The new TAR Airlines flights in Puerto Peñasco to/from spots in Mexico, including Hermosillo here in Sonora, Cd. Juárez in Chihuahua, and Tijuana, Baja California tickles our own travel lust though one of the main goals is to attract new markets to Puerto Peñasco’s beaches. The Thursday and Sunday flights, which began Thursday, July 21st, cut down travel times of anywhere from 6-10 hours by car to around an hour by air! A welcome bonus to the routes is the possibility to connect with both national and international flights at each of the related cities, plus it’s just a short jaunt over the new Cross Border Express (CBX) pedestrian bridge from the Tijuana airport to the San Diego side…located about 20-25 miles from downtown San Diego and the San Diego International Airport.
The Cross Border Express (CBX) pedestrian bridge connecting Tijuana to San Diego, which spans 390 feet and takes approximately 3-5 minutes to cross, opened in December 2015 and touts that users of the bridge “will be able to access the more than 30 destinations within Mexico that TIJ offers, many of which are not served by other Southern California airports” (i.e. Puerto Peñasco!).
Perusing the CBX site illustrates the facility has parking on the San Diego side, plus you can get to the CBX in San Diego via shuttles, taxis, Uber, buses, or of course catching a ride with a good amigo. When flying into Tijuana, there are also car rental options located conveniently at the CBX. To use the pedestrian bridge, you must be flying in or out of Tijuana, ticket/boarding pass in hand and it’s only for passengers with flights departing within 24 hours (from TJ) or that have arrived within 2 hours (to TJ). Along with a CBX ticket, which can be purchased online in advance or at a CBX kiosk for $16 US one way or $30 US round-trip, travel documents (Passports, visas, etc.) are the same as at any other border crossing so be sure to check the CBX Border Document Checklist
Wanderlust comes to mind when thinking about flights to/from Puerto Peñasco. The additional bonus of being able to hop into San Diego over the CBX is an enticing prospect for a weekend dash from the Sea of Cortez to the Pacific and viceversa. Got questions about the CBX? Check out their very informative FAQs site.
TAR Airlines (to/from Puerto Peñasco) Thursdays and Sundays. Departures and arrivals based on local times.
Juarez (CJS) Puerto Peñasco (PPE) Tijuana (TIJ) Hermosillo (HMO)
Flight To-From Departure Arrival
819 CJS-PPE 10 a.m. 10:45 a.m.
822 PPE-TIJ 11:10 a.m. 12:15 p.m.
823 TIJ-PPE 12:40 p.m. 1:40 p.m.
826 PPE-HMO 2:05 p.m. 3:05 p.m.
827 HMO-PPE 3:45 p.m. 4:45 p.m.
818 PPE-CJS 5:10 p.m. 6:45 p.m.
As with any flight, passengers need to be at the airport at least an hour in advance (TAR website recommends two). Taxi service to/from the Mar de Cortés International Airport is principally via Decorttaxi, offering transportation for 1-14 people and prices ranging from 70 – 150 pesos per person within Peñasco (individual car approximately 200 pesos), as well as transportation to nearby cities. Reservations & Info: 638 383 1792 *NOTE: Cash (USD or pesos) only.
Travel links
TAR Airlines: www.tarmexico.com
Mar de Cortés International Airport