Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – In response to increased demand from US travelers, more airlines are launching more flights to Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Nayarit. Such is the case of Alaska Airlines and Delta Airlines who have added flights from Portland, Seattle and Salt Lake City.
The Gustavo Diaz International Airport usually sees this type of increase in the early winter rather than just before the summer months.
According to data from Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), who operates the PVR airport, air traffic usually decreases in May (before the summer season). However, possibly due to demand coming back as the pandemic wanes, this year is seeing a rise in the number of flights compared to last month.
GAP officials say that 14 airlines will be flying to the Banderas Bay region, with an average of 47 flights per day, for a total of 1,474 flights this month.
This development is a possible consequence of a recent announcement by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that U.S. citizens who have already received two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine will be able to resume traveling. To date, more than 53% of the US population has already received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“The United States is well ahead in its vaccination process, so we’re now seeing some airlines starting to operate routes that are usually active only in the winter,” said Marc Murphy, managing director of the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB).
As of May, United and Alaska continue to be the U.S. airlines with the most flights to the Banderas Bay region, with an average of 28 and 64 a week, respectively.
On the national front, Aeromexico and Aerolitoral maintain their supremacy in the domestic market, with an average of 44 flights per week.
Viva Aerobus began operating a non-stop flight from Ciudad Juarez to Puerto Vallarta on Sunday, May 2, with two frequencies per week (Thursdays and Sundays).
Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua is a strategic point on the northern border of Mexico, with a potential market of 1,428,000 inhabitants, it also borders El Paso, Texas, so many North Americans could take this opportunity to travel to their favorite beach destination on the Mexican Pacific.
With a duration of 2 hours and 10 minutes this non-stop flight shortens travel time for those traveling from Ciudad Juarez. Previously travelers along this route had to make a stopover in Guadalajara, Monterrey, or Mexico City, which took up to a full day.
Added to this, Spirit Airlines recently announced plans to continue its international expansion by adding Puerto Vallarta’s Licenciado Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR) to its route map. As of July 1 Spirit will offer daily direct flights from Los Angeles as well as Dallas (DFW) and Houston (IAH) with three weekly frequencies on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
Overall airline activity has had its ups and downs since commercial airlines resumed service in June of last year, following the end of the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, only 11 airlines resumed flights to the region. Since then, tourism has gradually increased, thanks to more routes being added by more airlines, and increased passenger capacity on existing flights.
“We must reiterate that health and safety conditions for tourists are guaranteed. Both the airport and the airlines follow strict protocols and sanitary measures endorsed by state, national & international authorities to prevent possible COVID infections,” GAP assured.
Sources: Puerto Vallarta Tourism Trust – Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau