Aeromexico Boosts U.S. Routes Despite Joint Venture Concerns

Aeromexico is set to broaden its U.S. service offerings for the upcoming northern winter season, despite ongoing uncertainty regarding its transborder joint venture with Delta Air Lines. The airline will launch four new routes, expanding its network to 35 nonstop transborder sectors by year-end. This expansion will increase its capacity to approximately 133,000 two-way weekly seats, up from the current 121,000, according to OAG Schedules Analyser data.

Starting October 28, Aeromexico will introduce a daily flight between Mexico City Juarez International Airport (MEX) and New York’s Newark Liberty International Airport, operated by Boeing 737-8 aircraft.

Additionally, two new routes will be launched from Manzanillo, a resort city in the Mexican state of Colima. Beginning November 3, Aeromexico will connect Manzanillo’s Aeropuerto Internacional Playa de Oro (ZLO) with Delta’s hub at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. This route will operate weekly through April 27, 2025. Another new service from Manzanillo will link ZLO with Los Angeles International Airport starting December 21, also operating weekly with 737-800s until April 26. The same day, Aeromexico will begin flights between Monterrey and Denver, with weekly services using 737-8s until April 19.

These new routes follow recent additions from Mexico City to Raleigh/Durham, Salt Lake City, Tampa, and Washington Dulles, and a forthcoming Queretaro-Atlanta route set to begin in August. However, the airline has made some recent cutbacks, including ending Merida-Atlanta service in June and planning to suspend the Mexico City-Salt Lake City route next month. Several routes from Guadalajara to Chicago O’Hare and Sacramento are also experiencing pauses or frequency reductions.

Aeromexico and Delta are currently awaiting a final decision on their transborder joint venture. The U.S. Transportation Department (DOT) issued a tentative decision in January not to renew the antitrust immunity for the partnership, citing Mexico’s alleged violations of the air transport agreement. This includes requirements for all-cargo operators to move from MEX to Felipe Ángeles International Airport and new flight operation limits at MEX.

Despite the uncertainty, Delta is working with the U.S. government to seek a less severe resolution to the DOT’s tentative decision. The joint venture, launched in 2017, is at risk of termination.

Aeromexico’s expansion aligns with Mexico’s Tourism Ministry’s recent report showing a 19.4% increase in international passengers at Mexican airports during the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2019. North American passengers led the growth with 15.7 million, followed by Central and South America, Europe, and Asia. Domestic traffic also saw a nearly 15% increase over 2019 levels.