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Mexico City Airport Prepares for World Cup as Repairs Reveal Costly Damage and Hard Capacity Limits

Officials forecast close to 50 million passengers in 2026, leaning on limited operational tweaks rather than new airside capacity.

Overview

  • AICM closed 2025 with 44.5 million passengers and projects reaching near 50 million in 2026 tied to World Cup travel, with up to 5.5 million in peak months.
  • Refurbishments emphasize aesthetics in Terminal 1 and new work in Terminal 2, but specialists say runway configuration and limited stands remain the binding constraints.
  • Structural issues uncovered across at least 28 modules have pushed the rehabilitation budget to roughly 9 billion pesos, with works prioritized for safety.
  • Short-term measures focus on better use of the added hourly “slot 44,” new automated immigration controls with 20 modules per terminal, and a Semana Santa operational test.
  • Aeroméxico’s CEO has proposed a larger Terminal 3 and coordinated operations with AIFA and Toluca to lift capacity, a long-term option that has not been adopted.