Not long ago, getting to Puerto Escondido meant a connection in Mexico City or a long drive over the mountains. Not anymore. This winter you can fly nonstop from Houston, Dallas, Toronto, Calgary and, new this season, Vancouver. A brand-new terminal is also in its final phase of construction. This guide covers what you need before you book: which airlines fly here, how to get from the airport to the beach, and whether Huatulco or Oaxaca City makes more sense for your trip. We'll also explain why being 15 minutes from this airport is one of the best things about owning land on this part of the Oaxaca coast.
Direct flights to Puerto Escondido from the US and Canada
Puerto Escondido's first international route, United from Houston, launched in April 2025. The list has grown every season since. Here's the 2026–27 lineup:
| Airline | From | 2026–27 service |
|---|---|---|
| United | Houston (IAH) | Nonstop, year-round |
| American | Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) | Nonstop |
| Air Canada | Toronto (YYZ) | Winter seasonal: from November 2026 through April |
| Air Canada | Vancouver (YVR) | New winter seasonal service for 2026–27 |
| WestJet | Calgary (YYC) | Winter seasonal: December through April |
Weekly frequencies change by season, so check the days with each airline when you book.
Demand is strong: PXM's international routes have been flying more than 80% full (Aviation Week, 2026).
Flying from the West Coast? There's no nonstop from Los Angeles yet. Your easiest options are to connect through Houston or Dallas, or through Tijuana, Guadalajara or Mexico City on a Mexican carrier. From elsewhere in Canada, connect through Toronto, Calgary or Vancouver in winter, or through Mexico City year-round.
Book early for winter. The Canadian routes run only in peak season, and those are the months most snowbirds and surfers want.
For owners in Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver, Houston or Dallas, these nonstops make it simple to check on a build or spend the winter on the coast. If you're wondering how ownership works, foreign buyers hold land through a fideicomiso (bank trust) or, for commercial or hotel projects, a Mexican company.
Free: The Puerto Escondido Arrival Kit (PDF)
A printable landing checklist, how the authorized airport taxis work, and an insider map of the 15-minute drive west to Bajos de Chila and Playa Agua Dulce. We'll send it to you on WhatsApp.
Flights within Mexico
If you're connecting through Mexico, you have plenty of choices. Seven airlines serve PXM in total, and Mexico City is the busiest route.
| Airline | Nonstop from |
|---|---|
| Aeroméxico | Mexico City (MEX), daily |
| Viva | Mexico City (MEX), Mexico City–AIFA (NLU), Guadalajara (GDL); Monterrey (MTY) seasonal |
| Volaris | Mexico City (MEX), Guadalajara (GDL), Tijuana (TIJ); Puebla (PBC) new from December 1, 2026 |
| Aerotucán / Aerovega | Oaxaca City (OAX), small aircraft, about 45 minutes |
The Mexico City flight takes about 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, depending on the airline, with departures every day.
Small planes from Oaxaca City. If you're starting in Oaxaca City, a scheduled small-plane hop over the Sierra Sur takes about 45 minutes. It's one of the most scenic ways to reach the coast. Seats are limited, so book ahead and confirm times directly with the airline.
Every new route also brings more visitors looking for somewhere to stay. At Tres Aguas, short-term rentals are allowed on every lot.
Puerto Escondido airport at a glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | Puerto Escondido International Airport |
| Codes | PXM (IATA) / MMPS (ICAO) |
| Where | San Pedro Mixtepec, on the Oaxaca coast, just northwest of town |
| Runway | 09/27, 7,546 ft (2,300 m) |
| Services | Free Wi-Fi, car rental, authorized taxis, private transfers, parking, VIP lounge, Tax Free refunds for foreign visitors |
It's an easy airport. You step off the plane, grab your bags, and you're by the ocean in minutes. Foreign visitors can use the new Tax Free desk in the arrivals hall to claim back sales tax on eligible purchases. If you have a place on this stretch of coast, it means you can leave home in the morning and be on the beach that afternoon.
Huatulco vs Puerto Escondido vs Oaxaca City: which airport should you fly into?
For most trips, fly straight into PXM. It's by far the closest airport to Puerto Escondido. The state has four airports with commercial flights: Oaxaca City (OAX), Huatulco (HUX), Puerto Escondido (PXM) and Ciudad Ixtepec. Here's how the main three compare:
| Airport | Distance to Puerto Escondido | Drive time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Escondido (PXM) | 1.5 mi / 2 km | 5 min | Almost every trip |
| Huatulco (HUX) | about 62 mi / 100 km | about 1 h 45 min | A coastal road trip past Mazunte and Zipolite |
| Oaxaca City (OAX) | about 118 mi / 190 km | 2.5 to 3.5 h on the new highway | Pairing mezcal and markets with beach time |
The new Oaxaca–Puerto Escondido highway. The Barranca Larga–Ventanilla highway opened in February 2024 and runs 65 miles (104 km). According to the Oaxaca state government, it cut the drive from more than 6.5 hours to about 2.5 hours. You can now spend the morning in Oaxaca City and catch the sunset on the coast. It's a toll road, so carry pesos for the booths.
Getting from Puerto Escondido airport to your hotel or rental
You have several options:
- Authorized fixed-fare taxis. The taxi booth is in the arrivals hall. You pay by zone before you walk out, in cash or by card, so you know the price up front and there's no haggling.
