Mexico’s national flag carrier, Aeromexico (AM), has opened reservations for flights to Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Orange County (SNA) and Portland (PDX). The announcement sees the airline returning to Fort Lauderdale and Portland following a period of suspension, while Orange County marks an entirely new destination for the carrier.
Flights are scheduled to commence in mid-January 2027, with each destination receiving a daily service operated by the airline’s new Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft. These routes are the first new services announced since the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) lifted restrictions that had prohibited airlines from introducing new flights from either of Mexico City’s airports.
Why Were Restrictions Imposed?
In 2015, the United States and Mexico reached an agreement that established the allocation of slots for air carriers operating between the two countries. Beginning in 2022, slots available to American carriers at Mexico City International Airport (MEX) were restricted in preparation for planned construction works.
A year later, all American cargo airlines were required to relocate their operations to the newly established Felipe Ángeles International Airport (NLU). Following these developments, US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy accused the Mexican government of “illegally” cancelling flights and restricting American carriers over a three-year period.
In response, the USDOT introduced several restrictions, including a prohibition on new flights from either of Mexico City’s airports. This significantly limited opportunities for growth in the US-Mexico market from the capital. Just over a year later, the USDOT has finally lifted the restrictions.
Beginning of a Trend
Following the announcement that the restrictions would be lifted, Aeromexico CEO Andrés Conesa welcomed the decision, expressing that the airline would once again have the opportunity to introduce new destinations and increase frequencies on existing routes.
Despite this, the airline still needs to secure the necessary slots and permits before commencing operations. This could also pave the way for the return of cross-border services from Felipe Ángeles (NLU), potentially including the previously operated routes to Houston (IAH) and McAllen (MFE), both of which were discontinued after the USDOT revoked its approval.
With the first batch of new services already scheduled to begin in January, just three months after the announcement, Aeromexico appears to have moved quickly in securing the necessary requirements to expand its operations to the United States.
Less Restrictions But More Competition
With the opportunity to resume services from Mexico City to the United States, the market is once again open to increased competition. Aeromexico’s main competitors, Viva (VB) and Volaris (Y4), are also likely to reconsider their previously operated US services.
With NLU currently lacking any scheduled services, Viva could have an advantage given its larger network previously operated from the airport. Before the routes were discontinued, Viva maintained the largest network, followed by Aeromexico’s two aforementioned services to Houston and McAllen, while Volaris operated just one route to Newark.
In recent months, Volaris has continued expanding its US network. From Guadalajara (GDL), the airline introduced services to Atlanta (ATL), Boston (BOS), Nashville (BNA), Raleigh-Durham (RDU) and Washington Dulles (IAD). It also added Las Vegas (LAS) from Querétaro (QRO) and Chicago (ORD) from Puebla (PBC).
These recent additions demonstrate the airline’s willingness to explore new markets from cities beyond Mexico City. As a result, Volaris will likely evaluate further opportunities from Mexico City International, potentially placing it in direct competition with Aeromexico.
Despite the prospect of increased competition from new routes operated by Viva and Volaris, Aeromexico continues to hold an advantage through its extensive network and international passenger feed from joint-venture partner Delta Air Lines. The newly announced services to Fort Lauderdale, Orange County and Portland are likely just the beginning of further cross-border route announcements from Mexico City.
