PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico - The Puerto Vallarta International Airport is on the cusp of a historic milestone, approaching 5.5 million passengers after the October count, aligning closely with its previous year's performance for the same month and marking a cessation in a transient decline.
Preliminary data issued by Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP) reveals a 4.7% ascent in total passenger traffic across its 12 Mexican airports for October 2023, juxtaposed with October 2022's figures. Tijuana and Guadalajara airports were significant contributors to this uptick, posting increases of 4.1% and 3.4%, respectively, relative to the same month last year.
The data highlights that Puerto Vallarta's gateway saw 437,400 passengers in the month of October, a slender yet notable 1 percent rise from the 437,100 passengers documented in October 2022. This increment has contributed to an accumulative passenger count of 5 million 498 thousand 300 for the first ten months of 2023, boasting a robust 10.7% increase from the same period in the preceding year, thereby maintaining a double-digit growth trajectory and edging towards a new annual record.
A closer examination of the passenger composition reveals that domestic flights brought 212,300 travelers to the coastal city, which is 8.2% fewer than the 231,200 arrivals in October of the preceding year. Conversely, the domestic segment, over a span of ten months, accounts for 2,409,400 passengers, surpassing last year's numbers by 10.8%.
The international flight segment showcased a more buoyant expansion with 225,100 passengers in October 2023, ascending by 9.3% from the 205,800 recorded in the same month of the previous year. Cumulatively, the international passenger count for the year has reached three million 88,800, up by 10.6% from the previous year.
October also saw a 4.0% increase in the volume of seats offered compared to October 2022. The seat load factor, a measure of airline capacity utilization, saw a modest rise from 81.4% in October of the previous year to 82.0% in October 2023.
The month was marked by the inauguration of several new routes, notably from Aguascalientes to Felipe Ángeles (Aeroméxico), Guanajuato to Felipe Ángeles (Aeroméxico), Los Cabos to Kansas City (Southwest), Tijuana to Puebla (VivaAerobus), and a direct connection between Puerto Vallarta and Toronto (Flair).
This positive progression in passenger volumes and the introduction of new routes underscore the Puerto Vallarta International Airport's growing significance as a hub for both domestic and international travelers. The airport's continued expansion and the increasing traveler throughput herald a strong closing for the year 2023 and set an optimistic tone for the forthcoming year.
