US DOT Lifts Restrictions on Mexican Airlines' New US Routes From Mexico City Nearly a Year After Blocking 13 Routes
Why It MattersReopening Mexico City to new Mexican-carrier US services eases a bilateral slot standoff that had frozen capacity growth on one of the largest cross-border air markets.
The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has lifted restrictions that prevented Mexican airlines from launching new US routes from Mexico City's two international airports, almost a year after it blocked 13 routes operated or planned by Aeromexico, Volaris and Viva Aerobus. The decision took effect immediately on Friday, October 16, allowing Mexican carriers to again apply for new routes and additional flights to the US from Mexico City International Airport (MEX) and Felipe Ángeles International Airport (NLU). The DOT said the decision reflected steps Mexico had taken to address US concerns over its compliance with the 2015 US–Mexico Air Transport Agreement.
The restrictions stemmed from a dispute that began in 2022, when Mexico rescinded slots held by US passenger airlines at MEX, reducing hourly movements and significantly affecting American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. In February 2023, Mexico ordered cargo airlines, including FedEx and UPS, to leave MEX and move to NLU. Mexico said the measures were meant to reduce congestion at its main airport, but Washington argued that Mexican passenger airlines kept an advantage because they could continue carrying cargo in the holds of their aircraft at MEX. On October 28, 2025, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued an order revoking approval for 11 proposed routes and two existing Aeromexico services from Mexico City, saying Mexico had "illegally" canceled and frozen US carrier flights for three years. The order also blocked Mexican airlines from launching new routes or increasing frequencies between Mexico City and the US. Viva Aerobus was hit the hardest; Aeromexico lost a planned MEX–San Juan route due to begin on October 29, 2025, and had to axe existing flights from NLU to Houston and McAllen.
The decision 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 and that Washington will closely monitor Mexico's compliance with its commitments. The lifting follows months of negotiations: in late 2025, Mexican airlines returned six slots at MEX to US carriers, and a preliminary agreement on further reforms to airport slot allocation was reached in May. Mexico says it is committed to introducing a capacity declaration process in line with international best practices, ensuring US airlines have fair and transparent access to request and operate slots at MEX.
