The United States’ trade and immigration policy caused a slight drop in international passengers arriving at Guadalajara International Airport during the months of May and June, acknowledged the outgoing director of that airport, Martín Pablo Zazueta.
“International traffic is indeed experiencing a contraction starting in May and June, and this has to do with economic issues and what’s happening in the northern country. We have many passengers who are somehow changing their travel habits,” he expressed.
“If it has an effect, it certainly will. How big? Well, we can’t determine that, but we are experiencing some impacts in that regard, but we believe it is temporary and that we will see a very rapid recovery in traffic,” Zazueta Chávez emphasized.
According to air traffic statistics from the Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), last May, the Guadalajara airport received 457,500 international travelers; That is, a 1.4% drop compared to the 464,000 passengers handled in May 2024.
Meanwhile, in June 2025, the Guadalajara airport received 476,900 international travelers, a 1.5% drop compared to the 484,400 foreigners handled in June 2024.
Growth Projected
“The adjustment is actually less than 1% in traffic, and so, we have to see how it continues. We are replacing that traffic with Canadian traffic. New routes are also opening, and domestic traffic is also increasing. But overall, if we look at it, we still have positive growth in Guadalajara today. We hope it continues this way toward the end of the year,” stated Martín Pablo Zazueta.
He highlighted that in the first half of the year, the airport handled nine million passengers; That is, both domestic and international, a figure that represented a 5.6% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
“It is also true that we continue to be affected by the supply of seats due to the Airbus engine issue, which has not yet been fully recovered, and these solution dates were extended. We expected the full fleet to be ready for this season, but the aircraft manufacturers extended it for an additional year, and all of these factors have an impact on traffic,” the executive added.
“However, we are confident that GAP airports have the advantage of having such varied traffic that will allow us to continue growing in the future. For example, tourist airports are experiencing increases in international traffic, compared to airports that receive more traffic from our compatriots living in the United States, but we are sure they will return to travel to Mexico without any problems,” he emphasized.
Changes in Airport Management
After seven years as administrator of Guadalajara International Airport, Martín Pablo Zazueta left that position to join GAP as Director of Airports and Regulated Business.
His position as administrator of Guadalajara’s airport is now being taken by Cryshtian Amador Lizardi, who previously served as director of Puerto Vallarta International Airport.
He will promote key projects.
“My commitment is to promote the key projects that will define its future, such as the construction of Terminal 2 and the development of a new access road. Both projects will be essential to improving the passenger experience and forward-looking the growth of this airport, which is the third largest in the country,” said Amador.
Guadalajara Airport Announces Two New Routes to Canada
The new administrator of Guadalajara Airport reiterated that the projects planned in the 2025-2029 Master Development Plan, which includes an investment of 22.377 billion pesos, are progressing steadily, aligned with the goal of offering a safe, efficient, and high-quality experience to the approximately 18 million passengers who pass through this terminal annually.
He specified that by the end of the five-year period, the Guadalajara airport will have the capacity to handle 35 million passengers.
Source: eleconomista
