Aeroméxico’s U.S. Flights Are Back—But Political Crosswinds Threaten New Routes

The landscape for flights between Mexico and the United States has shifted rapidly over the past two years, and nowhere is that more evident than at Aeroméxico. After years of safety-related caps, a burst of growth, and now a new wave of U.S. regulatory limits, travelers are understandably asking whether their favorite cross‑border routes are truly back for good. If you are planning a beach vacation, a business hop to a U.S. hub, or a visit home along the busy U.S.–Mexico corridor, understanding Aeroméxico’s U.S. flight restoration is essential before you book.

From Safety Downgrade To Reopened Skyways

The story of Aeroméxico’s U.S. route restoration starts in May 2021, when the United States Federal Aviation Administration downgraded Mexico’s safety rating from Category 1 to Category 2. That move did not cancel existing flights, but it froze Mexican airlines in place. For Aeroméxico, that meant it could not add new routes or extra frequencies to the United States, and U.S. partners could not put their codes on new Aeroméxico-operated flights.

For more than two years, Aeroméxico maintained its most important U.S. links but could not respond to surging demand for leisure and visiting-friends-and-relatives travel. While many U.S. carriers ramped up capacity into Mexican beach destinations, Mexican airlines themselves were shut out of growth opportunities north of the border. This imbalance set the stage for an aggressive rebound once regulators gave the green light.

That turning point came in September 2023, when Mexico regained Category 1 status. With the safety rating restored, the legal roadblocks were suddenly gone. The Mexican government announced plans for dozens of new routes to the United States, and Aeroméxico quickly became the flagship of that expansion wave, with a focus on linking major Mexican cities to key U.S. business and hub airports.

The Big Expansion: New U.S. Routes And Frequencies

Once the FAA upgrade took effect, Aeroméxico moved fast. The airline outlined plans to launch 17 new transborder routes in 2024, building a far denser web of connections between Mexico and the United States. The strategy leaned heavily on Delta Air Lines hubs, reflecting the two carriers’ long-standing joint venture at the time.

From Mexico City’s main Benito Juárez airport, Aeroméxico restored and added routes to Boston, Detroit, Salt Lake City, and Washington Dulles. Many of these links had existed before the pandemic or the safety downgrade but had been off the map for years. Their return mattered to both corporate travelers and leisure passengers looking for one-stop connections deeper into the United States or Mexico.

Beyond the capital, the airline turned regional Mexican cities into transborder gateways. Guadalajara gained new service to Atlanta and Detroit. Monterrey picked up flights to Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York JFK, and Salt Lake City, strengthening its role as an industrial and corporate bridge. Mid-sized cities such as León/Guanajuato, Querétaro, and Mérida saw new links to Atlanta and Detroit, opening more direct options for travelers who previously connected through Mexico City or American hubs.

In parallel, seasonal and short-term expansions targeted high-demand winter and holiday periods. For example, in the 2024–2025 winter season Aeroméxico scheduled new flights from Guadalajara to Miami, Las Vegas, and Orlando, along with additional routes from Monterrey to Las Vegas, Miami, New York JFK, and Orlando. Many of these services were operated with modern Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, offering more seats and better fuel efficiency on routes popular with families and leisure travelers.

Political Crosswinds: New U.S. Limits On Mexican Carriers

While Aeroméxico was adding routes, a new challenge emerged from Washington. In late 2025 the U.S. Department of Transportation took a much more confrontational stance toward Mexican aviation policy, accusing Mexico of unfairly limiting U.S. carriers’ access to congested Mexico City airports while allowing Mexican airlines to expand into the U.S. market.

In October 2025 U.S. officials ordered the cancellation of 13 current or planned routes by Mexican airlines that connected to the newer Felipe Ángeles (AIFA) airport serving the Mexico City region, and froze growth for Mexican carriers’ combined passenger-and-cargo flights at the older Benito Juárez (AICM) airport. For Aeroméxico, that meant an immediate halt to certain AIFA–U.S. services and a block on adding more capacity out of AICM to American destinations, at least for flights that carry both people and freight in the same aircraft belly.

At the same time, the U.S. government ordered the dissolution of the Delta–Aeroméxico joint venture, which had underpinned many of the newly launched routes and codeshare arrangements. While flights themselves were not automatically canceled with that order, the loss of the joint venture removed a powerful incentive for both carriers to maintain marginal routes, and it injected new uncertainty into the long-term shape of the network.

The result for travelers is a patchwork picture. Some routes that Aeroméxico restored or added after the Category 1 upgrade remain in operation, while others tied to AIFA or dependent on the tightest Delta coordination have been canceled or scaled back. The regulatory tug-of-war has effectively placed a ceiling on how far and fast Aeroméxico can grow in the U.S. market in the near term.

What Is Actually Back? Key Routes And Destinations

For U.S. travelers, the most important question is not the politics but the map. As of early 2026, many cornerstone Aeroméxico routes linking major U.S. cities to Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey continue to operate. Mexico City Benito Juárez still anchors a dense schedule to top American gateways such as Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Houston, Miami, and others, forming the backbone of Aeroméxico’s U.S. operation.

The restoration of flights from Mexico City to Boston, Washington Dulles, Detroit, and Salt Lake City, along with the added links from Guadalajara and Monterrey to Delta hubs like Atlanta, Detroit, New York JFK, and Los Angeles, has largely held. These routes tap into strong business demand, deep corporate ties, and heavy connecting traffic. Even with political friction, they are difficult for either side to walk away from.

Where the picture becomes more fragile is at the margins of Aeroméxico’s network. AIFA-based services directly into the United States, such as earlier plans to connect the new Mexico City airport with Dallas Fort Worth or McAllen in Texas, have been especially vulnerable. Some of these flights were never launched, while others that did begin operating were later suspended after U.S. orders took effect.

Seasonal leisure routes are also inherently more volatile. Winter-only links from Guadalajara and Monterrey to cities like Orlando, Las Vegas, and Miami are often adjusted based on demand, aircraft availability, and regulatory conditions. A route that operates for a few weeks over the holidays may not return the following year, even if it appears in initial schedules. For travelers, that means any restored route that is clearly labeled as seasonal should be treated as opportunistic rather than permanent.

How The Changes Affect U.S. Travelers

From a passenger perspective, Aeroméxico’s U.S. flight restoration has been a mixed blessing. On the positive side, the return of pre‑downgrade routes and the creation of new links have greatly expanded choice. Travelers in cities such as Boston, Washington, Atlanta, Detroit, and Salt Lake City now have more nonstops or one-stop options into Mexico’s interior than they did just a few years ago.

In many markets, the combined presence of Aeroméxico and U.S. competitors has produced more competitive fares, particularly in economy cabins outside peak holiday weeks. The use of fuel-efficient aircraft, including the Boeing 737 MAX family, has helped the airline deploy capacity on routes that would have been marginal with older jets, indirectly benefiting travelers through added frequencies or improved schedules.

The downside is volatility. Because some Aeroméxico routes are tightly bound up with shifting regulatory rules, they can change more quickly than passengers are used to. A flight that exists when you first research a trip may have its frequency cut back or its timetable reshuffled if new U.S. or Mexican measures take hold. Travelers who value flexibility need to pay closer attention than before to fare rules, refund options, and reaccommodation policies on U.S.–Mexico itineraries.

The unraveling of the Delta joint venture also has practical consequences. While both airlines continue to cooperate commercially, certain benefits that grew out of the deepest level of partnership may weaken over time, including the breadth of coordinated schedules and the ease of securing smooth connections across the network. Frequent flyers in U.S. programs may still earn miles and enjoy status benefits on Aeroméxico flights, but the overall experience could become less seamless on some connecting itineraries than it was under the full joint venture structure.

Is Your Specific Dream Destination Back On The Map?

