On September 1942, American Airlines operated its first ever historic flight to Mexico, making it the second international destination after Canada. Eighty years have passed since the carrier’s inauguration of air service to Mexico, and today American Airlines is the leading US airline in Mexico, dominating 21.1% of the market share alone between the two countries.
The month of September this year marks a historic milestone for American Airlines as it celebrates 80 years of flight service to Mexico. In 1942, the country’s largest airline expanded its international footprint to Mexico by launching the maiden flight from Dallas to Mexico City using a Douglas DC-3 aircraft. With this service, Mexico became the second international network following American Airlines’ launch of the first-ever international passenger flight to Toronto, Canada, on June 24, 1941.
Celebrating the significant breakthrough, Jose A. Freig, Vice President of International Operations, thanked and congratulated team members in Mexico for their outstanding work leading the carrier’s largest international operation during a year of record growth for them in the nation. Along with 80 years of air connectivity between the US and Mexico, American Airlines has been offering an unparalleled network and the highest level of service to its customers.
How much Mexico means to the carrier
The Fort worth-headquartered American Airlines is the leading US airline operating in Mexico, and it is the carrier’s largest international destination. The airline has deployed over 1100 staff in Mexico, mainly in Mexico City and Monterrey, to operate over 500 weekly Mexican flights.
80 reasons to celebrate!????As the leading U.S. airline in Mexico, we are proud to celebrate 80 years of connecting our two countries. Thank you to our Mexico-based #AATeam for their outstanding work, leading to a year of record growth in the country.???? https://t.co/GFvRzNp4D0 pic.twitter.com/cKmh38lb2R
— americanair (@AmericanAir) September 12, 2022
Mexico is an integral part of American’s international network as the airline provides air services to 27 cities in the country including Acapulco, Mexico City, Cozumel, Culiacan, Durango, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Huatulco, La Pax, Leon, Loreto, Mazatian, Merida, Monterrey, Morelia, etc. While US-based carriers maintain dominance in the US-Mexico routes, American Airlines solely holds 21.1% of the market share in passenger transportation, according to Mexican government data.
Record growth in Mexico this year
Weathering through the most disruptive years in decades for the aviation industry due to the coronavirus crisis, American Airlines has managed to achieve record growth in Mexico this year with a more than 40% increase in passenger capacity as compared to the pre-pandemic year.
In six months of 2022, American Airlines has ferried 2.8 million passengers on the US-Mexico route, which is way above the traffic levels it served in 2019. While America’s primary hub Dallas Fort Worth serves as the main gateway to Mexico, its other hubs in Miami, Phoenix, Charlotte, Chicago O’ Hare, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Austin, New York, and Boston also offer several weekly flights to Mexican cities. Alongside the mainline carrier, regional subsidiary Envoy Air and Skywest Airlines also operate some flights to the Aztec country.
Strengthening footprint in Mexico with new flights
In addition to accommodating more strategic routes with larger airplanes, American Airlines has strengthened its footprint in Mexico with the launching of new flights. Effective from November 4, American Airlines will launch a new daily service on the New York-Mexico City route, complementing its connectivity to Mexico’s largest city. The carrier will deploy a 172-seat Boeing 737 aircraft to perform one daily flight from Mexico City International Airport to John F. Kennedy Airport.
As New York is a populous US destination and a crucial hub for American Airlines, the new service between New York and Mexico City will offer more connectivity and increased travel options for its customers. With the commencement of this route, American Airlines will link Mexico City to six destinations in the US, including Dallas, Fort Worth, Miami, Phoenix, Charlotte, Los Angeles, and New York JFK. It will operate up to 14 daily flights between Mexico City and six US cities, the majority of flights being operated from Dallas/Fort Worth.
Earlier in June, American Airlines announced to commence a non-stop service between New York (JFK) and Monterrey (MTY) from November 3, making it the fourth Mexican destination from JFK Airport. The carrier will operate Airbus A319 aircraft to perform a daily flight between John F. Kennedy Airport and General Mariano Escobedo International Airport, carrying up to 128 passengers in a two class-configuration (8 business and 120 economy class).
With the launching of this route, American Airlines will be the only carrier providing an air link between Nuevo Leon and Big Apple. In total, the airline will offer a weekly capacity of 10,240 seats on 80 flights to Monterrey Airport, making it the second largest international operator between the US and Monterrey.
