One of the most important binational transformations celebrated its first decade this week — and it’s not a wall, but a bridge.
The Cross Border Xpress, also called Puerta de las Californias (Door to the Californias) has now been in operation for ten years, providing a secure way to travel between the United States and Mexico via the San Diego and Tijuana airports.
“CBX is a one-of-its-kind project that really has transformed the border,” said Jorge Goytortúa, CBX’s chief executive officer who has been with the entity since 2018. “This company has Mexican and U.S. shareholders, so this is a truly binational project with binational investments.”
The Cross Border Xpress is a border crossing and port of entry that takes people from San Diego to the Tijuana International Airport. It offers direct access to its terminal from both Mexico and the United States, which allows passengers with a boarding pass to walk across the border using a dedicated pedestrian bridge.
Border agencies verify and validate paperwork before the passenger crosses the border, cutting down on long wait times. It is regulated by American and Mexican authorities.
For that reason, it may be the most secure crossing along the border region, said Goytortúa. And its reach extends well beyond San Diego-Tijuana, as it is regularly used by people in Southern California and beyond in the United States, and by people from throughout Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America.
“Almost 50% of all Mexicans who travel into California arrive at CBX,” he said. “Since the opening of CBX the growth has been 11 to 14% annually, reaching 13 million users.”
The economic impact of CBX is estimated at $1.5 billion a year, he added. This has particularly transformed travel out of Tijuana, up to and including allowing direct flights to China.
“The whole airport is undergoing a major transformation and will continue to do so in the next years,” Goytortúa said.
Goytortúa said that they have an ambitious plan in place for the next few years. “The vision is that we can grow from 4 million users a year to 8 million by 2036,” he said, adding that he is proud to be part of the project, which he described as “a true symbol of innovation and collaboration” between the two countries.
“Teaming up builds a much better region,” he said.
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