Influenced by competitive rates compared to maritime transport and e-commerce , air cargo traffic in Mexico continues to rise. From January to April 2026 alone, it registered a 6.4% increase compared to the same period last year.
According to statistics from the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) , the country handled 403,069.2 tons during the first four months of the year, that is, 24,317.1 tons more year-on-year.
Humberto López, head of Air Product at Eternity Group Mexico , explained that due to the conflict in the Middle East, as well as an increase in demand and certain complications in maritime routes, there was an increase in fares.
“The difference between air and sea freight is decreasing, and therefore, many customers, in order to meet their commitments and deliver on time, are switching from ships to planes; in other words, the volume has increased precisely because of the variations in sea freight,” he said in an interview with T21.
He specified that the merchandise being transported by plane is from e-commerce, which continues to grow despite trade restrictions and tariffs ; the Mexico-China route alone continues to increase.
“We see that, in the case of China, the fastest-growing route was from Shanghai to AIFA and from Hong Kong to Guadalajara. This has a lot to do with e-commerce, but also with electronics, spare parts in general, textiles, and consumer products; this is what has been driving the increase in volume,” he commented.
The AFAC reported that domestic cargo increased from 119,121.6 tons between January and April 2025 to 119,740.2 tons during the same period in 2026, representing a 0.5 percent rise. The airports of Querétaro, Mexico City International Airport (AICM) , Guadalajara, and Monterrey stood out in this regard, showing growth.
Internationally, cargo volume increased by 9.1% , reaching 283,329 tons by the end of the period. The Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) and Guadalajara contributed to this increase.
“The conflict affected maritime cargo and caused many customers to withdraw; on the other hand, the constant growth of e-commerce and other products on routes from Asia to Mexico, and there are also companies that have been changing their way of working, making inventory adjustments,” Humberto López emphasized.
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