International airport in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico
Guaymas International Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional de Guaymas); officially Aeropuerto Internacional General José María Yáñez (General José María Yáñez International Airport) (IATA: GYM, ICAO: MMGM) is an international airport located in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico. It handles national and international air traffic for the city of Guaymas. Named after General José María Yáñez, a 19th-century military leader, the airport is operated by Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares, a federal government-owned corporation. In 2021, it handled 5,369 passengers, and in 2022, the number increased to 5,921.[1]
History
Guaymas Airport was inaugurated in 1972, and its operations were integrated into the Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares (ASA) holding company. In that same year, Hughes Airwest initiated a non-stop service to Tucson four days a week with a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 aircraft. The flight was part of the direct route Guaymas-Tucson-Phoenix-San José-San Francisco-Sacramento-Eugene-Portland-Seattle.[2]
Aeromexico began flying daily to Guaymas in 1974 with McDonnell Douglas DC-9-15 and DC-9-30 aircraft on the route Mexico City-Guadalajara-Guaymas-Hermosillo-Tucson.[3] In the mid-1980s, Aero California established flights between Guaymas and various cities in the Baja California peninsula using Douglas DC-3 aircraft. In the 1980s and 1990s, other cities with air connections to Guaymas included La Paz, Tijuana, Toluca, and Los Angeles.
US Airways used to fly to Phoenix, initially with Beechcraft 1900 and Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft, and later with Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft. The service was discontinued in 2012.[4] In 2019, the regional airline Aeromar planned to open the route Guadalajara-Mazatlán-Guaymas-Tucson; however, this project never materialized, and the airline went bankrupt in the year 2023.
Facilities
The airport is situated at an elevation of 18 metres (59 ft) above mean sea level, covering an area of 92 hectares (230 acres). It features a single asphalt runway, designated as 05/23, measuring 2,350 metres (7,710 ft). The commercial aviation apron spans 10,300 square metres (111,000 sq ft), featuring two parking positions for narrow-body aircraft and additional stands for general aviation. Official operating hours are from 7:00 to 19:00.
The passenger terminal caters to both domestic arrivals and departures in a single-story structure. It includes check-in areas, a security checkpoint, a baggage claim area, and an arrivals hall with car rental services, taxi stands, and several retail stores. The departures concourse includes two gates with direct access to the apron, allowing passengers to board their planes by walking to the aircraft. Adjacent facilities include parking areas, civil aviation hangars, administration offices, courier and logistic facilities, and facilities for general aviation.
Guaymas Airport also accommodates Guaymas Naval Air Base (Spanish: Base Aeronaval de Guaymas). This base includes hangars, aircraft stands, and military facilities owned by the Mexican Navy. Guaymas Naval Air Base hosts the 1st Interception and Reconnaissance Naval Air Squadron, operating L-90TP, MX-7-180A.
