PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) – After the first five months of 2023, Puerto Vallarta International Airport has seen a surge in passenger numbers, surpassing 3 million and exceeding its 2022 record by nearly 20%. However, data for May suggests a deceleration, with a modest increase of just 1%.
According to preliminary data from Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), total passenger traffic at its 12 Mexican airports grew by 10.1% in May 2023 compared to the same month last year. In particular, the airports of Guadalajara, Tijuana, Los Cabos, and Puerto Vallarta witnessed growth rates of 16.1%, 7.3%, 5.2%, and 1.0% respectively.
Puerto Vallarta International registered 494,100 passengers in May, a marginal increase from 489,000 passengers in the same month of 2022. Despite the small growth rate in May, the accumulated passenger count for the first five months of the year has reached 3,154,800, marking a significant 20.4% jump compared to the same period in 2022.
May’s figures further reveal that 237,900 passengers arrived on domestic flights to Puerto Vallarta, a 2.1% increase from the 233,100 recorded in May 2022. Cumulatively, domestic passengers after five months of 2023 stood at 1,137,600, up 18.5% from last year.
International flights also noted a modest increment, with 256,200 passengers captured, a slight 0.1% increase from May 2022. Yet, after five months, the airport recorded an impressive total of 2,017,100 international passengers, up 21.4% from the previous year.
Despite these encouraging overall figures, there are indicators of potential challenges. The GAP reported a 15.6% increase in seat volume offered in May 2023 compared to May 2022. However, the load factor (a measure of an airline’s passenger-carrying capacity) declined from 82.1% in May 2022 to 78.8% in May 2023.
This decline in load factor, alongside the slowed growth in May, warrants closer observation. As Puerto Vallarta International navigates the recovery landscape post-pandemic, maintaining steady growth will be essential to its success.
PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - After the first five months of 2023, Puerto Vallarta International Airport has seen a surge in passenger numbers, surpassing 3 million . . .