If you have a particular U.S.–Mexico pairing in mind, the only reliable approach today is to think of Aeroméxico’s network in layers. Large, long-established routes between major U.S. cities and Mexico City, Guadalajara, Cancun, and Monterrey form the stable core. These are the flights most likely to continue through regulatory squalls, because they carry consistently high demand and sit at the center of each airline’s cross-border business.

Secondary business routes, such as those connecting mid-sized Mexican industrial cities to Delta hubs, form the next layer. León/Guanajuato to Atlanta, Querétaro to Detroit, and Mérida to Atlanta fit this pattern. These routes were restored or launched as part of the post‑Category 1 expansion and play a strategic role in serving corporate travelers and the auto and manufacturing sectors. They are more exposed than core trunk lines but still have a strong commercial rationale.

Seasonal or niche leisure routes sit in the outermost layer. Winter-only services from Guadalajara or Monterrey to Orlando, Las Vegas, or additional Florida points quickly appear in schedules when demand justifies them and disappear when it does not. If your dream trip depends on one of these flights, it is wise to plan within the specific operating window already loaded into the schedule and not assume the service will be there the following season.

For the average traveler, this layered view offers a practical rule of thumb: if your route connects two large cities that have long had ties, restoration is likely to be durable. If it is a newer or more specialized pairing, especially from AIFA, you should treat it as subject to change until you actually step on board.

Booking Smart: How To Navigate Aeroméxico’s Rebound

The shifting policy environment does not mean you should avoid Aeroméxico or cross‑border flights altogether. It does mean that a little extra diligence can help protect your plans. The first step is to pay attention to whether your desired route is labeled as seasonal or year-round when you search. Seasonal flights are not necessarily risky, but by definition they operate only within specified dates, and shoulder-period departures are more likely to be adjusted.

Second, consider booking on a single ticket if your journey involves connections, especially across airlines. When your itinerary is on one ticket, you benefit from built-in protections if a schedule change or cancellation occurs. Aeroméxico and U.S. partners can then rebook you on alternative flights within the same reservation more easily than if you pieced together separate tickets yourself.

Third, it is worth reviewing fare conditions more carefully than in the past. Many basic economy fares on both sides of the border now carry substantial change fees or do not allow voluntary changes at all, even when the underlying operating environment is fluid. Opting for a fare that permits no‑penalty changes, or using a credit card that adds trip protection, may be a smart trade-off on routes that have recently been added or adjusted.

Finally, keep an eye on schedule updates in the months leading up to departure. Airlines routinely refine timetables 30 to 90 days out, and Aeroméxico is no exception. Monitoring your booking in the airline’s app or via email alerts increases the chances that you will spot a change early, when more alternative flights are still available.

The Bottom Line: Restored, But Not Yet Settled

Aeroméxico’s restoration of U.S. flights is far more than a symbolic return. After years of regulatory constraint, the airline has rebuilt and expanded its network to offer more daily frequencies, more city pairs, and more modern aircraft than it could deploy during the Category 2 period. For many travelers, that translates into shorter travel times, additional nonstop options, and improved connectivity across both countries.

At the same time, new U.S. limits on growth from Mexico City airports and the end of the Delta joint venture have introduced another layer of uncertainty. Certain routes from the newer Felipe Ángeles airport have already been suspended, and further adjustments are possible as regulators and airlines continue to jostle over market access and competition.

The practical implication is that your dream destination may indeed be back on the map, but its long-term status depends on which part of Aeroméxico’s network it falls into. Core trunk routes between major cities look solid. Business-focused links from secondary Mexican cities to U.S. hubs sit on a somewhat shakier foundation but still enjoy strong demand. Highly seasonal or politically sensitive routes remain at the mercy of both regulators and booking trends.

For now, the restored U.S. flights offer genuine new opportunities for travelers on both sides of the border. Those who pair flexible planning with careful route selection can take full advantage of Aeroméxico’s expanded schedule, even as the broader policy and partnership picture continues to evolve.