Cancun, Q.R. — Cancun’s airport is about to get even bigger after federal approval for a terminal expansion. Managing company Aeroportuario del Sureste (Asur) has been granted authorization from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources for the expansion of Terminal 4 of the Cancun International Airport.
The new expansion project will see Terminal 4 doubled in size as well as the construction of a new control tower. Currently, Terminal 4 is just over 79,000 square meters over two floors and a mezzanine. The proposed project will expand that terminal to double its current size and include a new 42-meter control tower.
“Given the growth of Terminal 4, it is operationally necessary to incorporate a control tower into the project to control the movement of aircraft on the platform,” part of the submitted document reads.
The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) granted the change of land use of approximately 63 hectares for the airport’s expansion. The expansion of Terminal 4 will be constructed on land located west of Huayacán Avenue.
Asur will spend approximately 8 billion pesos on the project over the next five years of its construction. The 8 billion investment for Cancun is the largest being spent by Asur between the nine airport improvement projects around Mexico announced by the airport managing company last year.
Asur began the paperwork process in December of 2023 and was granted approval October 25, 2024. According to figures, the Cancun International Airport accommodated 32.3 million passengers in 2023, a number that exceeded its maximum annual capacity.
“Cancun is the most important tourist area in the country. The number of visitors increases year after year, with more than 70 percent of tourists using air transportation. Associated with this, the increase in flights has caused the area designated for the maneuvers and attention of passengers and aircraft to need to be expanded,” Manuel Gutiérrez Solá, the Commercial Director of Asur said.
Once finished, the expanded Cancun airport will be able to accommodate more passengers.