Cross Border Xpress and Tijuana Airport Step by Step Guide

Are you planning on flying out of the Tijuana Airport, but want to avoid long Tijuana border lines by using the Cross Border Xpress? Then this is the perfect guide for you!

I will cover every single thing you need to know to use the Cross Border Xpress and what to expect from the Tijuana Airport.

Why use the CBX bridge? The Cross Border Xpress is basically a big bridge that crosses from the USA directly into the Tijuana Airport.

You can take advantage of the substantially cheaper flights from Tijuana to the rest of Mexico. Usually 50% or even 75% lower than the prices you would see flying out of Southern California.

Also, you get to avoid the extremely long lines to cross back to the USA, which can be 3+ hours at peak times. CBX speeds up and simplifies the process of using the Tijuana Airport, and I highly recommend it to anyone traveling from SoCal to Mexico.

Please use the Table of Contents below to jump to the spot you need:

Cross Border Xpress Steps Before You Arrive

There’s a couple of obvious things that you will have to plan well ahead of you actual trip day, like buying an airplane ticket (you can’t use the CBX bridge unless you have a boarding pass), and buying your CBX ticket.

Buying Tickets for Tijuana Airport Flights

The first step in your journey to Mexico via the Tijuana Airport, is, of course, to purchase your flight tickets.

The major Mexican airlines all have flights out of Tijuana: Volaris, AeroMexico, Interjet, and VivaAerobus.

All four airlines listed above have English versions of their websites, so it’s super easy to book with them.

There is only 1 major airport in Tijuana, so simply select Tijuana as your origin, no chance of choosing the wrong airport here. FYI, the airport is usually called the Tijuana International Airport, though it may also be referred to as the General Abelardo L. Rodríguez International Airport.

All four websites will be easy enough to navigate, and apart from having English versions of their site, prices will also be available in both Dollars and Pesos. Personally, I like to use Google Flights to compare all airlines, just a bit easier than using each individual website.

Out of the four airlines, I almost always use Volaris. They are a budget airline that has a hub based out of Tijuana, so they fly to almost every location in Mexico. They may not offer many amenities, but they’ll make up for that with low prices.

VivaAerobus is another Mexican budget carrier, they don’t offer as many flights out of Tijuana as Volaris, though prices tend to be quite cheap as well.

Interjet and AeroMexico are both higher cost (AeroMexico typically being the highest), though you get better service and amenities. All in all, the four major airlines that fly out of Tijuana are great options.

Buying Cross Border Xpress Tickets

Once you’ve got your Tijuana flight tickets booked, your next step is to buy your CBX tickets online. You can always wait for the day of your flight, but ticket costs are higher, and you might encounter a long line, something you always want to avoid when having to get to a flight on time.

There are a couple of ticket types you can buy online at the CBX website. I’ve listed them below, all prices USD.

Single: One Way $16, Round Trip $30.

Family: This is a great option for groups of four or more people, as you get huge savings.

Ticket Type	One Way	Round Trip
Single	$16	$30
Family - 4 people	$55	$105
Family - 5 people	$65	$125
Family - 6 people	$75	$145

A Round Trip for 4 people costs $105, which is $25 cheaper than if you had purchased individually. 5 people is $125 and 6 people $145. Definitely a great deal!

CBX also offers a Military Discount of 15%, which applies only for individual round trip ticket, and you must present a valid military identification at the counter.

You can also buy packages for Groups of 15+ people or a commuter plan that starts at 10 round trips. If you’re looking for those options, you’re probably a CBX pro and don’t need my humble advice.

Other special notes to consider: Children younger than 2 don’t require CBX tickets and all tickets are valid for 1 year from purchase date.

Super important, when you buy a round trip ticket, be sure to save that ticket, as it’s the same one you will need to show on the way back.

Again, save that ticket!

Here’s a little tip: I always make sure to keep my CBX ticket together with my passport, that way I keep it safe for the length of my trip.

The actual purchase process is very straightforward, go to the CBX website, choose the ticket type and amount you need, input the required payment information, and you will receive a digital copy of your ticket via email. Just print the tickets out and you’re done.

What to expect Day of Departure via Cross Border Xpress

Alright, it’s the big day, you finally get to enjoy that amazing vacation you have planned for months! Using the CBX Tijuana Airport bridge can be a daunting task, but don’t worry, I’ll list everything you will need to do on the day of your flight.

