Leveraging Mexico’s return to Category 1 in aviation safety by the United States Federal Aviation Administration, Viva Aerobus announced this Tuesday the launch of six new routes to the US from Monterrey, which, along with another four domestic routes, represent the largest expansion of the low-cost airline in the history of that airport.
Details of new routes to the United States
- Monterrey – Denver: will begin operations on January 25, 2024 with two weekly flights on Thursdays and Sundays.
- Monterrey – Austin: starting March 22, 2024 with four weekly flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
- Monterrey – Orlando: will inaugurate on May 9, 2024 with three weekly flights on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
- Monterrey – Miami: will operate from July 1, 2024 with three weekly flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
- Monterrey – San Francisco/Oakland: will begin on July 1, 2024 with two weekly flights on Mondays and Fridays.
- Monterrey – New York: was announced, but details will be provided soon.
New domestic routes from Monterrey
- Monterrey – Tulum: a daily flight starting December 1, 2023.
- Monterrey – Tapachula: will begin on November 2, 2023 with three weekly flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
- Monterrey – La Paz: two weekly flights on Saturdays and Tuesdays starting December 23.
- Monterrey – Durango: will operate three weekly flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays starting April 18, 2024.
With these routes, Viva Aerobus plans to offer 13 million seats in Monterrey during 2024, representing a 23% increase in capacity compared to 2023. The network will reach 49 destinations, 13 of them in the United States. To carry out this operation, Viva Aerobus has already allocated 28 aircraft in Monterrey.
“Viva was born in Monterrey and is the only airline with an operations base and a connectivity HUB in the city. These nine new routes mark a before and after in its national and international connectivity. Those to the United States are designed to serve the world’s largest international air market with a low-cost option that truly makes it easier for people to visit their relatives and friends, vacation, or do business,” said Juan Carlos Zuazua, CEO of Viva Aerobus.
The low-cost airline will also increase flight frequency on most routes, with the schedule as follows:
- From one to four weekly flights: Acapulco, Ciudad Obregón, Cozumel, Durango, Huatulco, Los Mochis, Morelia, Mexicali, Oaxaca, Puerto Escondido, Tapachula, Austin, Bogotá, Denver, Havana, Miami, Orlando, and Oakland.
- Up to a daily flight: Chicago, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.
- Two daily flights: Culiacán, Chihuahua, Hermosillo, Mazatlán, San José del Cabo, Tampico, Tulum, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, and Villa Hermosa.
- Up to three daily flights: Bajío, Ciudad Juárez, Mexico City (AIFA), Mérida, Puebla, Puerto Vallarta, Querétaro, Tijuana, Toluca, Veracruz, and Houston.
- Six daily flights: Guadalajara.
- Eleven daily flights: Cancún and Mexico City (AICM).
«We applaud Viva Aerobus’s historic growth in Monterrey, which provides more options and conveniences to all our passengers, whom we will continue serving with the excellent service that characterizes us: safety, reliability, and top-notch facilities,” commented Ricardo Dueñas, CEO of the Central North Airport Group (OMA).
Between January and August 2023, Viva Aerobús transported 5.6 million passengers in Monterrey, 23% more than during the same period in 2022, and it is expected to close the year with 8.5 million passengers, reaching 11 million in 2024.
According to data obtained by Aviacionline from Cirium, in September, Viva Aerobus is responsible for 55% of the capacity offered in Monterrey, followed by Aeroméxico with 14% and Volaris with 13%