Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - With little precipitation and an average temperature of 73°F, December is one of the best times of the year to visit Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Nayarit, and a variety of airlines are capitalizing on the opportunity by launching new routes and additional flights from the U.S. west coast all the way to the Mexican coast.

Interjet, Southwest Airlines and American Airlines have all recently announced the addition of new flights and routes from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to the Puerto Vallarta International airport (PVR).

Beginning on Sunday, December 4, Southwest Airlines will offer once daily nonstop flights from LAX to Vallarta-Nayarit while starting Thursday, December 15, American Airlines will fly nonstop daily from LAX to PVR. Both routes are accepting reservations now.

Interjet is in the process of adding four new routes from LAX to PVR, after having just recently added new non-stop service between Mexico City and Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Chicago.

New to Riviera Nayarit is the W Punta de Mita, which Travel Agent Central had the opportunity to experience via webinar recently. The property marks W Hotel's 48th hotel worldwide, its fifth in Central America and the company's second in Mexico.

Guest rooms of the W Punta de Mita are decorated with surfboards and punctured tin headboards, with photos of historical figures on the walls. Suites offer private patios or balconies, while villas like the Ocean Escape and Jungle Escape highlight Riviera Nayarit's nature, offering views of both the ocean and forest. For the ultimate experience in luxury, the Extreme Wow Suite offers over 4,400 square feet of space, complete with two bedrooms and a pool.

Also on site at W Punta de Mita are four restaurants, the WET Deck (featuring a pool, lounge chairs, private VIP cabanas, an open grill and bar plus a DJ booth), and the AWAY Spa, which is made of 4,000 square feet designed to feel like a forest cave.

Also upcoming in the Riviera Nayarit will be the International Beach Polo World Cup, hosted by Nuevo Vallarta, as well as the opportunity for tequila tastings at sunset at Bistro Organic. For animal lovers, be sure to watch for the humpback whales which typically arrive in the waters of Banderas Bay around mid-December.