What Documents to Bring

Using the CBX bridge to cross into the Tijuana Airport will require you to have the documents you would typically need when you cross an international border, plus docs needed for airport travel.

This is the list of documents you must bring:

• Passport Book
• Plane Tickets/Boarding Pass
• CBX Ticket
• FMM Form (Forma Migratoria Multiple)
• Cash

You will need to bring your passport because you will be crossing an international border. Mexican immigration will check your passport upon entering the Tijuana Airport. Of course, you will also need your passport once you return over the CBX bridge back into the USA.

Immigration officials will not check your CBX ticket nor boarding pass (though they will ask where you’re going/came from), but you will need both upon entering the CBX bridge, as Cross Border Xpress staff will require you to present both.

If you don’t have a boarding pass, you will not be allowed across the CBX bridge, so you must either print it at home, or use the check-in counters at the CBX facility.

FMM (Mexican Immigration Form)

There is another important form that you will need to cross into the Tijuana Airport via the CBX bridge, the FMM, a Mexican customs/immigration form. You can complete the form online at the Instituto Nacional de Migracion website, print it out and bring it with you with the rest of the documents.

You can also complete the FMM form at the Cross Border Xpress terminal, they have setup a station with multiple computers where you can complete the form and print it out. Although it is a simple form, if you expect to fly on a busy travel day, you will benefit from completing the form online, as you may encounter long lines at the CBX computer station.

The fifth document I listed that you must bring to use the Tijuana Airport bridge is cash, be it either dollars or Pesos. Although it’s always a good idea to carry cash when your traveling, there is a specific need for it crossing via the CBX bridge.

Prior to entering the Tijuana Airport, you must pass through Mexican immigration, this is where the FMM form is presented.  You will pay $25-$30 (depends on currency rates) for a tourist permit. This is per person, so if you’re travelling with family, make sure to bring enough cash.

Cross Border Xpress Directions

Getting to the CBX Terminal is fairly straightforward, it is located in an easy to reach spot that shouldn’t give you too much trouble. Obviously, it is located right on the San Diego-Tijuana border.

The Cross Border Xpress address is 2745 Otay Pacific Drive, San Diego, CA 92154. It is located off the 905 Freeway Britannia Blvd exit. Use this Google Maps link to get directions.

There will be plenty of signs leading you to the CBX bridge, and since most of the surrounding area is full of warehouses, there really isn’t much traffic.

Cross Border Xpress Parking

Parking at CBX is somewhat limited, and will run out early on busy travel seasons, such as December for the holidays. If you fly out in late December, CBX parking will be at 100% capacity, and street parking full for miles around. Make sure to plan ahead!

Still, parking is plentiful for much of the year. Cross Border Xpress parking features four lots. Premium is the closest to the CBX entrance, Lots 2 & 3 are a bit further away, and Lot 1 is tucked in the back close to Siempre Viva Rd.

Premium is not only the closest lot to the CBX terminal, but it also offers the extra feature of being able to book a spot online at the CBX website.

Although the cost for 24 hours is $25 instead of $20, it comes with the added benefit of a guaranteed spot. This is absolutely perfect for traveling during the busy season, where you will struggle to find spots in any of the Cross Border Xpress parking lots.

You can see the pricing in the table below, not too terrible for airport parking, though it can add up for long trips.

Rates	Lots 1-2-3	Premium
15 minutes - 2 hours	$5	$8
2 hours - 3 hours	$8	$10
3 hours - 4 hours	$10	$12
4 - 24 hours	$15	$20

The parking process is the same for any of the CBX parking lots. You will receive a parking ticket at the gate, park in any open spot, and just make sure you keep that parking ticket safe!

Once you return from your trip, you will need to insert your ticket into the parking payment machines inside the CBX facility. You will then use that ticket to exit parking. A pretty simple process overall.

CBX Ridesharing and Shuttle Options

If you want to avoid dealing with parking, CBX does allow Uber and Lyft to both drop-off and pick-up. There are specially marked zones for ridesharing, so CBX has done a good job in making this a fantastic option for alleviating parking limits.

If you don’t live in San Diego and want to use Uber or Lyft, then you would still need to figure out where to park. There’s plenty of lots at the San Ysidro and Otay border area, it will be slightly cheaper than parking at CBX. You can check out my Tijuana Border parking guide here.

There is also a shuttle service that will take you to the Cross Border Xpress bridge. The shuttle service can pick you up from San Ysidro, San Diego, and even Los Angeles.

