| Culiacán International Airport | |
| Nativename: | Spanish; Castilian: {{small|Aeropuerto Internacional de Culiacán |
| Iata: | CUL |
| Icao: | MMCL |
| Type: | Public |
| City-Served: | Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico |
| Metric-Elev: | y |
| Elevation-M: | 33 |
| Focus City: | Volaris |
| Pushpin Map: | Mexico Sinaloa#Mexico |
| Pushpin Label: | CUL |
| Metric-Rwy: | y |
| R1-Number: | 02/20 |
| R1-Length-M: | 2,300 |
| R1-Surface: | Asphalt |
| Stat-Year: | 2023 |
| Stat1-Header: | Total passengers |
| Stat1-Data: | 2,612,249 |
| Stat2-Header: | Ranking in Mexico |
| Stat2-Data: | 11th |
| Footnotes: | Source: Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte[1] |
| Timezone: | MST |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of the airport in Sinaloa |
| Operator: | Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte |
Culiacán International Airport, (Spanish; Castilian: Aeropuerto Internacional de Culiacán); officially Aeropuerto Internacional Federal de Bachigualato (Bachigualato Federal International Airport), is an international airport located in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico. It serves as the primary air traffic gateway to the Culiacán metropolitan area, offering nonstop flights to many cities in Mexico and serving as a gateway in a heavily traveled air corridor connecting mainland Mexico to the Baja California peninsula. It is also a focus city for Volaris.
The airport accommodates military facilities for the Mexican Army and supports various tourism, flight training, and general aviation activities. It is operated by Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte and takes its name from the neighborhood of Bachigualato, where it is situated. Culiacán Airport ranks as the eleventh-busiest in Mexico and is the third-largest in northwestern Mexico. It is also the busiest for domestic traffic and the second-busiest for international operations in the state of Sinaloa. In 2023, Culiacán Airport served 2,426,003 passengers, a number that increased to 2,612,249 in 2023.
Culiacán Airport is situated in the Bachigualato neighborhood, located southwest of the city center of Culiacán. It is situated at an elevation of above mean sea level and features a long runway. The airport features two aprons with parking positions for up to 10 narrow-body commercial aircraft, as well as a separate apron dedicated to general aviation. It has a capacity for 22 operations per hour. Under favorable weather conditions, flights arriving from the Baja California Peninsula and northern regions use Runway 02, while those arriving from other parts of the country use Runway 20.
The main terminal serves essential functions, with check-in and baggage handling facilities on the eastern side, and the arrivals section on the west side, which includes customs and immigration facilities. The arrivals section also provides services such as car rental, taxi stands, snack bars, and souvenir shops. The upper floor of the terminal houses the security checkpoint and a departure section that hosts a food court, duty-free shops, a VIP lounge, and a concourse featuring five gates, three of which are equipped with jet bridges.[2]
Adjacent to the terminal, there are other facilities, including civil aviation hangars, cargo and logistics companies, and courier services. Additionally, there is a dedicated general aviation terminal that supports a variety of activities, including tourism, flight training, executive aviation, and general aviation.In 2023, Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte announced a major renovation project for Culiacán International Airport. This project is expected to be completed within 5 years and aims to accommodate an estimated 5 million passengers. The renovation plan includes expanding waiting areas, adding additional gates, and completely revamping the terminal area. The total investment for this project is set at a minimum of 636 million Mexican pesos.[3] [4]
Air Force Base No. 10 (Spanish; Castilian: Base Aérea Militar No. 10 Culiacán, Sinaloa) (B.A.M 10) is situated at the southern end of the airport grounds. This base houses Air Squadron 109, which operates Cessna 182 aircraft, and it features two aviation aprons. One of these aprons covers an area of, while the other spans, offering 30 parking positions for helicopters and small airplanes. The larger apron is primarily utilized as a maintenance center for single-engine Cessna aircraft and Bell helicopters. Additionally, the Air Base includes five hangars and other facilities to accommodate Air Force personnel.[5]
| Rank | City | Passengers | Ranking | Airline | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | , Tijuana | 499,024 | Viva Aerobus, Volaris | ||
| 2 | , Mexico City | 261,543 | Aeroméxico, Aeroméxico Connect, Viva Aerobus, Volaris | ||
| 3 | , Guadalajara | 157,419 | Viva Aerobus, Volaris | ||
| 4 | , San José del Cabo | 112,153 | Aero Pacífico, Viva Aerobus, Volaris | ||
| 5 | , Mexicali | 98,121 | Calafia Airlines, TAR, Volaris | ||
| 6 | , Monterrey | 72,720 | Calafia Airlines, TAR, Viva Aerobus | ||
| 7 | , La Paz | 35,762 | Calafia Airlines, TAR, Viva Aerobus | ||
| 8 | , Cancún | 22,348 | Viva Aerobus, Volaris | ||
| 9 | , Mexico City-AIFA | 8,823 | Volaris | ||
| 10 | , Hermosillo | 8,075 | 1 | TAR | |
| 11 | , Querétaro | 7,918 | 1 | Volaris | |
| 12 |  United States, Phoenix | 7,334 | 3 | American Eagle, Volaris |