Monterrey is Mexico’s fifth busiest airport; recovering well despite Interjet exit; has gained two new airlines

The Mexican city of Monterrey has a considerable 5.4 million people in its metro area. Its airport welcomed 10.94 million passengers in 2022, 2.1% below that of 2019. That recovery is impressive given the exit of what was the airport’s third-largest carrier, Interjet, which was backfilled by enormous growth by Vivaaerobus and Aeromexico in particular.

Monterrey ended last year as Mexico’s fifth-busiest airport, down one place versus 2019 due to the very fast growth of the border city Tijuana (+38.0%). Thus far in 2023, Monterrey has added Aerus and Air Canada, along with 13 routes – many to places not previously served.

Monterrey gets Aerus and Air Canada; added 13 routes

Using nine-seat Cessna Grand Caravan EX turboprops, brand-new carrier Aerus took off in early May. It presently serves four cities, located an average of 320 kilometres from Monterrey. A fifth route starts in July. By the end of this year, Aerus anticipates carrying 30,000 passengers.

In October, Air Canada will launch Toronto, the first time the carrier and city have had Monterrey flights. Toronto joins Bogota and Phoenix in either not being served before or not for a long time, as shown below. Note that ‘last served’ refers to the airport, and frequencies are based on July:

• 10 January 2023: American to Phoenix (daily; last served in 2004)
• 8 May 2023: Aerus to Ciudad Victoria (3-weekly; not served before)
• 8 May 2023: Aerus to Matamoros (9-weekly; not served before)
• 8 May 2023: Aerus to Piedras Negras (29-weekly; last served in 2010)
• 8 May 2023: Aerus to Tampico (6-weekly; already served)
• 8 June 2023: Vivaaerobus to Bogota (2-weekly; not served nefore)
• 1 July 2023: Vivaaerobus to Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo (2-weekly; last served in 2020)
• 3 July 2023: Aerus to Reynosa (2-weekly; not served before)
• 3 July 2023: Vivaaerobus to Puerto Escondido (up to 3-weekly; last served in 2015)
• 10 July 2023: Volaris to Tapachula (3-weekly; not served before)
• 13 July 2023: Volaris to La Paz (2-weekly; last served in 2021)
• 13 July 2023: Volaris to Puerto Escondido (2-weekly; last served, albeit briefly, in 2005)
• 30 October 2023: Air Canada to Toronto YYZ (4-weekly; not served before)

54 destinations in July

According to Cirium schedules information data, Monterrey has 1,001 weekly one-way July flights, 1.5% more than in 2019. Some 814 are domestic (+3.6%) and 187 are international (-0.5%).

Network-wise, it serves 54 destinations this month, 16 international. With 49-weekly flights, Houston IAH is the most served – and the fourth most served overall. United has 35-weekly flights and Vivaaerobus 14. This one route accounts for more than a quarter of Monterrey’s international service.

Some 38 destinations are domestic, inevitably led by Mexico City. The capital has 197-weekly fights: 103 by Aeromexico, 75 by Volaris and 19 by Vivaaerobus. They have reduced from 238-weekly in July 2019, largely because of the exit of Interjet, previously the route’s second-largest operator.

Just one long-haul route

While Monterrey previously had flights to Rome FCO (2008-2009), Tokyo NRT (2014-2016) and Seoul ICN (2017-2022), its only long-haul route now is Madrid. Served by Aeromexico between 2005 and 2009, it returned in 2021 and is now daily.