To be frank, I have not used the CBX Shuttle, so I can’t comment on the quality or time it takes. It appears pricing varies from $7-$27 per person, depending on where the shuttle picks you up from.

Also, it is important to note that even though it is called CBX Shuttle, the service is not managed by Cross Border Xpress, it is managed by a company called Damaris Express.

They don’t appear to have a website, but seem to take reservations by email at reservations@damarisexpressinc.com or by phone 888-501-0854.

With parking, ridesharing and shuttle options all covered, let’s move on and review how the actual process of crossing the bridge works.

Crossing the CBX Bridge into the Tijuana Airport

Ok, so you’ve got your parking situation figured out, you’ve got your CBX and flight tickets ready, luggage all packed, passports in your possession and you’re ready to cross into Mexico! I will cover step by step what to expect once you enter the CBX Terminal.

Once you enter in the CBX Departures area, you will see several kiosks, which you can use to purchase CBX tickets if you didn’t pre-purchase online. You can also use the kiosks to print your boarding pass, which you will need.

AeroMexico and Volaris have counters at the CBX terminal, where you can complete your flight check-in, change or add services to your reservation, or weigh your luggage.

You cannot drop off your luggage at these counters, that will have to be done at the actual Tijuana Airport. Be sure you bring rolling luggage, or make use of the many CBX push carts available. Please note, you will have to change carts halfway through the bridge, but this will be clearly marked with signs or by a staff member (from CBX carts to Tijuana Airport carts).

You definitely don’t want to just carry luggage across the San Diego – Tijuana bridge, it’s a long walk! 

Once you are ready to actually cross the CBX bridge, you simply follow the signs leading you towards the Tijuana Airport.

Near the bridge entrance, you will see an area where you can complete your FMM form on computers. If you are not a Mexican citizen, you must present this form when you cross into Mexico. Take advantage of this free amenity and print out your FMM form.

How long does it take to cross Cross Border Xpress bridge?

Ok, so now you’re ready to cross into Tijuana! Follow the signs and start walking towards your vacation. The walk will take about 15 minutes, though it might be longer during busy travel seasons.

The bridge itself is 390 feet long, though you have to go up and  down stairs, and walk through several halls to reach the actual bridge.

Always follow the instructions from your airline about how early to arrive. For example, when I travel in December, I make sure to arrive at the CBX terminal 4 hours before my flight.

Remember, you will have to print out your boarding pass at the airline counter, complete the FMM form at the CBX Terminal, walk across the bridge, go through Mexican immigration, walk from the bridge to the Tijuana airport airline counters, document your luggage, then go through security, and finally walk to your boarding gate.

It’s a ton of steps, and you definitely want to give yourself plenty of time to complete all of these tasks. That’s why I recommend to get there 4 hours early on a busy travel season.

If you’re flying at any other time, 3 hours earlier should suffice. 

Tijuana Airport Mexican Immigration

Once you have crossed the San Diego Tijuana Airport bridge into Mexico, you will arrive at a Mexican Immigration checkpoint. The process I will describe is what non-Mexican citizens will have to follow.

Upon entering the Mexican immigration area, on your left you will see an area where you can complete the FMM Mexican immigration form, hopefully you had previously completed this at the CBX terminal, but you can do it now as well. You will definitely need this document!

Ok, now that you have the completed FMM form, you will see a booth on the right side, prior to the actual immigration lines. This is where you pay the tourist fee for entering Mexico, which can be anywhere from $25-$30 per person. You must pay this fee at this booth, prior to going to the immigration line.

Signage and instructions could be better, so you will see plenty of people go straight to the immigration lines, not realizing they will be told to go pay the tourist fee.

Don’t be one of these unaware travelers, go pay your fee at the booth, and then take your stamped FMM forms to the immigration lines.

The immigration process is straight forward, the Officer will ask for your passports and FMM forms, where you’re going, stamp your passport and that’s really about it. The process is very simple, you will likely face a more stringent process from US Immigration coming back to the US.

After getting your passport stamped, there will be an area where you will have to place your luggage into an X-Ray machine. After this process, you will be allowed to continue and enter the Tijuana Airport.

The Tijuana Airport

Once you have crossed the CBX bridge and completed the Mexican Immigration process, you have finally arrived at the actual Tijuana Airport.

You’re about halfway done with your San Diego to Tijuana Airport journey, but the rest of the way is pretty easy.

