Volaris passes American Airlines as top Mexico-US carrier; now has 80 routes

The Volaris Group has flights from Mexico and multiple countries in Central America to the US. Cirium schedule data shows that nine in ten departures are from Mexico, which is the subject of this article. The airline’s emphasis is on VFR demand.

Between August and December 2026, Volaris plans 2.1 million one-way seats between Mexico and that country’s northern neighbour. The ULCC’s capacity has risen by 11% year-over-year, which means that Volaris has overtaken American as the leading operator. The operator’s dominance has risen to 22% of the market.

Volaris adds Mexico flights to 4 more US airports

Through the end of the year, Volaris will serve 25 US airports from Mexico. Compared to the same period in 2025, Atlanta, Detroit, Salt Lake City and Washington IAD will now see the carrier. However, Volaris pulled out of McAllen, by the US border, in October 2025. It had operated from Cancun.

• 1 June 2026: Guadalajara-Salt Lake City (3 to 4-weekly)
• 2 June 2026: Guadalajara-Detroit (3 to 4-weekly)
• 2 December 2026: Guadalajara-Atlanta (4-weekly)
• 2 December 2026: Guadalajara-Washington IAD (3-weekly)

It’ll be the first time that the Group has flown to Atlanta, Detroit and Salt Lake City. The exception is IAD. While flights have existed from San Salvador since 2018, it’ll be the first time that the airline had operated from Mexico to the DC area’s busiest facility.

Volaris’ 25 US airports are in 15 states. With 883,000 one-way seats, California is by far the most-served place. 42% of the total capacity is deployed there, with six airports – including four in the top 10 list. The top three states, California, Texas and Illinois, have 71% of the capacity.

With 337,000 one-way seats, up by 8% year-over-year, Los Angeles is by far the leading US airport. 11 routes exist: Aguascalientes; Guadalajara; Leon/Bajío; Mexico City; Morelia; Oaxaca; Puebla; Queretaro; Tepic; Uruapan; and Zacatecas. Puebla flights began on 1 June 2026 (4-weekly). That market was last served by Aeromexico in 2007.

Guadalajara-Los Angeles is the top route

Between August and December 2026, Volaris has 80 routes from Mexico to the US. They are from 15 airports in Mexico, with over half of the capacity (53%) being from Guadalajara. Volaris focuses much more on that city than on the country’s capital (19% of the seats).

Volaris had a median of three US routes from its Mexican airports. Unsurprisingly, Guadalajara’s network is by far the greatest (25 routes), followed by Mexico City (10), Morelia (10), Leon/Bajío (eight) and Queretaro (eight).

Compared to the same period last year, Volaris no longer serves the US from Cancun (too leisure-focused) or Monterrey (which is the primary territory of Viva Aerobus). However, it now operates from Puebla to the US for the first time.

With 146,000 one-way seats, Guadalajara-Los Angeles remains the leading market. Volaris has 35-weekly flights in August and competes directly with Viva (12), Aeromexico (8) and Alaska Airlines (7). In the past, other carriers operated, such as Delta and the now-defunct InterJet and the original Mexicana.