Private Jet to Cabo: MMSL or MMSD, Permits and What to Expect

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By Pat Sinnott, Founder of Peak Aviation Solutions. A commercial pilot with multi-engine and instrument ratings, Pat earned his BS in Flight Operations and Aviation Management and has spent 21 years in aviation. He is an NBAA member.

Last updated: November 2, 2026

Cabo is one of the easiest international trips you can take on a private jet. It’s close, the airports are built for it, and from Texas or the Southwest you’re there in a couple of hours. "Easy" still has a checklist, though, because Mexico has tightened its rules for foreign charter flights.

Quick answer: A private jet to Cabo usually lands at Cabo San Lucas International (MMSL), a general aviation airport 10 to 20 minutes from downtown. Los Cabos International (MMSD) is geared more toward the airlines, and it’s the closer choice for San José del Cabo and the East Cape. The charter operator must hold Mexico’s charter permit. Passengers need passports and clear customs at both ends.

MMSL or MMSD: which Cabo airport is better?

Two airports serve Los Cabos. Both take private jets. They suit different trips.

Sources: runway and FBO data from Paramount Business Jets’ MMSD page and MMSL page; MMSD drive time from Flycraft; MMSL drive time from Pure Cabo and Acejet, which also confirms customs and immigration on site; other drives estimated by Peak Aviation Solutions.

Our default for general aviation in Cabo is MMSL. Nearly all of our Cabo trips land there. It sits 10 to 20 minutes from downtown Cabo San Lucas and the Marina, it’s far quieter than MMSD, and customs clears you at the FBO. The drive from MMSD to the Marina can stretch past an hour on a busy afternoon. Landing at MMSL skips most of that.

MMSD is Cabo’s main airline airport, and it’s geared more toward commercial traffic. It still has a private terminal with customs. The deciding factor is your final destination: if you’re staying in San José del Cabo or out on the East Cape, MMSD is the closer airport. It just depends on where you’re headed once you land.

We check both for every trip. Runway length, the airplane’s weight that day, and the field’s hours decide it.

How long is the flight to Cabo?

Distances are great-circle nautical miles, calculated by Peak Aviation Solutions:

From Phoenix or Dallas, a light jet like a Phenom 300 is often all you need for a private jet to Cabo. From the Mountain West, a midsize or super-mid makes it nonstop with room for bags.

One of our clients flew a Gulfstream G200 home from Los Cabos to Bozeman last December 26. Flight time: 3 hours 33 minutes, nonstop (Peak quote history).

Mexico’s charter permits, and why timing matters

Every foreign charter flight into Mexico runs under a permit from AFAC, Mexico’s civil aviation agency. Since December 2024, single-trip charter permits are gone, according to Universal Weather and Aviation. Charter operators now need a standing blanket permit, backed by an AFAC-validated operating certificate.

What that means for you:

• Operators without the permit can’t take the trip. Part of our job is filtering for operators that hold it, before you see a quote.
• Lead time. Universal reports AFAC wants charter permit requests at least 10 business days ahead. Operators with a blanket permit in place can move much faster.
• One stop in Mexico. A U.S. charter can’t fly you between Mexican cities like a domestic airline. Cabo, then Cancun, then home needs separate approval or a different plan.

Here’s what I tell first-time international clients:

"Oftentimes people think that they can go international same day. That is the case for places like Mexico and Canada, pending we get clearance for customs."

Pat Sinnott

So Cabo tomorrow is possible. It depends on an operator with its Mexico paperwork current and customs being able to take you. More notice gives you more airplanes to choose from.

Customs: arriving in Mexico, coming home

In Mexico. You land, taxi to the private terminal, and Mexican immigration and customs clear you there. Everyone needs a valid passport book. Your crew or handler files the arrival paperwork ahead of time.

Back to the U.S. The operator files your manifest with U.S. Customs and Border Protection through eAPIS at least 60 minutes before departure (FAA). Here’s the step most people don’t expect: unless the operator holds a CBP overflight exemption, the first U.S. landing from Mexico has to be the designated customs airport nearest the border crossing, such as Tucson or El Paso. You clear there, then take off again for home. With an overflight exemption, the airplane can fly past the border and clear at any U.S. airport that has customs.

Even then, not every airport has customs, and smaller ones keep limited hours. Flying home to Bozeman, for example, CBP’s regular hours are Thursday through Monday (CBP). Other days are possible on request, usually with about 48 hours’ notice, if an officer is available. We check the operator’s exemption, the border stop and the customs hours at home before the trip, so the return leg holds no surprises.

