Puerto Vallarta started the year off strong, breaking passenger records at its International Airport. In January, the airport registered a 2.6% increase compared to the same month last year.
It’s worth noting that in January 2025, 713,300 passengers used the airport, while in the first month of 2026, that number reached 731,700.
Regarding passenger origin, domestic travelers saw the largest increase, at 5.66%, while international travelers rose by 1.12%. In January 2025, there were 229,500 Mexican and 483,800 international passengers, while in January of this year, the figures were 242,500 domestic and 489,200 international.
These growth rates are particularly encouraging in an international context where other tourist destinations in the region are experiencing month-on-month declines.
The strength of the Jalisco destination is also reflected in the confidence of airlines, as the volume of seats offered for travel to Puerto Vallarta during January 2026 increased by 3% compared to January of last year.
Likewise, there was a 13% increase in domestic flights, a 12% increase in international flights, and a 10% increase in total flights compared to the same month of the previous year. Similarly, February saw a 16% increase in domestic flights, a 10% increase in international flights, and a 12% increase in total flights.
These trends will be further strengthened by the new routes from Southwest Airlines, which will begin flying this year from San Diego, California on March 5 and from Las Vegas, Nevada starting June 6.
Volaris announced new routes to this beach destination from Aguascalientes, Puebla, and San Luis Potosí, beginning operations this coming summer.
Air Canada announced a new flight from Calgary for the winter season, while the Vancouver–Puerto Vallarta route will double its service, increasing from one to two weekly flights during the summer season, to boost visitor traffic to one of the country’s most important beach destinations.
Source: tribunadelabahia
