Future-proof. Five modes of trade

Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport (BRO) is a critical transportation hub for both passenger and cargo operations. It has two runways, 13/31 (7,399 feet) and 18/36 (6,000 feet), and offers nonstop flights to Houston (IAH), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Monterrey (MTY) and Orlando (MCO, on Breeze Airways since May 15, 2026).

In 2025, BRO recorded 140,914 passenger boardings. The airport opened in March 1929 with Charles Lindbergh’s landing, with aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart in attendance. BCIC Quality of Life Grants have since honored that history with an Amelia Earhart statue and an Amelia Earhart climbing exhibit (2024), and funded playground equipment for the airport terminal (2025). Its location near the Gulf of Mexico, the U.S.-Mexico border, and the SpaceX launch facility makes it vital for regional and international connectivity.

Source: FAA Commercial Service Enplanements, CY2025; AirNav (runways); Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport (routes and history); BCIC Impact Map (Quality of Life Grants)

NAFTA Industrial Park is a 105-acre park on NAFTA Parkway near the Port of Brownsville, developed by the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation (now Greater Brownsville EDC). Tenants include Inteva Products, Standard Textile and Scarbrough. Contact Greater Brownsville EDC for current availability.

Sources: Invest in Mexico, NAFTA Industrial Park listing; City of Brownsville (Greater Brownsville EDC name)

Valley International Airport (HRL) in Harlingen, Texas, is a major logistics hub in the Rio Grande Valley. It has scheduled freighter service from FedEx Express and DHL, and Southwest Airlines carries cargo on its passenger flights. HRL ranked 99th in the nation in 2025 with 165.3 million pounds of all-cargo landed weight (FAA preliminary data). The development of the NAFTA CargoPort™ has positioned HRL as the Air Cargo Hub of the Rio Grande Valley, providing critical connections for international trade. With a 9,400-foot runway, the longest at any commercial-service airport in South Texas, and strategic proximity to major highways and the U.S.-Mexico border, Valley International Airport is essential for efficient freight movement and supply chain optimization.

Sources: FAA all-cargo data, 2025; AirNav (runway); Valley International Airport (cargo carriers).

The FINSA Industrial Park, at 1101 Joaquin Cavazos Rd. in Los Indios, Texas, is a 758-acre magnet site within FTZ No. 62 (Site 4) and offers strategic advantages for businesses with its proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border, the Port of Brownsville, and major highways. This modern industrial park provides ample space for manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution and is equipped with essential infrastructure and support services like utilities, security, and maintenance. As part of Foreign Trade Zone No. 62, it plays a crucial role in the region’s economic growth by attracting businesses and facilitating international trade, making it an ideal location for optimizing supply chain operations.

These entities, along with Brownsville's robust infrastructure and pro-business climate, make it a significant player in the logistics and distribution industry.

Brownsville, Texas’s 18th-largest city (192,957 residents in 2025) and the third-largest on the Texas–Mexico border after El Paso and Laredo, offers five modes of international transportation: water, rail, highway, air, and space.

Brownsville sits at the southern end of I-69E/US 77, which runs north toward Corpus Christi, Victoria and Houston, and of US 83, which joins I-2 at Harlingen and runs west through the Rio Grande Valley toward Laredo. SH 550 (I-169) links I-69E to the Port of Brownsville, and Mexican Federal Highways 2 and 40 connect Matamoros with Reynosa and Monterrey, about 200 miles away.

4 International Crossings:

Veterans International Bridge

Gateway International Bridge

Brownsville & Matamoros (B&M) Bridge

West Rail Bridge

Next: the Flor de Mayo International Bridge, a planned four-lane crossing for cars and pedestrians in west Brownsville, received its U.S. presidential permit on May 31, 2024. Cameron County is developing it.

Sources: Texas Demographics, Texas cities by population; TxDOT, Interstate 69 System in Texas (highways); Port of Brownsville (Monterrey distance); Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority (Flor de Mayo permit).