Puerto Vallarta Airport Strengthens Commercial Travel

Puerto Vallarta International Airport expects a 20 percent increase in domestic and international operations, in comparison to the previous months, thanks to the arrival of tourists from Canada and the US. These arrivals are expected to counteract the fall in passenger traffic the airport dealt with during the previous year.

The Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport or Puerto Vallarta International Airport, located in Jalisco and part of Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), is still dealing with the fallout from the pandemic, which airport traffic. Between January and May 2021, the airport saw about 595,000 passengers, while during the first five months of 2019 it saw 660,600. This represents a 9.9 percent decrease in passenger traffic. However, passenger traffic is picking up. In May 2021, Puerto Vallarta saw around 153,900 passengers, close to May 2019’s 157,800 passengers. The airport estimates that July could bring even more passengers and allow the airport to even surpass its pre-pandemic levels, reports A21.

According to the Federal Aviation Agency (AFAC), from January through May 2021 the airport reported 3,017 domestic flights, most of them from the State of Mexico, Guadalajara and Tijuana, in that order. The airport also saw over 3,500 international flights, most of them coming from Los Angeles, with Houston in second place and Phoenix and Dallas tied in third place.

Puerto Vallarta International Airport has experienced significant growth during the last few years. This month it celebrated the arrival of Spirit Airlines, which is offering more routes to Los Angeles, Houston and Dallas and will connect the city with other destinations in the US. Spirit Airlines is a US low-cost carrier that could lead to higher demand of international flights and to more passengers coming to the Mexican airport. “We are very excited to officially begin our flights to Puerto Vallarta and to continue increasing our presence in Mexico,” said Camilo Martelo, Director of International Airports of Spirit Airlines, according to Aviacion Online. “Offering our passengers convenient flights at low prices and to new destinations is what our airline is all about. We proudly welcome our passengers from Puerto Vallarta,” he concluded.