Overview and Key Players
In the first five months of 2025, airlines operating in Mexico served a record-breaking 51.4 million passengers on regular flights, marking a 3.7% increase compared to the same period in 2024’s 2.2% growth, according to data from the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC).
Domestic Market Drives Growth
The surge this year is primarily attributed to the dynamism of the domestic market, led by the low-cost model which saw a 5.4% rise in passengers, totaling 25.6 million. This improvement contrasts with the 3.9% decline in 2024 due to Volaris and Viva grounding aircraft for Pratt & Whitney engine reviews.
International Routes and Airlines
Mexican airlines with international operations, mainly Aeroméxico, transported 7.2 million passengers, a 6.9% increase. Foreign companies reported only a 0.4% rise, attending to 18.6 million passengers; however, a 4.4% drop in US airlines’ performance hindered the expected over 6% growth from the previous year.
Top Routes and Airlines
- Domestic Routes:
- Mexico-Cancun
- Monterrey-Mexico (down 4.5%)
- Mexico-Guadalajara (down 4.6%)
- Tijuana-Mexico (down 2.4%)
- Tijuana-Guadalajara (up 5.1%)
- International Routes:
- Toronto-Cancun (up 34.1%)
- Mexico-Madrid (up 1.1%)
- Dallas/Fort Worth-Cancun (down 12.3%)
- Los Angeles-Guadalajara (down 7.1%)
- Chicago-Cancun (down 19.2%)
Leading Airlines
Volaris led in passengers from January to May with 11.4 million, followed closely by Viva (VivaAerobus) with 11.2 million, and Aeroméxico with 9.9 million, focusing on international routes such as the upcoming Mexico-Philadelphia flight in collaboration with Delta.
In May, Viva surpassed Volaris in total passengers served: 2.4 million versus 2.3 million, reversing April’s situation where Volaris was still ahead.
Viva’s Stable Performance
According to Viva’s operational report for May, passenger traffic remained stable with a resilient occupancy rate of 84.8%. This was supported by ongoing efforts in optimizing their route network and capacity adjustments, primarily targeting the domestic market.
Projected Passenger Numbers for 2025
With these results, the Mexican airline industry is expected to serve approximately 123 million passengers by the end of 2025.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the main reason for the increase in air travel passengers in Mexico? The growth is primarily due to the dynamism of the domestic market, led by the low-cost model.
- Which airlines are leading in passenger numbers? Volaris, Viva (VivaAerobus), and Aeroméxico are the top three airlines in terms of passenger numbers.
- What are the most popular domestic and international routes? Domestically, Mexico-Cancun, Monterrey-Mexico, Mexico-Guadalajara, Tijuana-Mexico, and Tijuana-Guadalajara are the most traveled routes. Internationally, Toronto-Cancun, Mexico-Madrid, Dallas/Fort Worth-Cancun, Los Angeles-Guadalajara, and Chicago-Cancun are the most popular.
- How is Viva performing compared to Volaris? While Volaris initially led in passenger numbers, Viva surpassed them in May and is expected to maintain this trend.
- What are the projected passenger numbers for the entire year of 2025? The Mexican airline industry is expected to serve around 123 million passengers by the end of 2025.
