New US Flight Restrictions Shake Up Mexico–US Aviation: Airlines Face Scrutiny Amid Ongoing Dispute

A major rupture has emerged in US–Mexico aviation as the US government imposes new restrictions on Mexican airlines, responding to ongoing disagreements over airport logistics and air transport agreements. These new measures, announced in July 2025, stem from Mexico’s decision to limit flight slots at Mexico City’s congested Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX) and relocate all cargo operations—both Mexican and US carriers—to the more distant Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA), a policy first implemented in 2023.

Under the new US rules, all Mexican passenger, cargo, and charter airlines must now submit their schedules to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for approval before operating flights to or from the US, increasing regulatory oversight and operational uncertainty. In addition, the US is threatening to dissolve the long-standing joint venture between Delta Air Lines and Aeroméxico—a partnership that underpins dozens of transborder routes—citing Mexico’s alleged violations of the 2015 US–Mexico bilateral air transport agreement that guarantees fair, competitive access.

US officials argue that Mexico’s actions have disrupted the market by unilaterally reducing flight capacity at the main airport, confiscating airline slots, and relocating cargo flights without sufficient consultation—a breach that is said to give domestic Mexican carriers an unfair home-field advantage and complicate cross-border business. The US has stopped short of suspending flights entirely but warns that further sanctions could follow if Mexico does not address these disputes and restore operating rights for US carriers.

Mexico’s government, for its part, contends that shifting operations to AIFA was a necessary step to ease congestion and enhance safety, arguing that the new US restrictions are both unjustified and politically motivated. Negotiations are ongoing, with Mexican authorities seeking to avoid an escalation that could affect the critical flow of tourism and trade between the two nations.

Key Points:

• The US now requires all Mexican airlines to obtain approval for flight schedules to and from the US, intensifying regulatory controls.
• The dispute centers on Mexico’s reduction of flight capacity at MEX and forced relocation of cargo operations to AIFA, allegedly violating a bilateral air agreement.
• The US is also reviewing antitrust immunity for the Delta–Aeroméxico partnership, putting nearly two dozen major routes at risk.
• No flights have been suspended yet, but both cargo and passenger airlines face heightened uncertainty while negotiations continue.
• The row threatens to disrupt business and tourism, highlighting the fragility of cross-border aviation ties and the need for a new regulatory framework.