Why Fly into LAP?
You land 20–30 minutes from downtown instead of 2+ hours away in Los Cabos. LAP handled about 1.34 million passengers in 2025 and is growing: 454,000 from January to April 2026, with international traffic up 46%. It connects to 10 cities in Mexico and one in the US, with about 190 flights a week.
From the US or Canada, the usual routes are Alaska's nonstop from Los Angeles, or a connection through Mexico City, Guadalajara or Tijuana. From Southern California, Cross Border Xpress (CBX) lets you walk from San Diego straight into Tijuana airport, which has several flights a day to La Paz.
Airlines & Nonstop Routes
| Airline | Market | Nonstop Routes |
|---|---|---|
| Aeroméxico | Mexico | Mexico City (MEX) |
| Volaris | Mexico | Mexico City (MEX), Mexico City AIFA (NLU), Guadalajara, Tijuana |
| VivaAerobus | Mexico | Mexico City AIFA (NLU), Guadalajara, Tijuana, Culiacán, Monterrey (summer) |
| Alaska Airlines | US | Los Angeles (LAX) — year-round, up to 3 times a week |
Regional airlines TAR México and Aéreo Servicio Guerrero also fly from LAP to smaller cities such as Los Mochis, Hermosillo, Mazatlán and Ciudad Obregón. Their schedules change often — check with the airline. Routes and schedules change for every carrier, so verify current options on Google Flights or directly with the airline.
Busiest Routes
| Destination | Flights a month (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|
| Mexico City (MEX) | 109 |
| Tijuana (TIJ) | 76 |
| Guadalajara (GDL) | 70 |
| Mexico City AIFA (NLU) | 36 |
| Culiacán (CUL) | 22 |
| Los Angeles (LAX) | 14 |
Getting to & from the Airport
Taxi
- Available 24/7 outside arrivals
- Cost to city center: $10–25 USD (approximately 200–500 MXN)
- Ride time: 20–40 minutes depending on traffic
Cash preferred — cards are rarely accepted at airport taxis. Carry pesos or USD cash for your taxi on arrival.
Uber / DiDi
Both operate at LAP but pickup reliability varies. Confirm your pickup point with the driver before heading out of arrivals.
Car Rental
Hertz, Avis, and other major brands have counters inside the terminal. A good option if you plan to explore beyond the city — Balandra, El Triunfo, Todos Santos are all easy drives from La Paz.
Hotel Shuttles
Some La Paz hotels offer airport pickup — confirm when booking.
Terminal Facilities
LAP is a functional regional airport run by Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP): a single terminal of about 5,180 m² over two floors, with 17 check-in positions and one baggage belt, and a 2,500 m runway. Expect solid basic amenities rather than luxury. The small scale works in your favor: arrivals typically process in under 30 minutes. GAP's 2025–2029 plan (MXN 1,099 million) includes a terminal expansion and a major runway rehabilitation.
Use only for small emergency amounts — rates not competitive with city ATMs
Hertz, Avis, and other major brands
For elite/business passengers
LAP vs. SJD — Which Airport?
| LAP — La Paz | SJD — Los Cabos | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | La Paz stays, Espíritu Santo, local exploration | Los Cabos resorts, broader flight connections, international routes |
| Crowds | Smaller, quicker processing | Larger, busier |
| Processing time | Typically under 30 minutes | Longer during peak season |
| Taxi to La Paz | $10–25 USD | Private transfer ~$100–200+ USD (~195 km, 2–2½ hr drive) |
| International routes | Los Angeles (Alaska Airlines) | Many — 33 US cities, 11 in Canada, plus Frankfurt |
Fly into LAP if La Paz is your base — the time and cost savings vs. SJD are significant. Fly into SJD if you need broader international connections or are combining La Paz with a Los Cabos resort stay.