The merger between Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP) and Cross Border Xpress (CBX) is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks, bringing more national and international connectivity to the Tijuana airport in Baja California, as well as development and economic impact in the region.
Without giving details of the process, Jorge Goytortúa, CEO of CBX, explained that although there was already a direct relationship with the Tijuana airport, the union of both companies will also allow for greater efficiency and joint growth.
“The investments made in both Tijuana and San Diego should be linked to a common goal. GAP saw it that way, as they seek to expand their international presence and proposed this merger. We share partners, and it made perfect sense. Therefore, the authorization process to complete this merger has begun , and we expect to announce the closing of the transaction in the coming weeks,” he said in an interview with T21.
It is worth remembering that in December of last year, GAP reported that its shareholders approved the combination of CBX’s business and the provision of technical assistance and technology transfer services through the merger of various entities that include, among others, Aeropuertos Mexicanos del Pacífico.
“Our shareholders’ approval of the integration marks a fundamental milestone in our vision to take GAP to a new level of development,” the group stated at the time.
The CBX, Goytortúa added, has been a traffic trigger for the Tijuana International Airport, operated by GAP, as it developed new traffic, going from 4.8 million users to 13 million , tripling the number of seats, as well as from 18 to 40 national and international routes.
“It has been a catalyst for traffic in Tijuana, so an efficient and well-connected airport brings development and economic impact to the region. The CBX generates an economic impact of $1.5 billion a year; it has been very important for the supply chain, allowing companies to locate in the city and complement the airport’s offerings,” he emphasized.
Regarding investments for 2026, the executive mentioned that they will only focus on maintenance and expansions for the parking lot, as it will depend on the merger with GAP.
“We continue working on business plans for various projects, such as the car rental building and the hotel, among others. We remain focused on investing in infrastructure for the development of CBX and the region,” he stated.
Currently, the CBX has technology that allows U.S. passengers to be processed more efficiently and securely in the immigration area, providing U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with the necessary information, similar to the Global Entry system used in some airports. He explained that this tool is currently only used for residents, although it will soon be available to other users.
He specified that in the last two years they have registered moderate growth ; only in 2025 did it increase by 1% due to the impact of the drop in seats that the Tijuana airport has had, derived from the problems in the Pratt & Whitney engines for Volaris and Viva Aerobus , which have grounded several planes, as well as the diversification of some routes.
“That impacted us, however, we are coming into this year with a recovery and growth expectation of around 6%, and a security event that occurred that shows a drop of 17% in March compared to last year,” he indicated.
He noted that the expected year-end growth is 3% , but this will depend on the market recovery for the country’s tourist destinations. During 2025, they recorded four million users, while in the first quarter of 2026 they are 7% below year-on-year figures, but they aim to close the year with 4.2 million users.
Jorge Goytortúa indicated that they are also looking for an increase in passengers during the 2026 World Cup . “It could generate more traffic for us. However, there is a reduction in available seats at the Tijuana airport, in addition to security concerns. Fuel prices are causing airlines to ration their capacity, but we see a 15% recovery in July and we expect that to continue.”
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