AIR CARG O WEEK


THE AMERICAS


MEXICO’S AIRFREIGHT SOARS: TRADE LIFELINE BUFFETED, YET LONG-TERM COURSE HOLDS


“US tariffs are a short term headwind, but continued demand from manufacturing, ecommerce and logistics modernisation suggests long term promise.”


M exico’s airfreight industry is at a pivotal juncture. It


remains a vital link in North American trade, with robust backbone of US-Mexico lanes, emerging domestic hubs and evolving Asia connections. US tariffs are a short term headwind, but continued demand from manufacturing,


ecommerce and logistics modernisation suggests long term promise - provided stakeholders remain agile amid global policy shifts. At the moment, Mexico sees no reason for US to impose sanctions


on airlines. President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo has stated Mexico has not received any formal notice from Washington regarding potential sanctions over its flight slot reallocations and cargo carrier shifts at Mexico City airports. However, the US threatens Mexican airline flights over competition issues. The US Department of Transportation (US DOT) has warned it could deny future Mexican flight requests and revoke antitrust immunity for the Delta–Aeromexico joint venture along with possible restrictions on Mexican flights,


(Felipe Ángeles International Airport, also known as Mexico City Felipe Ángeles International Airport or simply Mexico City-AIFA) to belly hold at Mexico City Airport. The airfreight sector in Mexico was valued at approximately


$3.83 billion in 2024, with projected expansion to $6.39 billion by 2033, at a CAGR (Compound annual growth rate) of 5.3%. Last year, international cargo surged 7% year-on-year, propelling growth. However, in the first four months of 2025, this reversed: international volumes dropped 6.8–7%, leading to an overall 5% decline in tonnage.


following accusations of unfair practices


by Mexico’s government. These include the controversial 2023 decision to relocate all-cargo carriers to a less central Mexico City airport. US authorities have warned that such actions could violate competition standards, prompting a strong regulatory response aimed at preserving fair access and operations in the international aviation market. This could affect nearly two dozen routes. The year has not started well for Mexican air cargo as volumes


dropped 5.2% under tariff pressure. This was driven by US tariffs and economic slowdown, with freighter activity shifting from AIFA


Key trade lanes More than two-thirds of transborder tonnage landed or flown US- Mexico is lifted on maindeck freighter aircraft; the remainder moves on belly hold capacity of U.S. Mexico passenger aircraft. Major operators for belly hold are Aeroméxico (65% share), followed by American and United. FedEx, UPS, DHL dominate the all-cargo segment. Four airports function as cargo hubs: Guadalajara is the top gateway for freighter traffic, with Monterrey, Querétaro and Toluca also significant freight gateways. Because of the vastness of the Pacific, many inbound loads from


Asia, such as electronics and garments, land in the US at Anchorage, Los Angeles or Chicago and then move onward to Mexico, making up around 30–50% of the southbound US–Mexico air cargo flow. Ecommerce growth of 20% YoY (Year on Year) has made Querétaro a key domestic hub for operators such as Amazon, Mercado Libre


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