PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO — Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR) has reported its ninth consecutive month of declining international arrivals, underscoring ongoing challenges for one of Mexico’s premier coastal destinations. Despite a slight overall increase in total passenger traffic for March 2025, international visitor numbers continued to drop compared to the same period last year.
According to preliminary figures from Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), PVR welcomed 762,800 passengers last month—up by just 0.8% from 756,600 in March 2024. This marginal growth was driven by a surge in domestic travel: 231,500 domestic passengers arrived in March, a 12.8% increase from 205,200 in 2024.
However, the airport saw 531,300 international arrivals in March 2025—a 3.6% decrease from 551,400 in the same month last year. Over the first quarter of 2025, PVR tallied 1,472,500 international passengers, reflecting a 4.6% drop from 1,543,800 in the same period of 2024.
Although domestic demand helped cushion the overall figures—leading to a modest 0.4% growth in total passengers during the first three months of the year—airport officials remain cautious. The continuing downturn in international arrivals suggests a shift that could affect tourism-dependent businesses in Puerto Vallarta and across the Bay of Banderas region.
Despite Puerto Vallarta’s challenges, GAP’s broader network of 12 Mexican airports posted a combined 7.0% increase in total passenger traffic in March 2025, compared to the same period last year. Leading the way were the airports in Guadalajara (up 10.4%), Tijuana (up 5.6%), and Los Cabos (up 3.5%). Meanwhile, the overall volume of available seats in March grew by 9.0% from 2024 to 2025, even as the load factor—a measure of how full flights are—edged downward from 84.0% to 81.5% in March.
In a bid to strengthen connectivity, several new routes were inaugurated in March:
- Guanajuato – Monterrey (Volaris)
- Puerto Vallarta – Sacramento (Southwest)
- Los Cabos – Nashville (Southwest)
- Los Cabos – Oakland (Volaris)
While these additions signal optimism for regional air travel, Puerto Vallarta’s persistent dip in international arrivals remains a concern. Tourism and aviation stakeholders alike will be closely watching passenger trends in the coming months to gauge the pace and trajectory of the city’s recovery.
PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO — Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR) has reported its ninth consecutive month of declining international arrivals, underscoring ongoing challenges for one of Mexico’s premier coastal destinations. Despite a slight overall increase in total passenger traffic for March 2025, international visitor numbers continued to drop compared to the same period last year.
