Nayarit, a state on Mexico’s Pacific Coast best known for housing destinations like Punta Mita and Nuevo Vallarta, has announced its first ever flight to the United States. The new route will connect Tepic International Airport (TPQ) with Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), starting July 16.
The route will be operated by low-cost airline Volaris on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Flights will depart LAX at 11:37 a.m., and land in TPQ at 2:27 p.m. The return flight will depart from TPQ at 6:50 p.m., arriving in Los Angeles at 9:48 p.m.
Although the airport was officially declared international on December 15, 2009, this will be the airport’s first-ever international flight. It has up to now operated domestic flights only.
Recently, the airport carried out significant renovations and expansions to accommodate international demand. With an investment of 2.5 billion-pesos (US $145 million), the modernization project includes an expanded runway, a new control tower, and a new terminal designed to handle up to 20 million passengers annually. The new terminal required an additional investment of 1.6 billion pesos (US $93 million).
According to the newspaper El Financiero, the renovations may expand operations to eventually include international routes to and from Canada, other U.S. destinations, Central America, South America and Europe.
Major highways are also being renovated to facilitate access to the airport from destinations along the Nayarit coast.
The Riviera Nayarit, one of Mexico’s top destinations, continues to experience growing international demand, and the route is expected to facilitate a greater influx of visitors. The flight out of TPQ (known as Aeropuerto Internacional de Tepic-Riviera Nayarit in Spanish) will additionally serve a significant number of Nayarit residents living in California who frequently travel between the two regions.
According to the Mexican Airports Group (AME), due to the lack of air connectivity in the region, 88% of passenger demand is being diverted to the airports of Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara. AME said the Riviera Nayarit has the potential to capture between 10% and 15% of the annual passenger traffic at both airports, which could translate to over three million passengers per year.
Another recent new route for TPQ is to and from Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) near Mexico City. The flight launched May 1 and is operated by low-cost airline Viva.
With reports from Reportur and Aviación 21