For the full rundown on documents, see do you need a passport on a private jet.

What it’s like on the ground in Cabo

The FBO at MMSL is small and quiet, and MMSD’s private terminal sits well away from its airline terminals. Either way: no lines, no crowd in arrivals.

From there, we line up a car service sized to your group: a sedan or SUV for couples and small families, or a Sprinter van for a bigger group with luggage.

From MMSL, most Cabo San Lucas and Pedregal stays are 10 to 25 minutes away. From MMSD, resort and villa drives run 20 to 60 minutes depending on where you’re headed.

Picking the airplane for Cabo

The trip is short enough that the airplane comes down to the group and the bags:

• Up to 6 passengers from Texas, Arizona or California: a light jet such as a Phenom 300 or CJ3. See our Phenom 300 charter guide.
• 7 or 8 passengers, or golf and fishing gear: a midsize like the Citation XLS.
• Longer legs from the Mountain West or Midwest: a super-mid like the Citation X, which handles the distance with room for bags.
• 9 or more passengers: a heavy jet such as a Challenger 605 or Gulfstream G-IV, with a stand-up cabin, seats for 10 to 14 and plenty of room for luggage. See our heavy jet charter and Gulfstream charter pages.

Every operator we use is ARGUS or Wyvern rated, and we check the crew on every trip. More on that in our guide to ARGUS and Wyvern safety ratings.

When to book a Cabo private jet

Cabo is busiest from Thanksgiving through spring break. The Christmas to New Year’s week fills private terminals and ramp space fast.

• Holidays: book 4 to 6 weeks out, earlier for New Year’s.
• Ordinary weeks: a week or two is usually enough.
• Last minute: possible with the right operator, as long as customs can clear you.

Planning more than Cabo this winter? Our guide to flying private to Mexico, the Caribbean and Hawaii covers the rest. If Cancun’s on the list too, here’s what to know about a private jet to Cancun.

Questions about a private jet to Cabo

Which airport do private jets use in Cabo?

Peak Aviation Solutions usually lands general aviation flights at Cabo San Lucas International (MMSL), 10 to 20 minutes from downtown, with a 7,000-foot runway and its own FBO. Los Cabos International (MMSD), the main airline airport, is the better choice when the stay is in San José del Cabo or the East Cape.

How long is a private jet flight to Cabo?

It depends on the departure city. Phoenix is about 629 nautical miles from Los Cabos, Dallas about 896, Denver about 1,035 and Bozeman about 1,360. That works out to roughly two hours from Phoenix and three and a half from Bozeman, where a Gulfstream G200 recently made the trip in 3 hours 33 minutes.

Do you need a passport to fly private to Cabo?

Yes. Every passenger on a private jet to Cabo needs a valid passport book. A passport card is not accepted for international air travel. You clear Mexican immigration and customs at the private terminal on arrival and U.S. customs on the way back.

Can you fly to Cabo on a private jet the same day?

Sometimes. Same-day trips to Mexico are possible when the charter operator already holds Mexico’s blanket charter permit and customs can clear the flight. Operators without that permit face long lead times, reported at 10 business days or more. More notice means more aircraft to choose from.

Is MMSD or MMSL closer to Cabo San Lucas?

MMSL is much closer. Cabo San Lucas International sits 10 to 20 minutes from downtown Cabo San Lucas, while Los Cabos International (MMSD) is roughly 40 to 70 minutes away by car. MMSD is the closer airport for San José del Cabo and the East Cape.

Can a U.S. charter fly between cities inside Mexico?

Not freely. Mexico restricts foreign charter operators from carrying passengers between Mexican cities, and charter flights are generally limited to one stop in the country. A trip like Cabo to Cancun needs specific approval or a different routing, so plan multi-city Mexico trips with your broker early.

The short version

For a private jet to Cabo, plan on MMSL, close to Cabo San Lucas and built for general aviation, or MMSD if you’re staying closer to San José del Cabo. Book with an operator that holds Mexico’s charter permit. Bring passports, and give us enough notice to clear customs both ways.

Planning Cabo this winter?

Send us the dates, the group and where you’re staying. We’ll pick the right Cabo airport, confirm the operator’s Mexico permit, and have the car waiting at the private terminal. On the call, I’ll walk you through how we time customs on the way home.

Imagine stepping off the airplane and straight into the car, sunglasses on, while the airline crowd is still in line.

Book a call with Pat to plan your Cabo trip. Already have dates? You can also request a quote.