SAN, CBX or TIJ: Which Airport Should You Use for Treatment in Tijuana?
Three airports serve the same city and they are not interchangeable. The right one depends on where you are flying from, how mobile you will be on the way home, and how much border you are willing to absorb.
San Diego International (SAN)
The default for anyone flying domestically inside the United States. It has the widest route network, the most frequencies and the simplest booking, and it is about 30 to 45 minutes from the San Ysidro crossing depending on traffic.
The trade-off is that every trip involves a land border crossing in both directions. Southbound that costs you almost nothing. Northbound, on the way home after a procedure, it is the part of the itinerary that needs the most planning — and where the medical lane pass earns its keep.
Cross Border Xpress (CBX)
CBX is an enclosed pedestrian bridge from a terminal in Otay Mesa, on the US side, directly into the Tijuana International Airport concourse. You buy a ticket, walk across, and you are inside the Mexican terminal without ever queueing in a vehicle lane.
It is excellent for patients flying on Mexican carriers or connecting within Mexico, and it is often the calmest option for the return trip: no vehicle queue, a short controlled walk, and a driver waiting on the US side. It does require walking with your luggage, which matters if mobility is limited after surgery.
Tijuana International (TIJ)
If you are flying from within Mexico, TIJ is simply your airport. It sits in Otay, minutes from many of the recovery houses and clinics, and there is no border crossing involved at all in your local transportation.
For patients coming from the United States, TIJ is reached most comfortably through CBX rather than by driving across and around.
How to choose
Flying domestic US: SAN, and budget for the northbound line on the way home. Flying a Mexican carrier or connecting inside Mexico: CBX or TIJ. Limited mobility after the procedure: prefer the option with the least walking and the shortest queue, which usually means SAN with the medical lane pass, or CBX with wheelchair assistance arranged in advance.
Whichever you choose, give dispatch the flight number when you book. We track the aircraft, and a delay stops being your problem.
Ready to reserve your transportation?
Tell us the date, the time and the two addresses. We confirm the vehicle, the driver and the published fare in writing — usually within minutes.