Dec 13, 2015, 1:37 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
"CBX" Pedestrian bridge connects TIJ Int'l. Airport and Otay Mesa
"Cross Border Xpress" connects Otay Mesa and TIJ / Tijuana A. L. Rodriguez International Airport as of 9 Dec 2015
with enclosed pedestrian bridge, including U.S. Immigration and Customs facilities
Link to Cross Border Xpress website.
CBX is an enclosed pedestrian skywalk bridge exclusively for Tijuana Airport passengers who cross the U.S./Mexico border as part of their trip.
- Passport
- Visa if required
- Airline boarding pass
- CBX ticket for bridge use
The "CBX" consists of an enclosed pedestrian bridge that connects TIJ / the Tijuana A. L. Rodriguez International Airport with a facility in Otay Mesa that includes USCBP inspection area (SENTRI kiosks are available), airline ticket counters, an 850 car parking lot and access to multimodal land transport (intercity bus, taxis, Uber). A duty free shopping area and restaurant has been added.
CBX plans to add a gasoline station, shopping center and hotel some time in the future.
Link to San Diego Union-Tribune article 9 Dec 2015
NOTE:
7 Jan 2016: Just received a quick and courteous email from CBX in response to my question regarding whether a passport card is sufficient to cross using the bridge. She confirmed that a passport card is sufficient as they have no additional requirements beyond what is required by customs and immigration and the crossing is considered to be a land border crossing.
Particularly if you live in the San Diego area, you can save as much as 50% or more flying domestic intra-Mexico services out of TIJ.
Q. Has anyone posted about their CBX experience?
FlyerTalk Community Director SanDiego1K has shared her experience in February, 2019 crossing from Otay Mesa, CA to TIJ airport in post #93.
Q. Are there lower cost alternatives to using the CBX?
Yes, but they entail less convenient border crossings (particularly inconvenient herding your baggage through) at San Ysidro or the conventional Otay Mesa crossing and securing transport to TIJ once you've completed border formalities.
NOTE: See Walking into Tijuana? (San Ysidro crossing & new PedWest Aug 2017)
Pedestrian "Cross Border Xpress" /"CBX" Bridge links Otay Mesa, USA - TIJ Airport
Feb 2, 2016, 8:41 pm
#31
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Cincinnati,OH
Programs: Delta, United, Marriott
Posts: 3
This thread has been informative regarding passport book vs passport card for the crossing, but can anyone comment on whether to expect checkpoints that could create long lines getting to flights into Mexico? I have read and watched videos of passengers breezing through the crossing to their gates in 8-10 min, but as a US citizen should I be prepared for security or immigration to require a potentially lengthy stop to get to the gate?
Feb 3, 2016, 10:39 am
#32
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
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Posts: 14,429
I don't think any FTer has actually used this, so there is no data on how long it will take. My guess would be that it would be pretty quick, as it's new, and probably not too many people know about it.
Feb 8, 2016, 11:22 am
#33
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
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Well, we have a trip report in MR forum in this short thread. It's close to bottom.
Feb 15, 2016, 1:29 pm
#34
Used to be 'Scooter'
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: SAN
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 398
I'm also curious to hear from others as to how long it takes to cross. I just booked a TIJ-MEX flight on AeroMexico thinking it would be a lot more interesting than flying Volaris from SAN - but now I'm hoping that I didn't make things more difficult by having to deal wth long lines at the bridge.
Feb 15, 2016, 3:39 pm
#35
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
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Be sure to let us know how it goes :-:
Feb 16, 2016, 1:06 pm
#36
Used to be 'Scooter'
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: SAN
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 398
Feb 16, 2016, 7:09 pm
#37
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SMF
Posts: 1,251
I look forward to reading about your experience as we'll be using it a few weeks after you in early April. We booked flights to MEX on Volaris for $82 r/t, a significant discount from what we would have paid from anywhere in the states.
Feb 16, 2016, 7:27 pm
#38
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Part of reason is for high cross border fares are the high US fees for coming back to US - I see it on tickets if I'm flying from Canada
Mar 15, 2016, 1:23 pm
#39
Used to be 'Scooter'
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: SAN
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 398
Well, I'm back from the Mexico trip. The bridge was super easy! It wasn't very crowded either, and I was able to cross in just minutes. Getting into Mexico took a bit longer due to a slow(ish) immigration process, but coming back I was able to cross and enter the US in less than 5 minutes.
Full review, with tons of pics are on my blog: Cross Border Xpress review
Full review, with tons of pics are on my blog: Cross Border Xpress review
Mar 15, 2016, 2:00 pm
#40
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,429
Mar 15, 2016, 2:48 pm
#42
Used to be 'Scooter'
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: SAN
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 398
Mar 15, 2016, 4:45 pm
#43
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 1
Well, I'm back from the Mexico trip. The bridge was super easy! It wasn't very crowded either, and I was able to cross in just minutes. Getting into Mexico took a bit longer due to a slow(ish) immigration process, but coming back I was able to cross and enter the US in less than 5 minutes.
Full review, with tons of pics are on my blog: Cross Border Xpress review
Full review, with tons of pics are on my blog: Cross Border Xpress review
Mar 15, 2016, 8:55 pm
#44
Used to be 'Scooter'
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: SAN
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 398
Mar 16, 2016, 12:23 pm
#45
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: WAS
Programs: enjoyed being warm spit for a few years on CO/UA but now nothing :(
Posts: 2,507
Well, I'm back from the Mexico trip. The bridge was super easy! It wasn't very crowded either, and I was able to cross in just minutes. Getting into Mexico took a bit longer due to a slow(ish) immigration process, but coming back I was able to cross and enter the US in less than 5 minutes.
Full review, with tons of pics are on my blog: Cross Border Xpress review
Full review, with tons of pics are on my blog: Cross Border Xpress review
Question: you said there are no windows to the outside while on the bridge itself but it seems like there are in the pictures. Are those windows just the separation from the return to the US lane?