Chihuahua International Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional de Chihuahua); officially Aeropuerto Internacional General Roberto Fierro Villalobos (General Roberto Fierro Villalobos International Airport) (IATA: CUU, ICAO: MMCU) is an international airport located in Chihuahua, Mexico. It handles both national and international air traffic for the city of Chihuahua and is operated by Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte. The airport was named after Roberto Fierro Villalobos, an aviator pilot of the Mexican Air Force known for his role during the Mexican Revolution. In addition to serving national and international passengers, Chihuahua Airport accommodates military facilities for the Mexican Army and supports logistics and cargo airlines. It also facilitates various tourism, flight training, and general aviation activities.

Chihuahua International Airport

Aeropuerto Internacional de Chihuahua
Summary
Airport typeMilitary/public
Owner/OperatorGrupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte
ServesChihuahua City, Chihuahua, Mexico
Time zoneCST (UTC−06:00)
Elevation AMSL1,330 m / 4,364 ft
Coordinates28°42′10″N 105°57′42″W / 28.70278°N 105.96167°W / 28.70278; -105.96167
Websitewww.oma.aero/en/passengers/chihuahua/
Map
CUU is located in Chihuahua
CUU
CUU
Location of the airport in Chihuahua
CUU is located in Mexico
CUU
CUU
CUU (Mexico)
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
04/22 1,100 3,609 Asphalt
18R/36L 2,403 7,885 Asphalt
18L/36R 2,600 8,530 Asphalt
Statistics (2023)
Total passengers1,905,714
Ranking in Mexico14th Decrease
Source: Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte[1]

This airport is one of the most isolated commercial airports in Mexico, as the nearest airport with passenger flights is located over 300 kilometres (190 mi) away in Ciudad Juárez. It is also one of the few airports in Mexico equipped with three runways, with the others located in Tampico and Mexico City-AIFA. In 2022, the airport served 1,727,006 passengers, and this number increased to 1,905,714 passengers in 2023, a growth of 10.35%.[1]

Facilities

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Facilities diagram

The airport is located 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) northeast of the city center, at an elevation of 1,330 metres (4,360 ft) above mean sea level. It features three asphalt-surfaced runways: Runway 18L/36R is the primary runway measuring 2,600 by 45 metres (8,530 by 148 ft). Runway 04/22 measures 1,100 by 30 metres (3,609 by 98 ft) in width, and Runway 18R/36L spans 2,400 by 20 metres (7,874 by 66 ft).

The commercial aviation apron features seven parking positions, while there are two general aviation aprons, known as the north and south aprons, designed to accommodate both fixed-wing aircraft and heliports for private aviation. Furthermore, there are additional parking spots at the cargo terminal with the operational capability to receive narrow-body aircraft.

 
Terminal entrance

The passenger terminal is a single-story building that includes arrival and departure facilities for both domestic and international flights. It provides typical services found at a regional airport, such as check-in counters for domestic and international flights, a security checkpoint, migration and customs facilities, car rental services, taxi stands, and retail stores. The departure concourse offers seven gates and features a mezzanine from which three jet bridges facilitate passenger boarding. The terminal can handle 40 operations and up to 450 passengers per hour. It also houses two VIP lounges, one of which is Aeromexico´s Premier Lounge.[2] The parking facility offers both short-term and long-term parking spaces.[3]

Chihuahua Airport is home to Air Force Base No. 13 (Spanish: Base Aérea Militar No. 13 Chihuahua, Chihuahua) (BAM-13). The base accommodates Air Squadron 110, which operates Cessna 182 aircraft, and Air Squadron 205 with Beechcraft T-6 Texan II aircraft. The base includes an aviation platform covering 14,500 square metres (156,000 sq ft), three hangars, and various facilities for the housing of Air Force personnel.[4]

Airlines and destinations

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Passenger

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AirlinesDestinations
Aeroméxico Mexico City
Aeroméxico Connect Mexico City
Aero Pacífico Los Mochis
American Eagle Dallas/Fort Worth
Magnicharters Seasonal: Cancún, Mazatlán, Monterrey, Puerto Vallarta
Señor Air Cabo San Lucas[5]
TAR Culiacán, Hermosillo, La Paz, Querétaro
Viva Cancún, Guadalajara, Mazatlán, Mexico City, Mexico City–AIFA, Monterrey
Volaris Denver, Guadalajara, Mexico City, Tijuana

Cargo

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AirlinesDestinations
Estafeta Dallas/Fort Worth, El Paso, Monterrey, San Luis Potosí, Tijuana
 
Terminal airside
 
Aeromexico McDonnell Douglas DC-9 at CUU
 
Military aircraft at Air Force Base No. 13

Destinations map

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Domestic destinations from Chihuahua International Airport
Red = Year-round destination
Blue = Future destination
Green = Seasonal destination
International destinations from Chihuahua International Airport
Red = Year-round destination
Blue = Future destination
Green = Seasonal/charter destination

Statistics

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Passengers

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Chihuahua Airport passengers. See Wikidata query.

Busiest routes

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Busiest routes from Chihuahua International Airport (2023)[6]
Rank City Passengers Ranking Airline
1   Mexico City, Mexico City 379,924   Aeroméxico, Aeroméxico Connect, Viva Aerobus, Volaris
2   Jalisco, Guadalajara 145,315   Viva Aerobus, Volaris
3   Nuevo León, Monterrey 126,773   Magni, Viva Aerobus
4   Quintana Roo, Cancún 103,859   Magni, Viva Aerobus, Volaris
5   Baja California, Tijuana 70,785   Volaris
6   United States, Dallas/Fort Worth 41,681   American Eagle
7   Sinaloa, Mazatlán 17,703   Magni, Volaris
8   United States, Denver 14,689   Volaris
9   Sonora, Hermosillo 7,780   TAR
10   Baja California, Mexicali 7,264   Volaris

Accidents and incidents

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Aeromexico Flight 230 ran off the runway on July 27, 1981. 30 people died.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "OMA's December 2023 Total Passenger Traffic" (PDF; 292 KB). oma.aero. Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte S.A.B. de C.V. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Aeroméxico Salón Premier".
  3. ^ "Concluyen ampliación de Aeropuerto de Chihuahua".
  4. ^ "Bases Aéreas. Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional".
  5. ^ "Destinos: Chihuahua". senorair.com. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Estadística operacional por origen-destino / Traffic Statistics by City Pairs" (in Spanish). Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil. January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
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