Calafia Airlines has been in operation for nearly a year now and if you have tried to book a reservation online through their website then you know to book in advance because due to the popularity of Puerto Peñasco’ s newest airline service most flights are always sold out.
Calafia Airlines’ non-stop flight service to Tijuana has proven to be popular among residents with most flights fully booked when they leave twice a week on Mondays and Fridays. When this writer wanted to book a flight recently, I was surprised to learn that flights were sold out 30 days in advance.
Calafia Airlines takes off from the Mar de Cortes airport bound for Tijuana twice a week on Mondays and Fridays flying on an Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft, with a capacity of 50 passengers. They also have round trip service to beach destinations such as Loreto and La Paz for those who would like to explore more of Baja California. They have an easy-to-use website which can be found at http://www.calafiaairlines.com where you can log in, reserve, and pay for your flight.
Calafia Airlines announced non-stop flight service from Tijuana (TIJ) to Puerto Peñasco (PPE) back April 29, 2022, and at that time it was expected to open the doors of our, “sleepy little fishing village” to the bustle of national and international passengers originating from the west coast and giving a boost to an already booming tourist and real estate economy.
Back in March of 2022, Sonoran Governor Alfonso Durazno, leaders in the local municipal administration, Calafia Airlines executives, tourism officials and private investors came together and formulated a plan that will finally see commercial flights operate in the newly renovated Sea of Cortes International Airport ending a 6-year hiatus of no flights. After a year of service, that coming together by government and business leaders has proven to be a winning decision.
I believe the reason Calafia Airlines is so popular is residents’ newfound ability to connect with hundreds of flights leaving from Tijuana to other destinations within Mexico, the U.S. and around the world. Also, the ability to connect with Loreto (LTO) and La Paz (LAP) in Baja California Sur opens new destinations to residents and business travelers. Residents are now able to hop on flights to three great destinations from Puerto Peñasco and other airlines are taking notice of this popularity and I suspect more airlines will follow Calafia in the future.
If you are interested in booking a flight on Calafia Airlines then the round-trip flight to from Tijuana to Puerto Peñasco will cost you approximately 3,500 pesos or $185 USD, which includes transfer from Puerto Peñasco to the airport, as well as luggage allowance of up to 25 kilos per person.
According to the Puerto Peñasco Convention and Visitors Bureau, OCV, their goal is to attract visitors from northwestern Mexico and the United States, which represents one of the strongest economies in the world. They said alliances have been made with tour operators and hotel companies to promote special packages for travel by air to this corner of the Sea of Cortez.
The OCV said that the activation of this aerial connectivity will shorten distances for new tourism opportunities and open business markets wishing to take advantage of reduced travel times. This in turn will translate into longer stays in this port, which offers the cleanest and warmest beaches in northwestern Mexico, the desert and its dunes, the Pinacate Reserve, significant hotel infrastructure, great cuisine, quality service, and many places to explore. This is a win/win for the city and will help to expand our tourism industry and real estate economy.About the author: Joseph Sanchez is president of Rocky Point Home Builders a design/build contractor specializing in custom home design, construction and engineered renovations, a real estate agent with RE/MAX Legacy specializing in the sale of new home developments. He resides here in Puerto Peñasco with his wife and three children and is originally from Chicago. For more information email him at sales@rockypointhomebuilders.com
