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Toluca International Airport

Coordinates: 19°20′13″N 99°33′57″W / 19.33694°N 99.56583°W / 19.33694; -99.56583
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For the astronomical observatory, see MMT Observatory.

Toluca International Airport


Aeropuerto Internacional de Toluca
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorAdministradora Mexiquense del Aeropuerto Internacional de Toluca (AMAIT)
ServesToluca, Greater Mexico City
LocationToluca, State of Mexico, Mexico
Opened1984
Hub forTUM AeroCarga
Time zoneCST (UTC-06:00)
Elevation AMSL2,580 m / 8,465 ft
Coordinates19°20′13″N 99°33′57″W / 19.33694°N 99.56583°W / 19.33694; -99.56583
Websitewww.aeropuertodetoluca.com.mx
Map
TLC is located in State of Mexico
TLC
TLC
Location of airport in the State of Mexico
TLC is located in Mexico
TLC
TLC
TLC (Mexico)
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
15/33 4,310 14,140 Asphalt
Statistics (2023)
Total passengers1,520,255
Ranking in Mexico21st Increase 12
Source: Administradora Mexiquense del Aeropuerto Internacional de Toluca

Toluca International Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional de Toluca); officially Aeropuerto Internacional Licenciado Adolfo López Mateos (Licenciado Adolfo López Mateos International Airport) (IATA: TLC, ICAO: MMTO) is an international airport in Toluca, State of Mexico, Mexico. It handles both national and international air traffic for the Metropolitan area of Toluca and serves as a secondary airport for Greater Mexico City, alongside Felipe Angeles Airport. Historically serving as a hub for Volaris, Interjet, and Republicair, the airport is operated by Administradora Mexiquense del Aeropuerto Internacional de Toluca and is named after President Adolfo López Mateos.

Toluca Airport serves as the primary airport for operating executive and general aviation traffic in the Greater Mexico City airspace, ranking fifth busiest in Mexico for both aircraft movements and cargo operations. It serves as a primary base for charter airlines such as Aerolíneas Ejecutivas, Aeromaan, Aviesa, Flymex, and a hub for the cargo airline TUM AeroCarga. The airport also accommodates cargo and aircraft maintenance facilities, and services for air taxis, air ambulances, and aviation schools. It served 1,520,255 passengers in 2023.[1]

History

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The development of Toluca Airport has been significantly shaped by efforts to address congestion challenges at Mexico City International Airport, stemming from urban constraints since the 1980s. Construction of Toluca Airport commenced in 1970, with its inauguration taking place in 1984.

In 1994, the federal government implemented legislation to mitigate congestion at Mexico City International Airport by prohibiting general aviation operations and redirecting them to secondary airports like Toluca. Consequently, Toluca Airport's importance increased, managing the majority of general aviation traffic in the Mexico City airspace.

Political initiatives have also been introduced to establish nearby airports, including Toluca, along with Puebla, Cuernavaca, and Querétaro, as supplementary options for serving the Mexico City area. This initiative, known as the Metropolitan Airport System, was promoted by the federal administration.

Volaris Airbus A319 at TLC

During the 2000s, Toluca Airport played a pivotal role in the initial growth of low-cost carriers in Mexico. Volaris and Interjet, key players in this sector, established Toluca as their primary hub, each operating from independent terminals until 2007. The airport experienced a substantial increase in passenger traffic from 145,000 in 2002 to 4,300,000 in 2008, leading to renovations and expansions. During this period, other airlines, including Aeromexico Connect, Click Mexicana, Republicair, and TAESA Airlines, served Toluca. The airport provided international service to the United States through Continental Express and Spirit Airlines, as well as to Spain through Air Madrid.[2]

However, following Mexicana's bankruptcy in 2011, Volaris relocated its hub to Guadalajara, and Interjet shifted operations to Mexico City, resulting in a consistent decline in passenger traffic from 1,161,064 in 2013 to 134,305 by 2021. Consequently, Toluca Airport consolidated its operations, reducing its terminals from four to two, with all activities now centralized at the Domestic Terminal. Toluca currently stands as the largest metropolitan area in Mexico without any international flight services.[1]

