Guadalajara is undergoing some intense transformation in 2026, thanks to major investments in the city’s international airport ahead of the World Cup and the demolition of architectural gems in the city’s historic Colonia Americana. Read all the details about the changes coming for tapatíos, plus the latest on a noise crackdown in the city’s popular nightlife areas.
GDL Airport to boost capacity to 40M passengers
(Aeropuerto Internacional de Guadalajara/Facebook)
In early February, Mexican Pacific Airport Group (GAP) announced a historic investment of 52 billion pesos (approximately USD $3.0 billion) for modernization of the airports it oversees in western Mexico, as part of its five-year capital program.
Guadalajara’s Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport is set to receive a significant share of these new funds, with investments totaling $22.4 billion pesos (US $1.3 billion).
GAP’s infrastructure strategy for Guadalajara includes the construction of a second terminal, which will add another 87,000 square meters of capacity to the existing airport footprint; the acquisition of adjacent land to support future expansion; and the buildout of a third runway.
Terminal 2 is on track to be completed later this year, with full operation by 2027. It is expected to boost Guadalajara airport’s capacity to 40 million passengers per year.
Another key area of focus in GAP’s capital plan is addressing the chronic bottlenecks passengers face when attempting to access or depart the Guadalajara airport grounds, due to the single point of entrance and egress via the Carretera Chapala, a road perennially choked with commercial trucks, private cars and taxi traffic.
The airport group’s plan involves adding a second point of entry for cars, a new dedicated access point for mass transit and the separation of arrival and departure traffic flows via a two-level road structure into and out of the new terminal. All told, the project is slated to add 17 kilometers of new roads to the airport’s grounds.
In 2025, Guadalajara’s airport received nearly 18.7 million passengers. Visitor volume is expected to rise further this year due to an anticipated surge in air arrivals for the four World Cup games to be played in the city this June.
To ensure that the airport operates smoothly during this time of peak demand, GAP will be making additional investments in Guadalajara airport security, personnel and operational protocols to complement the infrastructure improvements.
The demolition of Guadalajara’s architectural gems
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Colonia Americana in the Guadalajara Centro is recognized worldwide for its early 20th-century mansions, cultural riches, charming tree-lined streets and cosmopolitan vibe. It’s an enticing combination that attracts hip young locals, expats and tourists alike.
Despite the neighborhood’s widespread appeal, its emblematic mansions are under increasing threat from local developers. In the past year, numerous buildings — including several with recognized architectural value — have been demolished or altered without permission.
Why is this happening?
The historic properties stand on valuable land viewed as ideal for new higher-density buildings, in a city that has seen housing rents escalate rapidly in recent years.
One notorious case involves a property located at 180 Francisco Javier Gamboa Street. Last August, the Guadalajara City Council intervened to halt illicit construction activities for the sixth time, following repeated violations of building permits. That same month, another property with significant artistic value was destroyed without warning on José Guadalupe Montenegro Street.
Ximena López Nakashima, director of cultural heritage for the Jalisco government, noted that while her agency receives citizen complaints about protected buildings being damaged or destroyed, it lacks the authority and personnel to directly halt construction. Instead, it must coordinate a response with the city government, and that typically costs valuable time.
The situation feels even more dire when you discover that Avenida La Paz (which spans some of the most stunning blocks in the neighborhood) houses roughly 40 properties of artistic value, including several designed by Luis Barragán, the only Mexican architect to win the Pritzker Prize.
Despite the ongoing assault on the city’s artistic heritage, not all interventions on historic properties are denied. In fact, there are multiple avenues for developers to legally build new projects in Colonia Americana.
In 2024, the Ministry of Culture issued 185 permits for interventions on properties in the Colonia Americana neighborhood. Last year, the number rose to 210 permits, 49 of which were for demolition.
A common practice that’s often greenlit by local authorities involves the restoration of a historic building while adding a modern new structure to the property. These projects often become residential buildings or hotels, according to López.
One recent example is a property located in Avenida La Paz and Progreso, also designed by Barragán. While these builds fundamentally change the property’s character, they’re viewed as preferable to letting historic buildings sit abandoned or fall into disrepair.
City closes more bars and restaurants in popular expat neighborhoods for excessive noise
(Los Afferados/Facebook)
Colonia Americana and Providencia may get a little quieter in 2026, following the municipal government’s decision to crack down on excessive noise at a handful of bars and restaurants in these two popular urban neighborhoods.
In early January, the Los Aferrados restaurant, located at López Cotilla 1905B, was closed after registering 71 decibels, well above the legal maximum of 65 decibels. Several days later, the (In)Oportuno bar, at Pedro Moreno 1164, was closed after measuring 69 decibels during an inspection.
With these recent actions, the total number of businesses sanctioned since December 2025 has risen to six. Late last year, Casa Clover Lawn, Bar Plo, Galería Aguafuerte and Bar Rey Gallo were also closed by authorities due to excessive noise.
City officials reiterated their commitment to addressing citizen complaints and performing regular inspections to ensure that restaurants, bars and entertainment venues in heavily residential areas comply with municipal noise limits.
After discovering that life in Mexico was a lot more fun than working in corporate America, Dawn Stoner moved to Guadalajara in 2022, where she lives with her husband, two cats and Tapatío rescue dog. Her blog livewellmexico.com helps expats live their best life south of the border.