Tijuana Airport Check-In Process

Alright, you are finally in the actual Tijuana Airport! The CBX bridge will place you near the middle of the Tijuana Airport, still outside check-in and security.

If you wish to eat before going to check-in, you will see plenty of options here, as well as currency exchange booths to change USD to Pesos, bathrooms, shops, etc.

If you’re like me, you want to keep going. Turn towards the West side of the airport, and continue until you see the check-in counters, which are located at the far West end of the Tijuana Airport. Don’t worry, you will see plenty of “Departures” signs.

Here the process is identical to any US airport, simply go to your airline’s check-in counter, and complete the documentation process. As I mentioned previously, if traveling during busy holiday seasons, expect huge lines.

Airline staff will check-in your luggage, check your passports, and let you know what gate your flight will be departing from. Important, be sure to know your airline’s luggage weight rules! They will weigh your luggage and charge you if you are over.

Once you have completed the check-in process, you will continue to the left of the check-in area towards security. It should be pretty obvious where to proceed to.

Tijuana Airport Security

This process is also similar to using any airport in the USA. Choose a line, place the items in a plastic container, slide any carry-on luggage and other items through the X-ray machine, pass through the metal detector, etc.

Really, the security process at the Tijuana Airport is very similar to what you will expect at any USA airport.

Once you are done with the security process, you will enter the Main Tijuana Airport Terminal. 

Tijuana Airport Terminal & Gates

The Tijuana Airport Main Terminal is shaped like a flat U, a flat walkway connects concourses A & B. You are free to walk to any of the two concourses. Simply check which Gate your flight was assigned, and follow the signs to the appropriate concourse.

The Tijuana Airport Terminal was recently renovated and has become a decent place to wait for your flights. You will find all of the amenities you would expect from a busy airport.

Plenty of food options, both sit-down and to-go. Several bars too. ATMs, currency exchanges, shops, bathrooms, etc. The Tijuana Airport even has a VIP Lounge too!

I personally like to get a meal at this point in my journey, there are plenty of great food options at reasonable prices (specially when compared to US Airport prices). If you need something to calm you nerves, there are several full service bars.

Seating options are plentiful at both concourses, I’ve never had issues finding a spot to wait for my flights, even in December, the busiest travel season at the Tijuana Airport.

Tijuana Airport VIP Lounge

You can enter the Tijuana Airport VIP Lounge if you’re a Priority Pass member, or by paying 570 Pesos ($25-$30 USD, depending on exchange rates). This is a great option if you have a longer wait for your flight. The VIP Lounge is found in Concourse A.

There is plenty of seating, Wi-Fi, unlimited beverages (including alcoholic), and a selection of finger foods and 2-3 hot meal options. Don’t expect quality foods like you would at major airports, but there’s really nothing wrong with the food provided at this VIP lounge.

Given that the Tijuana Airport primarily serves domestic flights, the VIP Lounge does not provide sleeping areas, nor showers. Given that most flights out of Tijuana are under 3 hours, the VIP Lounge provides everything you would need.

Is it worth it for $30 USD? If you were planning on grabbing a meal and a drink, then yes, it’s a great deal. You get to eat and drink all you want, plus Wi-Fi, plus comfy seating.

Otherwise, waiting outside your gate is really not a bad option, I’ve done so plenty of times, waiting out the time with a light snack from a nearby shop and a book.

Once you’ve done enjoying the VIP Lounge, or the free seating by your gate, it’s finally time to board the plane!

Boarding a flight in the Tijuana Airport is the same process you would encounter in the USA. Simply follow the staff’s instructions on where to line up, and go on and start enjoying your trip! Most airport staff will speak English, so feel free to ask any questions you might have.

Enjoy your flight!

Getting to the Tijuana Airport without using CBX

If for some reason you don’t want to use the CBX bridge for your Tijuana Airport flights, maybe the costs is too high, or you already happen to be in Tijuana, read on.

Crossing the border into Tijuana 

I highly suggest you use the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, it is much closer to the Tijuana Airport, and will save you tons of money on Taxi fare.

Please check out my complete guide on crossing the Tijuana border, I cover, in detail, how to use the Otay port of entry.

Once you’ve crossed into Tijuana through Otay (assuming your walking), you should immediately see a Taxi stand. Be prepared to pay $10-$15 USD, the airport will be about a 10 minute drive away. Make sure to settle on a price before entering the Taxi!