FedEx McDonnell Douglas MD-10-30(F) arriving at TLC

Most travellers to Toluca opt for Mexico City International Airport, located less than 50 kilometres (31 mi) to the east, offering extensive connectivity through highways and bus services. The recent inauguration of Mexico City-Felipe Angeles Airport has introduced additional challenges in attracting commercial flights. Flight figures have fluctuated, with a significant rebound after 2022 when Volaris, Viva Aerobus, and TAR resumed commercial services, resulting in a traffic volume of over 1.5 million passengers by the end of 2023.[1]

Facilities

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Departures concourse
Check-in counters

The airport is situated 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) northeast of Toluca city center and 30 kilometres (19 mi) west of affluent neighborhoods like Santa Fe in Mexico City. Its elevated location at 2,660 metres (8,730 ft) imposes payload restrictions on aircraft. Consequently, the airport boasts a 4,310 metres (14,140 ft) runway, the second longest in Mexico after Felipe Ángeles International Airport, and is the first in Mexico equipped with ILS CAT II/IIIA approaches.[3]

The passenger terminal, a single-story structure, includes arrival and departure facilities with standard services. These encompass parking, check-in, security, a VIP lounge, snack bars, shops, immigration and customs facilities, baggage-claim areas, car rental services, taxi stands, and a departure concourse with 15 gates providing direct apron access for passengers to board by walking to their aircraft.

The airport also features multiple aprons and facilities for general and executive aviation, hosting logistics and courier companies. Administrative facilities and multiple hangars cater to air taxi, VIP charters, aircraft management, air ambulance, cargo, and aircraft repair operations.

Airlines and destinations

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Volaris Airbus A319 at TLC
Interjet Airbus A320 at TLC

Passenger

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As of August 2024, the airport only served domestic flights.

AirlinesDestinations
Viva Cancún, Mérida, Monterrey, Puerto Vallarta, San José del Cabo
Volaris Cancún, Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, San José del Cabo, Tijuana

Cargo

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As of 2024, FedEx Express is the only airline to serve cargo flights from Toluca to Memphis, which operates weekly.

AirlinesDestinations
FedEx Express Memphis
TUM AeroCarga Cancún, Ciudad Juárez, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Mazatlán, Mérida, Monterrey, Nuevo Laredo, Oaxaca, Querétaro, Reynosa, Tijuana, Veracruz, Villahermosa
Cargolux Boeing 747-8R7F at TLC
Sukhoi Superjet 100 at TLC

Destinations map

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class=notpageimage|
Domestic destinations from Toluca International Airport
Red = Year-round destination
Blue = Future destination
Green = Seasonal destination

Statistics

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Aeromexico Connect Embraer 190-100LR at TLC
Spirit Airlines Airbus A319-132 at TLC
Interjet Airbus A320 at Interjet´s maintenance hangar in TLC

Passengers

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Toluca Airport Passengers. See Wikidata query.

Top destinations

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Busiest domestic routes at Toluca International Airport (2023)[4]
Rank City Passengers Ranking Airline
1  Quintana Roo, Cancún 215,153 Steady Viva Aerobus, Volaris
2  Nuevo León, Monterrey 141,804 Increase 1 Viva Aerobus
3  Baja California Sur, San José del Cabo 90,943 Increase 1 Volaris
4  Jalisco, Puerto Vallarta 85,111 Increase 1 Viva Aerobus, Volaris
5  Baja California, Tijuana 59,275 Decrease 3 Volaris
6  Yucatán, Mérida 58,349 Increase 1 Viva Aerobus
7  Jalisco, Guadalajara 45,900 Decrease 1 Volaris
8  Querétaro, Querétaro 65 New entry TAR
Embraer 190 Lineage XA-AYJ at TLC

Ground transportation

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Facade of the terminal at night

The primary transportation to and from the airport is currently by road, with car rental and taxi services available. The airport lacks consistent public transport, private shuttles, and bus services. However, a shuttle connecting to the Toluca-Mexico City train line El Insurgente is expected to start in 2024, connecting to the Metepec railway station and improving overall accessibility.[5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Estadística Operacional de Aeropuertos / Statistics by Airport". Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  2. ^ "Click Mexicana meets the first year of operations". T21 (in Spanish). July 2006. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  3. ^ "Distance from Santa Fe, Mexico City to Toluca International Airport". Google Maps.
  4. ^ "Estadística operacional por origen-destino / Traffic Statistics by City Pairs" (in Spanish). Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil. January 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  5. ^ "Mayor Sheinbaum announces CDMX-Toluca train will be completed in 2023". December 2022. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
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