Nuevo Laredo International Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional de Nuevo Laredo); officially Aeropuerto Internacional Quetzalcóatl (Nahuatl pronunciation: [ketsalˈkoːaːtɬ]) (Quetzalcóatl International Airport) (IATA: NLD, ICAO: MMNL) is an international airport located in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, near the U.S.-Mexico border. It serves domestic flights within Mexico for the Laredo-Nuevo Laredo binational metropolitan area, the northern Tamaulipas and Nuevo León region and Southern Texas. It also supports various cargo operations, as well as executive and general aviation activities.
Nuevo Laredo International Airport Aeropuerto Internacional de Nuevo Laredo | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Operator | Grupo Olmeca-Maya-Mexica | ||||||||||
| Serves | Laredo–Nuevo Laredo | ||||||||||
| Location | Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico | ||||||||||
| Time zone | CST (UTC-06:00) | ||||||||||
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-05:00) | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 148 m / 486 ft | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 27°26′38″N 099°34′14″W / 27.44389°N 99.57056°W | ||||||||||
| Website | grupoolmecamayamexica | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  NLD Location of airport in Tamaulipas  NLD NLD (Mexico) | |||||||||||
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| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Statistics (2023) | |||||||||||
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Source: Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil[1] | |||||||||||
Operated by Grupo Olmeca-Maya-Mexica (GAFSACOMM), a holding company owned by the Mexican military, Nuevo Laredo Airport was named after Quetzalcóatl, a deity in Aztec and other Mesoamerican cultures. Historically, the airport was served by Mexicana, which operated flights to Mexico City and Guadalajara before ceasing operations in 2010.[2] The airport handled 107,368 passengers in 2022, almost doubling to 197,673 in 2023.[1]
Facilities
editThe airport is situated at an elevation of 148 metres (486 ft) above mean sea level, covering an area of 235 hectares (580 acres). It features a single asphalt runway, designated as 05/23, measuring 2,000 metres (6,600 ft). The commercial aviation apron spans 13,500 square metres (145,000 sq ft), featuring three parking positions for narrow-body aircraft and additional stands for general aviation. Official operating hours are from 8:00 to 20:00.
The passenger terminal caters to both domestic arrivals and departures in a single-story building. It includes check-in areas, a security checkpoint, a baggage claim area, and an arrivals hall with car rental services, taxi stands, and several retail stores. The departures concourse includes three gates with direct access to the apron, allowing passengers to board their planes by walking to the aircraft. Adjacent facilities include parking areas, civil aviation hangars, administration offices, cargo facilities, and facilities for general aviation.
The airport's proximity to the U.S. border makes it an attractive choice for cross-border travelers heading to Mexican cities. However, due to its close proximity to Laredo and the high transportation taxes for international flights in Mexico, the airport only serves domestic destinations. Passengers traveling to destinations in the United States typically utilize nearby airports such as Laredo International Airport or the larger San Antonio International Airport.
Airlines and destinations
editPassenger
edit| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Aeroméxico Connect | Mexico City |
| Magni | Seasonal: Cancún, Puerto Vallarta |
| Mexicana de Aviación | Ciudad Victoria, Mexico City–AIFA |
| Viva | Guadalajara,1 Mexico City–AIFA |
Notes
edit^1 Viva flight to Guadalajara makes a stopover in Mexico City.
Cargo
edit| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| TUM AeroCarga | Guadalajara, Reynosa, Toluca/Mexico City |
Destinations map
edit
Red = Year-round destination
Blue = Future destination
Green = Seasonal destination
Statistics
editPassengers
editGraphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Busiest routes
edit| Rank | City | Passengers | Ranking | Airline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Mexico City, Mexico City
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86,369 | 
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Aeroméxico Connect, Viva Aerobus |
See also
edit- List of the busiest airports in Mexico
- List of airports in Mexico
- List of airports by ICAO code: M
- List of busiest airports in North America
- List of the busiest airports in Latin America
- Transportation in Mexico
- Tourism in Mexico
- Laredo-Nuevo Laredo
- Mexico–United States border
- Laredo International Airport
References
edit- ^ a b "Estadística Operacional de Aeropuertos / Statistics by Airport". Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Mexicana suspende vuelos a Tamaulipas (in Spanish)". El Universal. 18 August 2010. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
- ^ "Estadística operacional por origen-destino / Traffic Statistics by City Pairs" (in Spanish). Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil. January 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
External links
edit
Media related to Nuevo Laredo International Airport at Wikimedia Commons- Official Website
- Grupo Olmeca Maya Mexica
- Aeronautical chart and airport information for MMNL at SkyVector
- Current weather for MMNL at NOAA/NWS
- Nuevo Laredo Airport information at Great Circle Mapper
- Accident history for NLD at Aviation Safety Network
