Puerto Vallarta’s international arrivals fall for 12th straight month

August didn’t bring a turnaround for Puerto Vallarta’s overseas market. International arrivals fell 6.3% year over year—the twelfth straight monthly decline—while domestic demand kept total traffic rising. The slide began last September and persisted across the winter and summer seasons. Nationally, Mexico is welcoming more international visitors by air, which makes Puerto Vallarta’s pattern stand out. With winter schedules approaching, the airport needs more than new routes to reset the trend. Here’s what the latest GAP data show—and what it means on the ground.

In August, Puerto Vallarta closed out a full year of decline in overseas traffic. International passengers fell 6.3% year over year, capping twelve consecutive monthly drops even as total throughput rose on the strength of domestic travel.

A year of declines in Puerto Vallarta international arrivals

The losing streak in Puerto Vallarta international arrivals began last September, when the segment plunged 17.3% versus 2023. The falls continued through the winter high season—down 6.5% in December—and into early 2025, with January down 3.0%, February down 7.3% and March down 3.6%.

Spring didn’t break the pattern. April registered a 2.7% decline; May slipped 0.6%; June fell 5.8%; July dropped 5.1%; and August rounded out the twelfth month at −6.3% year over year. Together, those prints confirm a continuous twelve-month skid in the airport’s overseas segment.

Domestic demand props up totals

The airport is not empty. Domestic travel has kept the turnstiles moving. In August, total passengers at Puerto Vallarta increased 4.4% year over year, even with the international drag, thanks to local demand. Year-to-date, the domestic side is running ahead of 2024, giving the hub a buffer that overseas routes aren’t providing right now.

The new service has tried to nudge the trend. During the first quarter, airlines added routes such as Puerto Vallarta–New York JFK and Sacramento. Those additions helped fill seats, but they haven’t reversed the year-over-year slide in the international column.

Context across Mexico’s gateways

Puerto Vallarta’s slump contrasts with Mexico’s broader picture. Nationally, the country is admitting more international visitors by air this year; June’s tally showed a 10% year-over-year increase in international tourists, according to INEGI. In other words, the pie is growing—even if Puerto Vallarta’s slice has shrunk over the past year.

Sector data also keep Puerto Vallarta among the nation’s key international gateways alongside Cancún, Mexico City, Los Cabos, and Guadalajara. But the year-long slide signals that demand or capacity is shifting within that club in ways that haven’t favored the Bay of Banderas.

Why Puerto Vallarta international arrivals keep slipping

GAP’s monthly traffic tables don’t diagnose causes, but the pattern is clear. Last fall, the international segment weakened sharply, and it continued to underperform in the winter and summer months despite network tweaks. That suggests the story is bigger than a single season or one airline’s schedule.

The domestic-international split matters on the ground. Hotels, tour operators, and restaurants that depend on long-haul visitors may be feeling a different recovery than businesses that serve Mexican travelers. For now, locals and domestic visitors are keeping the airport’s totals in the black, but the overseas softness is real—and persistent.

Outlook heading into peak season

All eyes turn to the winter schedule. Airlines added capacity to Puerto Vallarta over the past year, and the destination remains a mainstay for North American leisure carriers. Yet after twelve months of declines, the international side needs consistent year-over-year gains—not just seasonal bumps—to change the narrative. August proved that total traffic can grow while the international column falls. The subsequent few reports will show whether that dynamic holds or finally breaks.

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