Cross Border Xpress facilities in San Diego and Tijuana

Despite the state’s proximity to Mexico and the huge number of its anglers who travel south of the border to fish, it’s not necessarily easy to fly from California to visit lakes like El Salto and Picachos. There are lots of big population centers, but not many convenient flights.

Hanna and I have headed to Sinaloa many times through Dallas and Phoenix, as well as occasionally through Houston and once through Mexico City. In June of 2019 her flight to DFW was canceled and because she was meeting a large group in Mazatlán she somehow convinced American Airlines to put her on a flight to LAX, and then on an Alaska Air overnight to Mazatlán. She arrived exhausted but nevertheless in time to meet her group – but that’s the only time we’ve gone through California.

Indeed, many of our friends in the middle to upper part of the state have struggled to find direct flights. They most often end up going through LAX or Phoenix. The reasons are pretty simple. Only the following routes are available:

Mazatlán (MZT):

LAX to/from MZT on American on Saturdays (seasonal)
LAX to/from MZT on Alaska (every day)
SFO to/from MZT on Alaska on Saturdays (seasonal)

Culiacan (CUL):

Nothing direct to California

Los Mochis (LMM):

No direct flights to the United States

Therein lies the rub. There are a limited number of mostly-seasonal flights to Mazatlán from the Golden State, but that’s about it. For many residents, it ends up making sense to fly to other hubs like Phoenix or Mexico City before taking the final flight to your fishing vacation.

Pedestrian bridge from Otay San Diego to Tijuana airport

Fortunately for those of you who live in Southern California, though, south of LA and in particular in the San Diego region, there’s another really good option – TIJUANA (TIJ). I’ve been told about this for years by my friend Cisco Sevilla, and was recently reminded of it when 13 year-old Deacon Sebela told me about his first trip to Picachos. If a young teenager who doesn’t speak Spanish thought little of it, then it was worth investigating

Whatever your preconceived notions may be about the town just over the border, they’re really kind of irrelevant, because you won’t technically set foot on Mexican soil until you’re at your final flight destination. Since 2015, it’s been remarkably easy via the Cross Border Xpress. You can park on the San Diego side of the border, enter an airport terminal, and then cross the border via a 120-meter pedestrian bridge into another terminal. You must have a same-day boarding pass to make the trip.

The cost to use the bridge is $16 one-way or $30 round trip, but you’ll likely more than that with the savings on airline fares. You can purchase the tickets online, along with extra services. In addition to your ticket and your boarding pass, you will of course have to have a valid passport along with a Forma MIgratoria Multiple (also available online).

The following relevant flight options are available from Tijuana (TIJ):

Mazatlán (MZT):

TIJ to/from MZT on VivaAerobus (every day)
TIJ to/from MZT on Volaris (every day)

Culiacan (CUL):

TIJ to/from CUL on VivaAerobus (every day)
TIJ to/from CUL on Volaris (every day)

Los Mochis (LMM):

TIJ to LMM on Volaris (every day)

Volaris and VivaAerobus flights to and from Tijuana

While you won’t really get the full Mexican experience until you arrive, do remember that you are on foreign property when you’re in the Tijuana terminal. While you should exercise respect and courtesy toward officials and staff (and fellow passengers) any time you are traveling, the unintended consequences of failing to do so in a foreign country may be particularly harsh.

Also, if you will be either checking or carrying on fishing-specific luggage (particularly rods), be sure to check the relevant airlines’ policies:

Per the Volaris website: “Your sports equipment must weigh a maximum of 55 lb. The sum of its width, length, and height must not exceed 98 in. If your equipment exceeds the permitted weight or dimensions, extra fees will apply. No sports equipment will be accepted if it measures more than 110 total in total or weighs more than 99 lb.”
Per the VivaAerobus website: “Musical instruments and sports equipment -- According to the shape, size, and weight, they may travel as a carry-on or as checked baggage, in hard cases that do not weigh more than 71 lbs. (32 kg) and measure more than 126 linear inches (319 cm in perimeter).”

If you’d like to book a trip to El Salto or Picachos, whether you’re from Southern California or anywhere else, shoot us an email today and lets get the ball rolling.