Meagan Drillinger
On Tuesday, April 16, Tepic's airport, now known as the Riviera Nayarit International Airport, accepted its first test flight from the U.S. The test flight was done in preparation for the end of the year when the airport will debut a second terminal as it prepares to welcome flights from the U.S. and Canada, as Tepic aims to become the gateway to the Riviera Nayarit.
This is a milestone moment for a new option for connectivity and tourism to the region, unlocking the untapped potential to the northern coast of the state of Nayarit as well as the mountains of its interior.
"Today we can declare that the Tepic airport is international," said Alejandro Munoz de Cote Ortiz with the Riviera Nayarit International Airport. "We completed the test flight to show that the airport is secure for all aircraft and that the Tepic airport is ready for commercial and international operations."
The expansion of the airport is a big step forward in the development of the tourism infrastructure for the state. Currently, most travelers to Nayarit's coastline fly into Puerto Vallarta, but with the Riviera Nayarit International Airport, visitors from the U.S. and Canada will have the option to fly into Tepic. The drive time from the airport to Punta Mita will be an hour and 10 minutes.
Airport will provide deeper access to Nayarit
The airport will also give travelers from North America new opportunities to dive deeper into the less-visited parts of Nayarit, like its Magical Towns, coffee plantations and indigenous communities.
Connecting the airport to the coast is the new Guadalajara-Puerto Vallarta highway, which passes through the state of Nayarit. Some final adjustments are being made to open a highway from Tepic to the Magical Town of Compostela, as well. With this highway segment, travelers will be able to easily access Sayulita and San Pancho, as well as destinations further north like Lo de Marcos, Rincon de Guayabitos, Chacala and San Blas.
What also sets the airport apart is that the entire immigration experience is going to be digital, saving valuable time for travelers. The airport is also in discussion with U.S. authorities to have pre-clearance at the airport, but that is not something that has been confirmed.
When the new terminal opens it expects to serve 4 million tourists for the first five years, but according to Munoz de Cote Ortiz, the airport has a capacity for as many as 20 million passengers per year.
The terminal is expected to be fully up and running in the first trimester 2025. What has already been completed is the new runway and a 42-meter control tower, the third tallest in Mexico. The airport is in negotiations with airlines across the U.S. and Canada to bring year-round international service. The airport has already confirmed a flight with Volaris from Los Angeles.