Mexican Air Travelers Abroad Rose 9.9% in Early 2025

In the first four months of 2025, 2.39 million Mexican residents traveled abroad by air, marking a record high for the period, according to data from Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). This represents a 9.9% increase compared to the 2.17 million who traveled internationally by air during the same period in 2024.

“There is significant growth in outbound air travel from Mexico. Without a doubt, this is a record figure, and we could see the year close at around 8 million, an unprecedented milestone,” said Francisco Madrid, Director, Center for Advanced Research in Sustainable Tourism (STARC) at Universidad Anáhuac Cancun. His remarks came during the National Tourism Business Council’s (CNET) tourism outlook presentation.

Madrid highlighted that, despite challenges such as an unfavorable exchange rate for the peso and ongoing international tensions—particularly with the United States—Mexican travelers continue to venture abroad in increasing numbers. “Where are Mexicans traveling? Mainly to the United States, although destinations are diversifying. Spain and Canada remain major destinations, with six out of ten Mexican travelers choosing these three countries,” he added.

Mexican travelers’ spending abroad during the period totaled US$3.9 billion, a 22.4% increase compared to the first four months of 2024.

While outbound travel is booming, inbound tourism has shown mixed results. International arrivals to Mexico reached 15.6 million between January and April 2025, a 6% increase year-over-year, generating US$13.3 billion in revenue, a 6.4% rise. Mexico is projected to welcome 46.1 million international visitors by the end of the year, representing 2.5% annual growth, according to Madrid.

However, international air arrivals declined during this period. The number of passengers arriving in Mexico by air fell by 2.4%, totaling 8.5 million.

“While we celebrate the resilience of Mexico’s tourism sector and its ability to generate revenue and employment, the decline in air arrivals—especially from key markets like Colombia—signals the need to strengthen promotion and connectivity,” said Braulio Arsuaga, President, CNET.

He also noted a decrease in arrivals from France and stressed the importance of maintaining strong air links with international markets. The United States, Argentina, and Canada remain the primary sources of inbound air travelers.

According to CNET, Mexico retained its position as the world’s sixth most-visited country by international tourist arrivals in 2024. The top five were France, Spain, the United States, Turkey, and Italy.