Felipe Angeles Airport Guide: Mexico City’s Military Built Hub
Felipe Angeles Airport is Mexico City's second airport and its main cargo hub. Codes, runways, airlines, routes, the new train link and what comes next.
By The Aviation Hub
5 min read
Updated October 20, 2026 
Mexico City’s second airport opened in March 2022 on a military base north of the capital, after a fiercely contested political decision. Felipe Angeles Airport handled about 7.1 million passengers in 2025 and has become the country’s main air cargo hub. Built and run by the armed forces, it replaced the cancelled Texcoco megaproject as the answer to congestion at Benito Juárez International. Its traffic has grown steadily, but it still serves only a fraction of the capital’s demand.
Felipe Angeles Airport at a Glance
The IATA code is NLU and the ICAO code is MMSM. The airport lies in Zumpango, in the State of Mexico, about 22 miles (35 km) north of Mexico City, at an elevation of 2,246 metres (7,369 ft). It has three runways listed for operations, two of them for civil use, and one passenger terminal with about 34 gates, built for up to 20 million passengers a year.
Traffic in 2025 was roughly 7.1 million passengers, up about 11.5 per cent on 2024, which ranked it seventh in Mexico. Viva, Aeroméxico, Volaris and the state owned Mexicana de Aviación are the main passenger airlines. The government owns the field, and the Department of National Defence operates it through a state controlled company. Flight information and transport options are listed on the airport’s official website.
From Air Base to Airport
Santa Lucia Air Force Base was established in 1952 to replace the military airfield at Balbuena in the city, and the move of aircraft was complete by 1959. For decades it remained a purely military field on the old bed of Lake Xaltocan.
The turning point came in 2018. Work was well advanced on a vast new airport at Texcoco, but the incoming government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador held a non binding public consultation in October that year. About 70 per cent of participants backed expanding Santa Lucia instead, and Texcoco was cancelled. Critics questioned the consultation’s legitimacy, the transparency of the new project and the role of the military in a civil airport.
Construction began on 17 October 2019 and the airport opened on 21 March 2022, when a Viva flight arrived from Guadalajara. It is named after General Felipe Angeles, an artillery commander and prominent figure of the Mexican Revolution. Excavations uncovered the remains of about 200 mammoths, now displayed in an on site museum.
Runways at Felipe Angeles Airport
Felipe Angeles Airport has three runways in the published data, all 45 metres wide. Runways 04L/22R and 04C/22C are each 4,500 metres (14,764 ft) long, with asphalt surfaces and Category I instrument landing systems, and handle civil traffic. Runway 04R/22L is 3,500 metres (11,483 ft) long with a concrete surface and is reserved for the military. A further military runway of about 3,000 metres also exists on the base.
The length matters. At this altitude thin air reduces engine thrust and lift, so aircraft need far longer take off runs than at sea level, particularly on warm afternoons. The long civil runways allow heavy freighters such as the Boeing 777F and 747-8F to depart for Europe and Asia with useful payloads. The airspace is shared with Benito Juárez and Toluca, which required a full redesign of the Mexico City terminal area.
Terminals and Airlines
The single terminal at Felipe Angeles Airport handles domestic and international flights, while general aviation uses a separate private terminal. Viva, the low cost carrier, has built a large operation with Airbus A320neo and A321neo jets. Aeroméxico and Aeroméxico Connect run domestic routes, bringing SkyTeam to the field, and Volaris adds further capacity.
Mexicana de Aviación, revived by the state in December 2023 and run by the military, uses Felipe Angeles Airport as its main hub. International passenger airlines include Arajet from the Dominican Republic and Conviasa from Venezuela, with Aerus flying regional routes. The cargo side is busier and more international. Avianca Cargo México, Mas Air, Atlas Air, Emirates SkyCargo, Lufthansa Cargo and DHL Aviation all operate here.
Routes and Destinations
Cancún was the busiest route in 2025 with about 486,000 passengers. Monterrey and Guadalajara followed with about 324,000 each, then Mérida and Tijuana. The network is overwhelmingly domestic, focused on leisure destinations and the big northern cities.
International passenger numbers are small. Bogotá led in 2025 with about 54,000 passengers, followed by Punta Cana, Houston, Santo Domingo and McAllen. Cargo tells a different story. Felipe Angeles Airport handled about 406,000 tonnes in 2025 after a government decree pushed dedicated cargo flights out of Benito Juárez. The move caused friction with United States regulators.
Getting to and from Felipe Angeles Airport
Distance has been the airport’s weak point. The Tren Felipe Angeles, a branch of the suburban railway from Buenavista station in central Mexico City, finally opened on 26 April 2026 after repeated delays. It splits from the existing line at Lechería and gives the first fixed rail link to the terminal.
Coaches remain important. Autobuses de Oriente and ETN Turistar run services to the main city bus terminals, Indios Verdes and Benito Juárez airport, and other operators reach Pachuca, Puebla and Toluca. Mexibús Line I connects at Ojo de Agua. By road, the Circuito Exterior Mexiquense links the airport with the wider region, and journeys to the city can take well over an hour.
Spotting and Photography
Felipe Angeles Airport is still an active military base, so spotters must be cautious. There is no public viewing terrace, and photography near the perimeter can quickly draw attention from soldiers. The terminal windows offer views of the passenger apron, and the on site mammoth museum gives a reason to linger.
Cargo flights are the highlight, with 747 and 777 freighters from across the world. The dry season from November to April brings the clearest air and the best light. Never photograph military aircraft or installations without permission, stay on public land and follow every instruction from personnel.
What Comes Next
The government has kept pushing airlines to move flights from Benito Juárez, and Mexicana and Viva continue to add routes. The new train should make the field far more attractive to travellers who previously faced long road journeys. Capacity is not an issue, with room for almost three times current traffic.
Felipe Angeles Airport has proved itself as a cargo hub, but its passenger future depends on rail access and airline confidence. The next few years will show whether it becomes a true second gateway for the capital. Explore other Mexican airports on the Airports of the World map.
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