The Taxi will drop you off at the Departures gate, where you will easily see the airline check-in counters. Begin your process as detailed previously.

Tijuana Airport Parking

If you drive into Tijuana, the drive should not take more than 10 minutes from Otay. I say load up Google Maps and follow the instructions. You can use this link here for directions from Otay to the Tijuana Airport.

I seriously recommend you don’t drive, it’s a hassle driving in Mexico if you’re not used to it, you have to pay for car insurance, and parking at the Tijuana Airport is limited.

There are two Tijuana Airport parking options. You can park at the multi-level parking structure, with daily rates of about $16. This is the most convenient, as it is directly across the Tijuana terminal.

The second option is an uncovered lot to the East of the airport that will run you about $12 per day. It’ll be a bit longer of a walk, but you do save yourself a bit on the daily parking rates.

Both lots are relatively secure, though parking will be limited, the Tijuana airport really wasn’t built to handle tons of parking like you will see at many American airports.

I highly recommend you use the CBX bridge to the Tijuana Airport, it is a convenient process that avoids having to deal with Taxis or driving in Tijuana.

At the very least, use the CBX on the way back to the United States. It could potentially save you a 3+ hour line back to the United States, which is not unusual at either San Ysidro or Otay. I’m a big proponent of the Cross Border Xpress, and recommend it to anyone who travels out of the Tijuana Airport.

Returning to the USA via Cross Border Xpress

You have just completed a fantastic trip to Mexico, but alas, time to come back to reality and return to the USA. Read on and I will guide you step-by-step on what to expect from the moment you land in Tijuana, to crossing back to the USA via the CBX bridge.

Tijuana Airport Baggage Claim & CBX Bridge

After you land, your plane’s arrival gate will either be in Concourse A or B, either way, you will head towards the middle of the Terminal (the “flat” part of the U shaped terminal). Go ahead and follow the “Baggage Claim” signs you will see along the way.

Just like at any other airport, the baggage claim process will take a while during the busy travel season, try to be patient.

Once you pick up your luggage, head towards the CBX Entrance, you should be able to see plenty of signs. Pay attention! If you miss the CBX entrance and head towards the Tijuana Airport exit instead, you will be unable to return to the CBX bridge.

Don’t be worried though, it would be hard to miss the signs and lines leading you to the CBX bridge. Near the CBX entrance there will be a booth where you can buy a ticket if you didn’t do so online (you remembered to save your Round Trip CBX ticket from the beginning of your trip, right?).

I highly recommend you buy it online, you don’t want to be stuck in the massive lines of people waiting to buy a CBX ticket. You really do want to be one of the first people to reach the US Immigration line, it’ll save you tons of time.

Once you’ve got your Cross Border Xpress ticket and luggage, go ahead and enter the CBX bridge line. CBX staff will check your ticket and let you on through. Crossing the bridge takes about 15 minutes, then you will reach the US Immigration area.

US Immigration

Expect the typical US immigration process: somewhat slow line, show your passport, what are you bringing? where did you go? where are you going now? etc. After the immigration check, you will place your luggage in the X-Ray machines for inspection.

I always try to speed walk across the San Diego Tijuana bridge, if multiple flights are arriving at the same time, you definitely want to be one of the first people at the US immigration point, savings you plenty of time you would have spent in line.

Exiting the CBX Terminal

Once you complete the US immigration process, you will enter the CBX Departures area. Here you will find bathrooms, car rental booths, Taxis, etc.

If you’re like me and sped through the Tijuana Airport as fast as possible, the bathroom at the CBX Terminal will be a welcome sight. Hey, it was worth it for the shorter immigration lines!

You will also see the parking kiosks where you will have to pay for parking if you used the CBX Parking lots. This is the point where you will either walk towards your car parked at one of the CBX lots, call an Uber/Lyft, grab a shuttle, or have family pick you up.

Cross Border Express has done a great job with their terminal, leaving via any of the options I listed is pretty stress free. Well, until you see the parking bill for your three-week trip!

If you’ve reached this point, you should be ready to enjoy the best Mexico has to offer, and the cheap domestic flights the Tijuana airport provides via the CBX bridge.

The Cross Border Xpress really is a fantastic option, you get all of the benefits of cheaper Mexican domestic flights, without the hassle of crossing the border via San Ysidro or Otay, which can be a complete nightmare.

I’ve been an avid user the CBX bridge, and encourage you all to try it out.