Inside the Puerto Vallarta airport expansion
Meagan Drillinger
Puerto Vallarta's international airport is undergoing a major expansion designed to meet rising tourism demand and elevate the destination's global connectivity. The project, which includes the construction of a second terminal, is expected to double capacity and streamline the travel experience for millions of passengers annually.
Terminal 2, 40% complete as of March, is on track for completion by the end of the year. Once operational, the new terminal will increase the airport's capacity to more than 8 million passengers per year. The expansion will add more than 957,000 square feet of infrastructure.
According to Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico (GAP), which operates the airport, the project represents an investment of $187 million. The terminal will feature updated technology, sustainable design elements and improved services to enhance the passenger experience.
Puerto Vallarta has experienced record-breaking traffic in recent years. In 2023 and 2024, Puerto Vallarta welcomed more than 6 million visitors. The growing number of international arrivals, particularly from the United States, Canada and Europe, has created an urgent need to scale up infrastructure and services.
The expansion also supports broader efforts to diversify Puerto Vallarta's visitor base in order to make Puerto Vallarta more of a year-round destination.
"The Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board has focused on recent objectives, including a strategy to diversify its visitor base by attracting younger travelers and seeking business from South America and Europe," said Luis Villasenor, director of the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Trust. "This approach aims to offset the seasonal fluctuations in demand for the destination."
The upgraded airport facilities will include expanded customs and immigration areas, modernized baggage handling, additional gates and upgraded amenities for both leisure and business travelers.
Villasenor highlighted other infrastructure projects that are part of a $9.3 million investment in public infrastructure in the state of Jalisco. The projects include widened sidewalks and bike lanes; a new road node north of the airport equipped to handle 116,000 vehicles a day; and a new fleet of eco-friendly, air-conditioned buses that will launch in the second half of 2025. Another government measure to alleviate the city's traffic congestion is to develop two new docks: one in Mismaloya and the other in El Centro. These docks will connect travelers and cargo to the docks in Los Muertos, Boca de Tomatlan, Quimixto and Yelapa.
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