Puesta del Sol Airstrip

Economic reasons. The airstrip was a private facility built exclusively to serve the adjacent Club Med resort. When the resort closed in 2009, the airstrip lost its sole purpose and traffic source, leading to its immediate and permanent closure. The subsequent operators of the resort property did not revive the direct charter flight business model, rendering the airstrip obsolete.

The airstrip is abandoned and in a state of dereliction. Satellite imagery shows the runway and taxiways are still intact but are severely weathered, cracked, and have significant vegetation growth. The runway markings are faded or gone entirely. The former terminal and hangar buildings at the south end of the runway appear to be standing but are unused and unmaintained. The land is part of the larger resort complex (which has operated under various names since Club Med's departure, such as Paradisus Palma Real and Sea of Cortez Beach Club) but is not utilized.

Puesta del Sol Airstrip was developed in the early 1980s as a private airport for the Club Med Sonora Bay, which opened in 1984. Its primary role was to provide a seamless travel experience for resort guests, allowing them to fly via charter directly to the resort's location, bypassing the main Guaymas International Airport (MMGM). It featured a single paved runway, approximately 4,900 feet (1,500 meters) long, capable of handling regional turboprop aircraft. Operations primarily consisted of charter flights, famously including STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) aircraft like the de Havilland Canada DHC-7 (Dash 7), which was ideal for accessing resorts with relatively short runways.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Puesta del Sol Airstrip. The significant capital investment required to resurface the runway, rebuild facilities, and meet modern aviation certification standards is a major deterrent. Furthermore, the regional air traffic is adequately served by the nearby Guaymas International Airport (General José María Yáñez International Airport, MMGM), making a private, resort-specific airstrip economically unviable for the current resort operators.