The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has officially lifted restrictions that prevented Mexican airlines from launching new routes to the United States. The decision, which took effect on Friday, October 16, allows carriers to once again apply for new services and additional flights from Mexico City International Airport (MEX) and Felipe Ángeles International Airport (NLU). This move ends a regulatory standoff that began nearly a year ago.
Resolution of the 2025 Route Blockade
The restrictions were originally imposed in October 2025 by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. At that time, the DOT canceled 13 routes operated or planned by Aeromexico, Volaris, and Viva Aerobus. The order revoked approval for 11 proposed routes and two existing Aeromexico services. The agency argued that Mexico had breached the 2015 US-Mexico Air Transport Agreement by restricting US airlines’ access to slots at MEX.
Under the previous order, Mexican carriers were blocked from launching new routes or increasing frequencies on existing services between Mexico City and the US. Viva Aerobus was hit hardest by the initial blockade, losing nine planned routes to major US hubs including Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York JFK, and Orlando. Aeromexico was forced to cancel a planned service to San Juan and existing flights to Houston and McAllen. Volaris was also barred from launching a planned service to Newark.
The lifting of these measures follows months of negotiations and concessions between the two nations. In late 2025, Mexican airlines returned six slots at MEX to US carriers. A preliminary agreement on further reforms to airport slot allocation was reached in May, leading to the current resolution.
Background on Airport Slot Disputes
The roots of the conflict trace back to 2022, when Mexican authorities began withdrawing slots held by US passenger airlines at MEX. The changes significantly impacted American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. In February 2023, Mexico ordered cargo airlines to relocate their operations from MEX to the nearby NLU airport. While Mexican officials stated the move was intended to reduce congestion, US carriers argued the relocation was enforced at short notice and put them at a competitive disadvantage.
Washington maintained that the measures gave Mexican airlines an unfair advantage, as passenger carriers could continue carrying cargo in the holds of their aircraft at MEX while US cargo operators like FedEx and UPS were forced to move to NLU. The DOT stated that the recent decision reflects steps Mexico has taken to address US concerns regarding compliance with the 2015 Air Transport Agreement.
Mexico has committed to introducing a capacity declaration process aligned with international best practices. This process aims to ensure US airlines have fair and transparent access to request and operate slots at MEX. However, the lifting of the route restrictions does not remove every measure introduced during the dispute. Mexican airlines must still file their US schedules with the DOT and obtain approval for services using large aircraft.
A US official told Reuters that two other orders will remain in place. Washington will closely monitor Mexico’s compliance with its commitments to ensure the terms of the agreement are fully met. The immediate effect of the new order is that Mexican carriers can now resume applications for expanded services to the US market.
Source: Simple Flying
