Tampico International Airport

Tampico International Airport

*Aeropuerto Internacional de Tampico*
Tampico International Airport; Aeropuerto Internacional de Tampico
	IATA: TAM; ICAO: MMTM;
Summary
Airport type	Public
Operator	Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte
Serves	Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico
Opened	1929
Time zone	CST (UTC-06:00)
Elevation AMSL	24 m / 79 ft
Coordinates	22°17′47″N 097°51′57″W / 22.29639°N 97.86583°W
Website	www.oma.aero/en/passengers/tampico/index.php
Map
	TAM Location of the airport in Tamaulipas TAM TAM (Mexico)
Runways
Statistics (2023)
Total passengers
Total passengers	563,204
Ranking in Mexico	34th 2
	Source: Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte.

Tampico International Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional de Tampico); officially Aeropuerto Internacional General Francisco Javier Mina (General Francisco Javier Mina International Airport) (IATA: TAM, ICAO: MMTM) 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 Campo de Aviación George Lawrence Rihl, ^[2] 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, following Monterrey Airport. The airport handled 495,602 passengers in 2022, and this number increased to 563,204 passengers in 2023.^[3]

Facilities

The airport is located within the Tampico urban area, approximately 8 kilometres (5 mi) north of the city center. Covering a total area of 391 hectares (966 acres) at an elevation of 24 metres (79 ft) above sea level, it features three asphalt-surfaced runways: Runway 13/31, the primary one measuring 2,550 metres (8,366 ft), Runway 09/27 at 1,200 metres (3,937 ft), and Runway 18/36 spanning 1,300 metres (4,265 ft). 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 (Spanish: Estación Aérea Militar N.º 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 10,000 square metres (107,639 sq ft) apron, a hangar, and other facilities intended for the accommodation of Air Force personnel.^[4]

Airlines and destinations

Monument sculpture commemorating 50 years of Mexicana de Aviación at Tampico Airport

Passenger

Airlines	Destinations
Aeroméxico	Mexico City
Aeroméxico Connect	Mexico City
American Eagle	Dallas/Fort Worth (begins March 1, 2025)^[5]
United Express	Houston–Intercontinental
Viva	Cancún, Mexico City–AIFA, Monterrey

Destination maps

Tampico

Mexico City

Monterrey

Cancún

Mexico City-AIFA

Veracruz

Villahermosa

Matamoros

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Domestic destinations from Tampico International Airport
Red = Year-round destination
Blue = Future destination
Green = Seasonal destination

Houston–Intercontinental

Dallas/Fort Worth

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International destinations from Tampico International Airport
Red = Year-round destination
Blue = Future destination
Green = Seasonal destination

Statistics

Passengers

Tampico Airport Passengers. See Wikidata query.

Busiest routes

**Busiest domestic routes from Tampico International Airport (2023)**^[6]
Rank	City	Passengers	Airline
1	Mexico City, Mexico City	171,583	Aeroméxico Connect, Viva Aerobus
2	Nuevo León, Monterrey	53,726	Viva Aerobus
3	Quintana Roo, Cancún	24,858	Viva Aerobus
4	United States, Houston-Intercontinental	21,822	United Express
5	Campeche, Ciudad del Carmen	3,547	TAR
6	Tamaulipas, Matamoros	377	Aerus
7	Veracruz, Veracruz	317	Aerus
8	Tamaulipas, Reynosa	231	Aerus
9	Veracruz, Poza Rica	47	Aerus
10	San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí	46	TAR