GAP Airports See 8.9% Passenger Decline in March 2026, Hurricane Melissa Disrupts Jamaica Operations

Event summary

  • GAP's 12 Mexican airports saw a 7.6% drop in total passenger traffic in March 2026 compared to 2025, with Puerto Vallarta (-24.4%), Tijuana (-8.7%), Los Cabos (-6.9%), and Guadalajara (-2.3%) showing declines.
  • Jamaica's Montego Bay airport experienced a 25.7% decrease due to Hurricane Melissa, while Kingston saw a 1.0% increase.
  • Domestic passenger traffic fell by 3.8% and international traffic dropped by 14.6% year-over-year in March 2026.
  • Seats available decreased by 4.5% and load factors dropped from 81.5% to 75.5% in March 2026.
  • New routes were launched by Volaris, Aerus, and Southwest in March 2026.

The big picture

GAP's passenger traffic decline reflects broader challenges in the aviation sector, particularly in tourist destinations. The impact of Hurricane Melissa on Jamaica's airports highlights the vulnerability of international operations to natural disasters. As GAP expands its route network, it will need to balance growth with operational resilience in the face of external disruptions.

What we're watching

Tourism Recovery
How quickly GAP's tourist-heavy airports like Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos can recover from the significant passenger declines.
Route Expansion
Whether the newly launched routes by Volaris, Aerus, and Southwest can offset the overall passenger traffic decline.
Disruption Management
The pace at which GAP can mitigate the impact of natural disasters like Hurricane Melissa on its international operations.

Related topics

Aviation