Flight schedules are moving again in Puerto Vallarta, but the recovery is happening in stages. After cancellations and diversions tied to the violence in Jalisco over the weekend, several Canadian carriers are now restarting service, while some routes and schedules remain adjusted. The change matters for travelers already in Mexico and for people with trips in the next few days. It also matters for residents waiting on family arrivals, departures, or rebooked connections. The key point now is not whether flights are coming back, but how quickly each airline is restoring normal operations.
Flights are returning, but the restart is not uniform
Puerto Vallarta’s airport did not shut down as an airport facility, but flight operations were heavily affected after the violence and road blockages that began on Sunday, February 22. Airline cancellations and rebookings created the main disruption, and several carriers paused service while authorities reinforced security and reopened roads. By Monday, February 23, local reporting in Puerto Vallarta described a partial return of flights, including arrivals from the United States and Mexico City, and airport officials said conditions at the terminal remained operational. Canadian government travel guidance also said roads were reopening around Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, that both airports were open, and that domestic flights resumed on February 23, with international flights scheduled to resume on February 24. That timeline matches what airlines began announcing late Monday and early Tuesday, and it explains why some passengers saw movement before full schedules returned.
Canadian airlines are resuming service with modified plans and flexibility
Air Canada confirmed it would resume full operations to Puerto Vallarta from Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver on Tuesday, February 24, while service from Toronto to Guadalajara would resume on Wednesday, February 25. Air Canada also maintained a temporary rebooking policy for affected travelers and urged passengers to check flight status before heading to the airport. Air Transat posted a similar update, saying it planned to resume Puerto Vallarta flights on February 24 after local authorities reported no new roadblock incidents in Jalisco since midnight on February 23. It also extended a flexibility policy for departures on February 24 and 25. WestJet also announced a restart of service to Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, and Manzanillo on February 24, and travel industry coverage said Porter would resume Puerto Vallarta service the same day, with some flights operating on modified schedules. For travelers, the important detail is that “resumed” does not always mean fully restored frequencies.
What this means for expats and visitors in the next few days
For people living in Mexico or traveling through Puerto Vallarta this week, the situation is more stable than it was on Sunday, but it still requires extra planning. Airlines are operating again, yet each carrier is restoring service at its own pace, and some routes remain under special policies that expire on different dates. Travelers should treat airline status pages as the final word on their bookings, not as general headlines about reopening. That is especially important for anyone moving between Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara, or connecting onward to Canada or the United States. It is also worth checking ground transport conditions before leaving for the terminal, as the recent disruptions affected not only aircraft but also access and staffing. The broader travel risk guidance for Mexico remains in place, and Canadian authorities continue to advise a high degree of caution, with additional regional advisories that include parts of Jalisco. The practical takeaway is simple: flights are back, but travelers should confirm every step.
With information from Travelweek, Air Canada travel update, Air Transat notice to travellers, Government of Canada travel advisory for Mexico
