Mexico Airport Traffic Drops Despite World Cup Boost

Mexico’s three publicly listed airport operators reported a combined 2.9% decline in passenger traffic in 1H26, as weaker leisure travel offset gains linked to the FIFA World Cup in Monterrey. While Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte (OMA) posted growth supported by higher international arrivals, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP) and Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste (ASUR) recorded declines that weighed on the sector and triggered losses in their shares on the Mexican Stock Exchange.

According to traffic reports separately submitted to investors through the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV), ASUR, GAP and OMA handled a combined 64.7 million passengers between January and June, compared with 66.7 million during the same period in 2025.

OMA was the only airport operator to report growth during the first six months of the year. Passenger traffic reached 13.9 million travelers, up 2.4% from 13.6 million in 1H25. 

By contrast, GAP reported the largest decline among the three operators. Passenger traffic fell 5.6% year over year to 30.35 million passengers, down from 32.1 million during the same period last year.

ASUR also posted lower traffic. The operator handled 20.4 million passengers between January and June, a 2.4% decline from 20.9 million during the same period in 2025.

June's performance reflected continued pressure on domestic tourism demand. According to financial services firm Monex, GAP’s total passenger traffic declined 5.1% year over year during the month, driven by a 1.9% decrease in domestic traffic and a 9.1% drop in international passenger traffic.

Over the past 12 months, GAP’s passenger traffic declined 2.4%, while second-quarter traffic fell 5.6%, according to Monex. Within GAP’s network, Guadalajara was the only major airport to post domestic growth, with passenger traffic increasing 3.4%. However, Tijuana, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta recorded declines of 3.4%, 1.9% and 6.0%, respectively. 

International traffic also weakened across several destinations. Tijuana reported a 6.8% decline, Los Cabos fell 14.2% and Puerto Vallarta dropped 33.4%. Guadalajara partially offset those losses with an 11.5% increase in international passenger traffic.

ASUR experienced a sharper slowdown in June than during the first half overall. Passenger traffic declined 8.5% during the month, falling from 3.2 million passengers in June 2025 to 2.99 million in June 2026.

Monex said ASUR’s June performance reflected persistent challenges at Cancun and San Juan, Puerto Rico, where passenger recovery has remained slower than expected. The firm also pointed to operational challenges at the company’s Colombian airports.

"For the remainder of 2026, we expect the company to post lower growth than we had projected at the beginning of the year due to the slower stabilization of international traffic and operational challenges in Cancun," Monex said.

The passenger data coincided with a negative market reaction. Shares of ASUR fell 6.1% on July 7, while GAP declined 6% and OMA dropped 4.6% following the publication of the June traffic figures.

According to Gabriela Siller, Director of Economic and Financial Analysis, Banco Base, investors reacted to weaker-than-expected passenger numbers despite OMA remaining in positive territory.

"The losses followed the release of the June passenger traffic report. Although Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte posted annual passenger growth of 2.1%, the result came in below market expectations," Siller told EFE.

Siller said weaker tourism demand during June affected airport traffic as some travelers postponed trips because of concerns about congestion and logistical challenges associated with the FIFA World Cup. "A portion of travelers likely postponed or canceled their trips because they anticipated congestion and logistical problems related to the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Mexico," she said.

International booking data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) also showed that expectations of a broad World Cup-driven travel surge were not reflected across all host cities. Mexico City and Guadalajara were the only two of the tournament’s 16 host cities to record year-over-year declines in flight bookings for June and July. Reservations fell 2.2% in Mexico City and 3.4% in Guadalajara.

IATA Director General Willie Walsh said large sporting events often shift travel demand rather than generate net growth. "These events tend to be negative for airlines because they disrupt business travel," Walsh said previously. "People often believe they will create a major boom, but that is not usually the case."

Monterrey emerged as the strongest-performing airport among Mexico’s World Cup host cities. During June, Monterrey International Airport increased international passenger traffic by 10.3%, handling 235,257 international travelers out of a total of 1.33 million passengers.

OMA said international traffic accelerated during the second half of June as tournament activities intensified. Between June 15 and June 21, international passenger traffic increased 12.9%, while traffic between June 22 and June 28 rose 25.5%, marking the strongest weekly growth of the month. During the final two days of June, international traffic remained 9.1% above year-earlier levels.

"The increase in international traffic confirms a trend we have been promoting for several years: strengthening Monterrey's connectivity with key domestic and international markets," said Ricardo Dueñas, CEO, OMA. "Our responsibility is to ensure the region's growth is supported by airport infrastructure prepared to meet future needs."