The Riviera Nayarit’s air connectivity continues to improve month after month as the number of domestic and international flights arriving in this region from Mexico, the United States, and soon Europe increases, expanding the portfolio of air registrations within the “Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz” International Airport.
According to data provided by terminal operator Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), 14 airlines—seven domestic and seven international—will fly to the region in April, with an average of 56 flights per day for a total of 389 per week. There are 1,556 flights projected for the rest of the month, a 9% increase over March.
The restart of the Las Vegas route by Frontier Airlines stands out, with two weekly frequencies (Thursdays and Sundays) and just over 100 passengers per flight. Southwest Airlines has also added three more frequencies on its Santa Ana route, and Alaska Airlines has added two more frequencies on its Portland route, plus an additional frequency on its San Francisco route.
On the domestic front, Aerolitoral/Aeroméxico will be operating 44 flights per week to the region, eight more than in March. Similarly, T.A.R. doubled the number of frequencies for a total of 32 per week.
The increase in flights is a positive sign for the destination and a symbol of confidence from the airlines that have served the region for years, said Marc Murphy, managing director of the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“We are pleased to see that the Riviera Nayarit remains among the preferred destinations for domestic and international travelers. Despite the global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the increasing demand generated by the region shows in the number of flights and the growing number of arrivals,” he said.
In May, there’s the possibility that TUI Airways (formerly known as Thomson Airways) will resume operations on its London and Manchester routes, on Wednesdays and Sundays, respectively, marking the reconnection of this region with Europe. However, the resumption of their activities will largely depend on the lifting of the pandemic blockades and the reopening of destinations, which seems to be increasingly imminent with the prospect of vaccinations.
According to data from the Federal Ministry of Tourism, the United Kingdom is the third most important tourism market to Mexico, only surpassed by the United States and Canada. TUI Airways is the third largest airline based in the United Kingdom in terms of the total number of passengers flown and the world’s largest charter airline.
Meanwhile, after having suspended flights to Mexico in January at the Canadian government’s request due to the new Covid-19 variants, Air Canada announced that it would resume the Toronto-Mexico route as of May 3 with a weekly frequency. Likewise, Air Transat announced that it would resume operations by mid-June, during the summer, when European volume picks up.
This month, international airlines with scheduled operations are Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, United, Sun Country, and Frontier, from the United States; plus British airline TUI Airways (Thomson). Domestic airlines flying to this region are Aeromar, T.A.R., Magnicharter, Aeroméxico, Aerolitoral, Volaris, and Viva Aerobus.
The Riviera Nayarit is currently connected to eight cities in Mexico, including Monterrey, Tijuana, Queretaro, Aguascalientes, Guadalajara, Chihuahua, San Luis Potosi, and Mexico City, as well as the Bajio region. This month, international destinations with flights include Dallas, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Chicago, Charlotte, Charlotte, San Diego, Seattle, San Francisco, Portland, San Jose, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, Houston, Denver, Santa Ana, Newark, and Las Vegas.
The Riviera Nayarit is a safe destination. Hotels, restaurants, and tourist establishments follow all the health protocols established by the Federal Government’s Ministry of Health and operate at the allowed capacities. Access to the beaches is limited. Be a responsible tourist: wear your mask and keep your distance.