Aeromexico is set to increase its weekly capacity between Mexico City International Airport (MEX) and the Canadian airports Toronto International (YYZ), Montreal International (YUL), and Vancouver International (YVR) the following winter season.

Increasing connectivity

First reported by Travel Courier, Aeromexico is set to increase the number of weekly flights to its three destinations in Canada: Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. Currently, the Mexican flag carrier flies twice daily to Montreal and Toronto and thrice daily to Vancouver.

The company plans to increase its capacity for the winter season between December 2023 and January 2024. Aeromexico expects to provide 21 weekly flights to Montreal and Toronto or three daily services. Meanwhile, Vancouver will have four daily flights or 28 per week.

Photo: Guillermo Quiroz Martínez via @gquimar.

Michele Martinson, Aeromexico’s director of sales for Canada, said these Canadian cities are an important destination for the company. “We plan to increase capacity for the winter season (...) in order to offer increased travel options and flexibility for passengers.”

He added that the current performance of Aeromexico’s routes to Canada is favorable, reflecting a positive outlook. The airline employs its Boeing 737NG and 737 MAX fleets to serve the Canadian markets.

In the Mexico-Canada market, Aeromexico has the largest market share, at about 26.1%, according to data from Mexico’s aviation authorities. So far, in 2023, the country pair has had about 2.75 million passengers, barely below pre-pandemic traffic levels.

Competing against Air Canada

Air Canada is the only other carrier serving Mexico City from Canadian cities, posing as Aeromexico’s main competition.

Next January, the Canadian company will fly from Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver to Mexico City daily, offering 28 weekly services between all three routes combined (twice daily from Toronto).

Photo: Guillermo Quiroz Martínez via @gquimar

Nonetheless, Air Canada will offer a variety of other routes to Mexico, flying from several Canadian airports, including Edmonton, Montreal, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Toronto. Cancun will be Air Canada’s leading destination in Mexico, offering 31 weekly flights this upcoming winter season, followed by Mexico City (28), Puerto Vallarta (15), and Monterrey and Zihuatanejo, with four weekly flights each.

Other carriers flying between Mexico and Canada

Aeromexico is the only Mexican carrier in the Mexico-Canada market. In the past, Interjet used to be another Mexican player in the segment, but it ceased operations in December 2020. Neither Volaris nor Viva Aerobus have signaled interest in flying to the Great White North.

Besides Air Canada, other Canadian carriers flying to Mexico include WestJet (which is the second largest in the market, with a 21.8% share), Sunwing (16.8%), Air Transat (9.9%), Swoop (9.5%), and Flair (1.4%).

Nonetheless, all of these carriers bypass Mexico City. Instead, they serve leisure destinations across the country. As of August 2023, there are only 140 weekly scheduled passenger flights from Canada to Mexico (flights not operated by Aeromexico). Nonetheless, it is the low season of the year. In January 2024, there are currently 526 weekly flights, with Cancun and Puerto Vallarta taking most of these services (281 and 116, respectively). Other Mexican leisure destinations to be served in the winter season include Acapulco (ACA), Cozumel (CZM), Huatulco (HUX), Loreto (LTO), Merida (MID), Mazatlan (MZT), San José del Cabo (SJD), Zihuatanejo (ZIH), and Manzanillo (ZLO).

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Source: Travel Courier.