Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP) has confirmed that air operations are fully restored at both major Jalisco airports: Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport in Puerto Vallarta and Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport in Guadalajara. The restoration of full flight schedules, confirmed on February 25, means that the connectivity infrastructure underpinning Jalisco's tourism and business economy is back to normal, a development whose significance for the region's recovery is hard to overstate.
The Operational Numbers
On February 25, Guadalajara's Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla airport reported 99% active operations, three cancellations and one scheduled delay against a full schedule of active routes. Puerto Vallarta's Díaz Ordaz airport reached 100% operational status with no cancellations. GAP also confirmed that Canadian carrier Flair Airlines had resumed service, meaning that every airline serving both airports is now active.
Guadalajara currently maintains 63 active routes, while Puerto Vallarta operates 53. These are not trivial numbers. Puerto Vallarta's 53 routes represent a route network that would be substantial for a city of its size in any country, a reflection of the international tourism demand that has made it one of Mexico's busiest leisure aviation markets. Guadalajara's 63 routes reflect its dual role as a business and tourism hub serving both domestic and international traffic.
Ground transportation is also fully operational at both airports. Guadalajara offers 24-hour taxi and shuttle service, and Passenger Experience and Quality Assurance (EPAC) agents remain stationed at both terminals to assist arriving and departing passengers. GAP has reaffirmed its commitment to quality infrastructure and passenger-focused service throughout the restoration period.
Why Air Connectivity Is So Critical to Jalisco's Tourism Economy
Puerto Vallarta's tourism economy is fundamentally dependent on air access in a way that few Mexican tourist destinations are not. Unlike Cancún, which can draw significant road traffic from nearby cities, or Mexico City, which has its own vast domestic visitor base, Puerto Vallarta is a destination that visitors, particularly international ones, reach almost exclusively by air. A disrupted flight schedule does not merely inconvenience arrivals; it directly reduces the number of tourists present in the city and cuts the flow of new arrivals that sustains daily hotel occupancy, restaurant covers, and retail sales.
The rapid restoration of full air operations therefore matters beyond the operational: it is the prerequisite for everything else in the recovery. Subsidies for businesses, hotel support packages, and promotional campaigns all depend on visitors actually being able to reach the destination. GAP's confirmation that no airlines have withdrawn from Puerto Vallarta's route network, and that a Canadian carrier that briefly paused service has fully resumed, is the most important single indicator of recovery trajectory.
Guadalajara's aviation recovery matters for a different set of reasons. As Jalisco's state capital and Mexico's second-largest metropolitan area, Guadalajara is a business hub whose airport disruption affects not only tourism but also the commercial and logistics flows that underpin the broader regional economy. The restoration of 99% operations at Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla airport signals that normal business activity in Jalisco, including the nearshoring and manufacturing investment activity that makes the state an economic engine, is resuming without lasting structural disruption.
What the Route Network Tells Us About Market Confidence
Airline route decisions are among the most commercially informed signals available about a destination's medium-term tourism health. Airlines do not maintain unprofitable routes out of goodwill, a route that continues to operate reflects a commercial judgment that load factors and yields justify the capacity. The fact that all 53 Puerto Vallarta routes and all 63 Guadalajara routes remain active, with no announced withdrawals following the late February period, is an implicit vote of confidence by the aviation industry in Jalisco's tourism recovery.
Flair Airlines' resumption of Canadian service to Puerto Vallarta is particularly noteworthy in this context. Canadian visitors represent one of Puerto Vallarta's largest and most economically significant inbound markets, the Canadian winter escape to Mexican Pacific coast destinations is a deeply established travel pattern. A Canadian carrier's decision to resume service rather than withdraw or defer is a direct signal about the industry's assessment of that market's recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Which airports serve the Jalisco region and who operates them?
A: Jalisco's two international airports are Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport in Puerto Vallarta and Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport in Guadalajara. Both are operated by Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), a publicly listed airport operator that manages 12 airports across Mexico's Pacific coast and central regions.
Q: How many routes does Puerto Vallarta's airport currently operate?
A: Puerto Vallarta's Díaz Ordaz International Airport currently operates 53 active routes, serving both domestic Mexican destinations and international markets. All airlines serving the airport are currently active, including Canadian carrier Flair Airlines which resumed service following the late February disruption period.
Q: Are there any flight cancellations or disruptions currently affecting Jalisco airports?
A: As of late February 2026, Puerto Vallarta airport is operating at 100% with no cancellations, and Guadalajara airport is at 99% active operations with minimal disruptions. GAP has confirmed that all airlines serving both airports are active and that ground transportation services are fully operational at both terminals.
Q: What airlines fly to Puerto Vallarta from Canada?
A: Multiple Canadian carriers serve Puerto Vallarta, particularly during the winter season when demand from Canadian travellers seeking warm-weather destinations peaks. Flair Airlines, a Canadian ultra-low-cost carrier, is among the airlines that recently confirmed resumption of service to Puerto Vallarta. Major Canadian carriers including Air Canada and WestJet also operate seasonal and year-round routes to the destination.
Q: How does Puerto Vallarta's airport connectivity compare to other Mexican tourist destinations?
A: Puerto Vallarta's 53-route network is substantial for a leisure destination of its size. It reflects the depth of international demand for the destination, particularly from the US and Canada, which represent its two largest inbound markets. By comparison, larger Mexican tourist hubs like Cancún operate significantly more routes, but Puerto Vallarta's network is considerably more extensive than most secondary beach destinations in Mexico.
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