Viva Aerobús Follows Mérida Milestone With Los Angeles Flights

Yucatán reached an aviation milestone this week as Viva Aerobús celebrated welcoming its 10 millionth passenger at Mérida International Airport while announcing the return of direct flights to Los Angeles for the upcoming winter season.

Exactly when direct flights will resume, or a range of ticket prices, was not announced.

The historic passenger, Adrián Altamirano, arrived Sunday on Viva Aerobús flight 4282 from Monterrey to a ceremony attended by the governor and other state officials.

Mérida – Los Angeles Flights Return for Winter Season

The ceremony also served as the launch pad for announcing the return of the Mérida-Los Angeles route. The direct connection will strengthen ties between California’s large Yucatecan diaspora and their homeland while opening new opportunities for West Coast travelers.

When Viva Aerobús first announced the seasonal Los Angeles service in June 2024, the inaugural flight sold out within 24 hours, demonstrating strong demand for direct connectivity between the two regions.

Tourism Boom

Viva Aerobús first began operations in Mérida in March 2007, and now operates 16 routes from the Yucatecan capital, connecting travelers to destinations across Mexico, the United States, and the Caribbean.

The celebration comes as Yucatán experiences unprecedented tourism growth. In July 2025, the state welcomed more than 246,000 overnight visitors, representing a 20.2% increase compared to the same month in 2024. International tourism showed particularly strong gains, with 48,556 foreign visitors marking a 25.1% rise from the previous year.

Mérida’s Manuel Crescencio Rejón International Airport has been breaking records consistently. In July 2025, the facility handled 351,915 passengers—the highest monthly total in its history and a 9.83% increase over July 2024. From January through July 2025, the airport processed 2.22 million passengers, reflecting a 4.82% year-over-year increase.

New Tourism Campaign

Coinciding with the aviation milestone, Yucatán Governor Díaz Mena announced the launch of a new tourism campaign called “Santuario Maya” (Maya Sanctuary). The initiative aims to showcase Yucatán as an archaeological sanctuary featuring world-renowned sites like Chichén Itzá, Dzibilchaltún, Uxmal, and Mayapán, alongside the state’s renowned gastronomy and natural attractions, including cenotes, underground rivers, coastal areas, and protected reserves like Ría Celestún and Ría Lagartos.

“Through the Tourism Promotion Secretariat, we have launched this new campaign to show the world that Yucatán is an archaeological sanctuary, a gastronomic sanctuary, and a natural sanctuary,” the governor detailed.

Broader Trends

Yucatán’s aviation success reflects broader trends in Mexico’s aviation sector. According to industry data, Mexico’s aviation industry experienced strong performance in the first seven months of 2025, with the country’s leading airlines transporting 44.5 million passengers—a 4.62% increase compared to 2024.

Viva Aerobús carried 17.06 million passengers during the first seven months of 2025, marking a 10.3% increase from the same period in 2024. The airline’s growth has been particularly strong in international markets, driven by demand for budget travel options between Mexico and the United States.

The celebration included other key tourism and business leaders, including Sefotur director Darío Flota Ocampo, Viva Aerobús corporate affairs vice president Jesús Horacio González, Business Coordinating Council president Claudia González Góngora, and Maya World Foundation president Sara Zapata Mijares.

Yucatán is Mexico’s fastest-growing tourism destination. Over 76,000 people are employed in restaurants and lodging services, and tourism has become a vital economic engine for local families throughout the region.

Sources: La Jornada Maya, Travel and Tour World