Cross Border Xpress (CBX): The San Diego ↔ Tijuana Airport Bridge

If your flight is at Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) and you're coming from San Diego, you don't need to cross at San Ysidro or Otay Mesa. Cross Border Xpress (CBX) is a private 390-foot pedestrian bridge that connects a US-side terminal in Otay Mesa directly to TIJ — passport check, customs, the works, in 15-30 minutes. It's the secret weapon for anyone flying out of TIJ from the San Diego area.

The 30-second answer

• What it is: A pedestrian bridge over the border connecting an Otay Mesa terminal to the TIJ airport.
• Cost: ~$20-27 USD one way; ~$38-50 USD round-trip.
• Hours: 24/7.
• How long: 15-30 minutes total crossing time.
• Eligibility: Must have a TIJ departure or arrival within the next 24 hours.
• Why use it: TIJ has cheaper Latin America flights than SAN. CBX makes TIJ practical for San Diego travelers.

What is CBX?

Cross Border Xpress is a private 120-meter (390 ft) pedestrian bridge over the US-Mexico border, connecting a dedicated terminal building in Otay Mesa, California to the international side of Tijuana International Airport. It opened in December 2015 and is operated by Otay-Tijuana Venture LLC, a private consortium.

CBX is only for travelers with a confirmed TIJ flight within 24 hours of crossing. You can't use it as a general border crossing — you must have a boarding pass or e-ticket.

Why use CBX instead of driving through Otay Mesa?

Three big reasons:

• Time. Driving from San Diego to TIJ via Otay Mesa means: drive to border (~30 min from downtown SD), wait in northbound border queue going home if you're picking up (1-3 hours), navigate Tijuana traffic to the airport (15-30 min depending on construction). Total: 2-4 hours of margin needed for a flight. CBX: ~30 minutes.
• No Mexican car insurance needed. You're a pedestrian, so no Mexican liability policy required. See our rental car guide for the alternative.
• TIJ has cheaper Latin America flights. Many direct flights to Mexico City, Guadalajara, Cancún, and South America depart TIJ at significantly lower fares than the US-side equivalents. CBX is what makes those fares accessible to San Diego travelers.

How to use CBX, step by step

Going to Mexico (US → TIJ)

1. Buy your CBX ticket online in advance at crossborderxpress.com. You can also buy at the terminal, but online saves a couple of dollars.
2. Drive or get dropped off at the CBX terminal at 2745 Otay Pacific Drive, San Diego (Otay Mesa). The terminal has short-term and long-term parking; long-term is fine for multi-day trips.
3. Check in for your flight at the CBX terminal. Most major airlines flying out of TIJ have check-in counters on the US side — drop your checked bags here. Volaris, Aeroméxico, VivaAerobús all participate.
4. Show your passport, boarding pass, and CBX ticket to enter the bridge. The walk over takes 5-10 minutes.
5. Clear Mexican immigration and customs on the TIJ side. Faster than typical Mexican border crossings — they're set up for flight throughput. Get your FMM tourist permit if you'll stay more than the border-zone time/distance.
6. You're in the TIJ departure area. Proceed to gate.

Coming from Mexico (TIJ → US)

1. Land at TIJ. Get your checked bags.
2. Walk to the CBX entrance within TIJ — clearly signed.
3. Show your passport, boarding pass (or ticket showing TIJ arrival within 24 hours), and CBX ticket.
4. Cross the bridge to the US-side terminal.
5. Clear US customs and immigration at the CBX terminal. Typically 5-15 minutes — much faster than Otay Mesa's border queue.
6. Exit into Otay Mesa. Pre-arranged ride, taxi, Uber, parking pickup, or rental car at the terminal.

Pricing

Prices vary slightly by season. The exact current rate is at crossborderxpress.com. Round-trip is the obvious better deal if you know your return date.

Parking and getting there

The CBX terminal at 2745 Otay Pacific Drive has both short- and long-term parking lots:

• Short-term: ~$2-3/hour for drop-offs and quick pickups.
• Long-term: ~$15-25/day for multi-day trips. Cheaper than airport parking at most US airports.
• Uber/Lyft/taxi: Both companies serve the terminal. ~$25-40 from downtown San Diego.
• Shuttles: Several private shuttle services from San Diego hotels and the airport — useful for groups.

No public transit currently goes directly to the CBX terminal. The closest Trolley station is San Ysidro, which would require an Uber transfer.

Eligibility and FMM

You need:

• A passport or NEXUS/SENTRI card appropriate for your nationality.
• A confirmed flight at TIJ within 24 hours of crossing. Either departing TIJ (if you're going to Mexico) or arrived at TIJ (if you're coming back).
• A CBX ticket — purchased online or at the terminal.
• An FMM if your Mexico trip will be longer than the border-zone time/distance limits. See our FMM guide. Many CBX travelers fill out the FMM online before crossing.

Practical tips

1. Build in buffer time. CBX is fast but unfamiliar. Allow 90-120 minutes from your CBX-terminal arrival to your boarding pass time on first-time use. After you've done it once, 60 minutes is plenty.
2. Check in for your flight at the CBX terminal, not later. Drop checked bags. By the time you reach TIJ, you're walking to the gate.
3. Buy your CBX ticket online before the trip to save a few dollars and skip the terminal kiosk line.
4. Tickets are valid for 24 hours from purchase — don't buy days in advance.
5. Family packs save real money for groups of 4-6 — significantly cheaper than buying individual tickets.
6. If your flight is canceled or rescheduled, contact CBX customer service — they can usually reissue tickets without fee.

Bottom line

CBX makes flying out of TIJ a sensible choice for anyone in the San Diego area. The price is modest, the time savings vs driving Otay Mesa is enormous, and TIJ's cheaper Latin America flights frequently pay for the CBX ticket many times over. Buy online, build in buffer time on your first trip, and use the airline check-in at the CBX terminal — that's the whole playbook.

If you're driving to/from TIJ for any reason other than a flight, see our San Ysidro guide or Otay Mesa guide instead. Live waits at all San Diego-area crossings are on the homepage.