Tuesday, February 23, 2026 l Dalena News Desk
PUERTO VALLARTA & OTTAWA — Several major airlines, including Air Canada, have announced the resumption of scheduled flights to and from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on Tuesday after suspending service during weekend violence that disrupted travel in the region. The move follows a rapid review of safety conditions and consultations with Mexican authorities as unrest eased.
Air Canada confirmed that it will resume full operations to Puerto Vallarta from Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver starting Tuesday, Feb. 24, after suspending flights due to clashes and security concerns following cartel-related unrest. The carrier also said that flights from Toronto to Guadalajara another key western Mexico destination would restart on Wednesday, Feb. 25.
The airline’s decision comes after several days of disruptions caused by widespread unrest triggered by the death of Nemesio “El Mencho,” the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, amid a Mexican security operation. That violence included road blockades and some attacks near major tourist hubs, prompting precautionary flight suspensions by carriers including United Airlines, American Airlines and WestJet.
WestJet and Air Transat also announced their return to scheduled operations on Tuesday, resuming flights to Puerto Vallarta and other Mexican destinations. WestJet’s update highlighted restored services not only to Puerto Vallarta but also to Guadalajara (GDL) and Manzanillo (ZLO), reflecting confidence that conditions have stabilised sufficiently for safe air travel.
Travel industry officials and Mexican authorities have pointed to calmer conditions in Jalisco state and cleared access routes, enabling airports and airlines to restart normal service. Local and Canadian government officials have continued to urge travellers to confirm flight status with airlines before heading to airports, given the rapidly changing security environment.
The resumption of flights offers relief to thousands of travellers including thousands of Canadians who were in Mexico at the time and signals progress toward normalising travel operations after a brief period of heightened transport disruption.