Laredo International Airport in Texas is investing $20 million to renovate the airport . The project includes expanding the cargo aircraft area, and is also in the process of designing a remodel of the passenger terminal.
Gilberto Sánchez, airport director, emphasized that resources have also been allocated to security, both on runways and for users .
He recalled that at the end of 2024 there was a movement of almost 300 thousand passengers, a record in the history of the airport, while cargo was 850 thousand pounds (385 thousand 553.51 tons), becoming an exceptional year for merchandise .
“All of this is part of the work being done, the facilities and rates we have at the airport, which are quite affordable,” he said.
He mentioned that they received the 2025 Best Project of the Year Award from the South Central Chapter of the AAAE (American Association of Airport Executives) for the $17 million cargo apron reconstruction project, thereby doubling cargo aircraft capacity.
Air cargo, he specified, moves between Mexico and Detroit and other destinations , and is primarily auto parts, electronics, and chips, “but we have capacity for everything; we’re looking at ways to grow and diversify our cargo.”
Regarding passengers, he indicated that they are primarily from the business segment. The airlines that operate in Laredo are American Airlines , with five daily flights to Dallas; United Airlines , with three daily flights to Houston; Allegiant Air , with two weekly flights to Las Vegas; and one daily flight Monday through Friday with Aerus to Monterrey, Nuevo León.
“It started six months ago (the flight to Mexico) and we hope it continues for a long time. Aerus announced a partnership with Viva Aerobus to share its code to connect with Viva’s network from Monterrey, and that opens more doors for us, connecting to more destinations in Mexico,” he explained.
Meanwhile, in terms of cargo, the companies are FedEx , TSM Mexicana , USA Jet , UPS , DHL , Mercado Libre , among others.
“We’re looking into expanding our portfolio to include flowers or perishables. Miami Airport is currently number one for flowers from Colombia; that flight is efficient, but we have other benefits to offer. We’re located in the mecca of logistics and transportation, with more affordable rates, and we certainly have something to offer in air cargo,” he said.
He commented that among the benefits offered in this segment are preferential rates, but they also have a dual customs office, the United States Customs and Border Protection Office (CBP) and the Mexican National Customs Agency (ANAM) , which allows for the release of cargo coming into the country, “a unique program with many benefits that is not widely used.”
Additionally, they have the Foreign Trade Zones program , dedicated to Mexican exporters and their customs agents. This zone allows products located in the same area to defer taxes, meaning the taxes are paid until the product leaves the country or is processed.
“With the tariffs, we’ve seen an exponential increase in program repetitions. We started with 48 in 2024, and so far this year there are 67. This helps you defer taxes, and if you’re involved in manufacturing, it’s even more beneficial, since the finished product can pay less tax than an intermediate product,” he explained.
In this regard, he stated that the airport offers several benefits: “We are open to any investment, we have land available, and we are fully prepared to support the economic development of the region.”
Comment and follow us on X: @GrupoT21
