Puerto Rico Welcomes Direct Flights to Mexico

Ultra low-cost Mexican carrier, Volaris has announced a new international service between Cancun and San Juan in Puerto Rico.

The new link will begin operating from July 2, 2015, with two flights per week, and will be the first Caribbean destination for the airline. Volaris will also be the first carrier to connect Mexico with Puerto Rico directly in 15 years.

According to Enrique Beltranena, the airline’s CEO, incorporating Puerto Rico into the Volaris network responds to the airline’s expansion strategy for the region.

Routes Americas 2016, the route development forum for the Americas, will take place in San Juan, Puerto Rico from 7 - 9 February 2016. Find out more about the event here.

“It also underscores our commitment to Cancun, where we are currently servicing 18 destinations and operating 257 flights per week," he added.

The twice-weekly link will operate on Thursdays and Sundays, departing Cancun at 11:30am, arriving into San Juan at 15:50pm. The return journey will depart Puerto Rico at 17:20pm, arriving into Cancun International Airport at 19:40pm.

Mexico is the Latin American country sending the highest number of visitors to Puerto Rico, and the airline’s arrival to the island is part of concerted efforts by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company to extend access to the destination.

“With this flight, we are restoring direct connection from our Island to Mexico, which is the Latin American country sending the highest number of visitors to Puerto Rico," said Ingrid I. Rivera Rocafort, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. "Now, arriving in San Juan will be much easier and affordable for tourists who visit us from Mexico.”

Volaris is attempting to strengthen its position as the Mexican airline with the most extensive route network throughout Mexico and the US, totalling 139 routes to 60 destinations.

Agustin Arellano, Chief Development Officer at Aerostar Airport Holdings, the managing company of San Juan's Luis Munoz Marin International Airport said, "Today we are enthusiastically celebrating the arrival of Volaris to Boricua territory. We extend a warm welcome to this carrier, not only for opening a new route for us, but also because it enables us to reassert our commitment of projecting Puerto Rico as the ideal Caribbean destination before the eyes of the world."

San Juan and Cancun served 8.6 and 17.5 million passengers respectively in 2014, and the link will be the first time in 15 years that a connection between the two destinations has been made, the airline hope this is a successful formula for a promising route.

Poppy Marello

Poppy joined the Routesonline team after successfully completing a degree in journalism at Sheffield Hallam University. Poppy has a passion for…