U.S. lifts flight restrictions on Mexican airlines after aviation agreement

Mexican airlines can now start new flights to the United States from Mexico City's two main airports after the U.S. government removed limits set during an aviation fight. The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the change on Friday, October 16, 2026, following steps taken by Mexico to fix worries over a 2015 air transport agreement.

Flight Rules And Checks

The new choice lets airlines set up routes to the U.S. from the Felipe Angeles International Airport and the Benito Juarez International Airport. Even with the lift on limits, the U.S. department will still ask Mexican carriers to send in flight schedules and get approval to use large planes. A U.S. official noted that two other orders from the dispute stay active, and Washington will keep a close eye on how Mexico follows through on its promises.

Past Dispute Context

In October last year, the U.S. froze the growth of passenger and cargo services by Mexican airlines from the two airports. Washington claimed Mexico broke the 2015 bilateral deal starting in 2022 when it took back slots held by U.S. passenger airlines and made U.S. cargo carriers move their operations. The recent U.S. choice is separate from a Federal Aviation Administration review of Mexican aviation safety efforts held in August. In September 2023, the FAA gave Mexico back its top air safety rating after an earlier downgrade in May 2021 hurt local carriers and let U.S. airlines take more market share. In May, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that the Mexican government agreed to make aviation access better in Mexico City under a plan reached with President Donald Trump's administration.

Airline Reactions

Mexican carriers were happy with the Friday decision. Airlines like Viva and Aeromexico said the move will make air travel connections stronger between the two nations.

Context

Bilateral aviation agreements set the legal rules that let airlines fly between different countries, balancing market access and flight schedules for both sides. When disputes happen over airport slots or cargo rules, governments often use travel limits or flight freezes as tools to push for policy changes. Monitoring compliance helps ensure that both nations stick to the shared terms of their original transport deals.