PUERTO VALLARTA, Jalisco, Oct. 1, 2026 — Puerto Vallarta’s airport operator expects passenger traffic to improve from November as airlines restore winter capacity, its chief executive said Sept. 30.
Raúl Revuelta Musalem, CEO of Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico, said airlines were restoring seats in his Sept. 30 remarks. “Many of the airline seats lost are coming back,” he said in Spanish.
GAP’s August figures recorded the 26.3% decline in international traffic we reported earlier. Domestic traffic fell 2% from the same month in 2025, the operator said.
More Canadian flights for residents
For residents planning trips to Canada, WestJet’s announced winter schedule includes additional flights to Puerto Vallarta. The airline announced Aug. 17 that Saskatoon service will increase from four to five weekly flights during peak periods.
WestJet also plans more Winnipeg frequencies, according to that announcement. Its winter schedule includes seasonal Boeing 787 service on selected Calgary-Puerto Vallarta flights.
Those additions provide specific examples of increased capacity behind Revuelta’s broader forecast. They are scheduled services; the airport’s monthly reports measure the passenger traffic those flights ultimately carry.
International routes account for most of the shortfall
I compared the domestic and international totals in GAP’s August passenger report, released Sept. 4. Based on those figures, international routes accounted for about 89% of the airport’s passenger shortfall through August.
GAP reported 4.233 million terminal passengers from January through August, down 12.4% from 4.832 million a year earlier.
International traffic fell by 534,400 passengers during that period. Domestic traffic declined by 64,500. My calculation from GAP’s published totals puts the combined shortfall at 598,900.
The same report recorded 426,900 passengers in August, compared with 475,800 in August 2025. Domestic services accounted for 307,700 passengers, while international services accounted for 119,200.
Revuelta attributed the downturn to security incidents in Jalisco in February. He identified November through March as the airport’s peak season and cited U.S. Thanksgiving as a driver of winter demand.
His forecast anticipates improving traffic during that season and positive figures into 2027.
Storm assessment addressed airport operations
Revuelta said recent heavy rains and hurricanes had caused no cancellations or significant airport disruption as of his Sept. 30 remarks. “There is nothing to report,” he said in Spanish.
We reported flight delays during Hurricane Polo on Sept. 26. Four days later, Revuelta’s comments addressed airport operations and the absence of cancellations.
