanish). Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  2. ^ a b c "Estadística Operacional de Aeropuertos / Statistics by Airport". Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
  3. ^ "Puebla International Airport". PueblaCity.com. Retrieved January 14, 2023. Puebla International Airport, officially Hermanos Serdán International Airport (IATA: PBC, ICAO: MMPB). The airport was named for Aquiles Serdán, Máximo Serdán and María del Carmen Serdán, known as the Serdán brothers, leaders of the revolutionary Maderista anti-reelectionism.
  4. ^ Goytia, María José (May 27, 2022). "Puebla International Airport to Modernize Cargo Flights". Mexicobusiness.News. Retrieved January 14, 2023. Luis Espinosa Rueda, President, CANACINTRA Puebla, highlighted the need to end the underutilization of the airport, which instead should be uses [sic] as a source of economic growth for Puebla's industries.
  5. ^ "Mexico: Authorities temporarily close Puebla International Airport due to volcanic ash fall May 21 2023".
  6. ^ "The Political Implications of Mexico's New Militarism".
  7. ^ "The militarisation of Mexico's economy".
  8. ^ "Global Lounge Network – Our Lounges".
  9. ^ "Aeropuerto Internacional Hermanos Serdán de Puebla".
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Puebla Expands its Flight Map". El Incorrecto (in Spanish). February 2026. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Volaris triggers massive expansion with 33 new routes across North America". AviaciOnline. February 2026. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  12. ^ "Estadística operacional por origen-destino / Traffic Statistics by City Pairs" (in Spanish). Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil. January 2026. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
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