- Shared shuttle (colectivo). Shared vans run to the main zones (downtown, Rinconada and Zicatela) and leave when full. It's a budget-friendly choice if you're traveling light.
- Rental car. There's a rental desk inside the terminal. With a car you can explore at your own pace, west to Bajos de Chila and Playa Agua Dulce or east to Mazunte and Zipolite.
- Private transfer. Book ahead and a driver meets you with a sign.
Can you use Uber at Puerto Escondido airport? No. On the Oaxaca coast you get around with authorized fixed-fare taxis, and ride-hailing apps don't operate at the airport. Keep some pesos on hand for tips and small purchases.
| From PXM to | Distance | Approx. drive |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown / Adoquín | 1.5 mi (2 km) | 5 min |
| Rinconada and Carrizalillo | 1.5 mi (2.5 km) | 5 min |
| Zicatela | 5 mi (8 km) | 15 min |
| La Punta | 5 mi (8 km) | 15 to 20 min |
| Bajos de Chila | 5 mi (8 km) | 10 min |
| Tres Aguas, Playa Agua Dulce | - | 15 min |
| Mazunte | 42 mi (68 km) | about 1 h 15 min |
| Zipolite | 45 mi (73 km) | about 1 h 20 min |
Estimates from OpenStreetMap routing without traffic, rounded up.
Fly in to see the lots, and we'll pick you up at the airport. Tres Aguas is 15 minutes from PXM on Playa Agua Dulce. Send us your arrival date and we'll set up your visit.
The new Puerto Escondido airport terminal
Puerto Escondido is growing fast, and the airport is growing with it. Aeropuertos Mexicanos is building a new terminal of about 18,000 m² (roughly 194,000 sq ft), several times the size of the current building. Mexican architect Alberto Kalach designed it with natural light and cross-ventilation to capture the town's laid-back feel. Construction wraps up in early 2027.
- Investment: about MXN 4.5 billion
- Capacity: more than 3 million passengers a year in phase one
- The current terminal: will become a car-rental center, supermarket, banks and a private-aviation FBO
The airport's growth tells Puerto Escondido's story better than any brochure. In 2011, PXM handled 47,249 passengers. By 2025 that was 948,590, and with January to September 2026 running at 766,510 (up 10% year over year), the airport is on track to pass one million passengers for the first time, with a projected 1,044,000. That is roughly 22 times more passengers in 15 years, and the new terminal is built for more than 3 million.
For a look at what's planned just west of the airport, the Tres Aguas interactive masterplan shows the three hotel lots, two oceanfront and one between the lagoon and the river, along with commercial lots on the main boulevard that have commercial space on the ground floor and residential above.
Tips for flying into Puerto Escondido
- Surfboards. Check your airline's sports-equipment policy before you book. Volaris, for example, charges extra for boards up to 25 kg and 250 cm (linear) and doesn't accept boards over 280 cm. Every airline sets its own fees and limits. Use a padded bag and pull your fins.
- Pick your season. The dry season runs from mid-November to late April, and December is the driest month. Highs stay in the low-to-mid 90s °F (33–35 °C) all year.
- Land in daylight. Sunset ranges from 5:54 p.m. in late November to 7:04 p.m. in July. A morning or midday flight means you see the coastline on the drive in and still catch sunset on the beach.
- Bring some pesos. Cards work at the taxi booth, but cash makes the first afternoon easier.
- Have your address ready for the taxi booth. Many places on the coast go by a beach or neighborhood name rather than a street number.
- Add a lot visit to your trip. Message us your flight on WhatsApp. We'll pick you up at the airport, walk the lots with you, and you can carry on with your vacation. The dry season is the nicest time to do it, and the sunset from Playa Agua Dulce is worth staying for.
West of the airport: Bajos de Chila and Playa Agua Dulce
Most visitors head straight into town or to Zicatela. If you turn west instead, you're minutes from Bajos de Chila and Playa Agua Dulce. That's where the Río Chila meets the Pacific, beside the Agua Dulce lagoon. It's a wide, quiet stretch of coast within easy reach of everything Puerto Escondido has to offer.
That's where you'll find Tres Aguas, with oceanfront lots 15 minutes from the airport. Tres Aguas is private property, not ejido land, with title recorded in the Public Registry.
Why being close to the airport matters for your land:
- You can visit whenever you like. With nonstops from Houston, Dallas, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver, plus Mexico City, Guadalajara and Tijuana, your lot is one flight from home.
- Your guests arrive fast. Short-term rentals are allowed on every lot, and a guest who lands at PXM is at your door in 15 minutes.
- There's a lot for every plan. You can choose an oceanfront or lagoon-and-river residential lot, a commercial lot with shops below and living space above, or one of three hotel lots.
- You buy with confidence. The land is private and titled, and foreign buyers own through a fideicomiso (bank trust) or, for commercial or hotel projects, a Mexican company.
If you're thinking about spending winters here, see our Mexico temporary resident visa guide. Browse the FAQ. To see why the area is taking off, read Puerto Escondido businesses and Puerto Escondido real estate. Nothing beats standing on the beach yourself, though: land at PXM, we'll pick you up, and you're there in 15 minutes.
