Tampico International Airport (); officially Aeropuerto Internacional General Francisco Javier Mina (General Francisco Javier Mina International Airport) () is an international airport situated in Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico. It manages air traffic for the metropolitan area of Tampico, including Ciudad Madero and Altamira, handling both national and international flights. The airport also accommodates military facilities and supports logistics, cargo, flight training, and general aviation activities. Operated by Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte, it is named after General Javier Mina, a key figure in Mexico's War of Independence.
Formerly known as the airport was inaugurated in October 1929. It operated the first commercial flight in the history of Mexico, conducted by Compañía Mexicana de Aviación, with its destination set for Mexico City. Tampico Airport is one of the few airports in Mexico equipped with three runways, sharing this distinction with Chihuahua and Mexico City-AIFA. It ranks as the second busiest airport in northeastern Mexico, after Monterrey Airport, handling 560,679 passengers in 2024 and 609,476 in 2025.
Facilities
The airport is located within the Tampico urban area, approximately north of the city center. Covering a total area of at an elevation of above sea level, it features three asphalt-surfaced runways: Runway 13/31, the primary one measuring , Runway 09/27 at , and Runway 18/36 spanning . It was the first in the country to be equipped with an instrument landing system (ILS). The airport's commercial aviation apron provides seven parking positions for narrow-body aircraft, and an adjacent general aviation apron caters to fixed-wing aircraft and heliports for private aviation.
The passenger terminal is a two-story building that facilitates both domestic and international flights. On the ground floor, it houses check-in and arrivals facilities, including customs and immigration, baggage claim, car rental services, taxi stands, and snack bars. The upper floor of the terminal accommodates the security checkpoint and a departure area containing duty-free shops, a VIP lounge, and a departures concourse featuring six gates, two of which are equipped with jet bridges.
Adjacent to the terminal, there are other facilities, including civil aviation hangars, cargo companies, and courier services. Additionally, there is a dedicated general aviation terminal that supports a variety of activities, including flight training, executive, and general aviation.
Air Force Station No. 4 () (E.A.M. 4), located on the airport's grounds, is a facility of the Mexican Air Force. Currently, there are no active squadrons assigned to it. The station comprises a apron, a hangar, and other facilities intended for the accommodation of Air Force personnel.
Airlines and destinations
Passenger
Destination maps
Statistics Annual Traffic + Passenger statistics at TAM Year Total Passengers change % 2008 582,328 2009 470,304 19.23% 2010 451,005 4.10% 2011 548,083 21.52% 2012 594,797 8.53% 2013 608,813 2.36% 2014 688,893 13.16% 2015 763,744 10.86% 2016 717,599 6.04% 2017 717,342 0.04% 2018 736,627 2.69% 2019 739,143 0.34% 2020 270,835 63.39% 2021 397,191 46.66% 2022 495,602 24.78% 2023 563,204 13.64% 2024 560,679 0.45% 2025 609,476 8.71%
Busiest routes + Busiest domestic routes from TAM (Jan–Dec 2025) Rank Airport Passengers 1 Mexico City, Mexico City 140,405 2 Monterrey, Nuevo León 59,299 3 Mexico City–AIFA, State of Mexico 26,356 4 Houston–Intercontinental, United States 27,197 5 Cancún, Quintana Roo 19,365 6 Dallas/Fort Worth, United States 14,063 7 Guadalajara, Jalisco 9,713 8 Villahermosa, Tabasco 889
See also 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 Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte List of Mexican military installations Mexican Air Force
References
External links
Official Website Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte
Tampico Airport information at Great Circle Mapper Accident history for TAM at Aviation Safety Network