Volaris is about to become a household name for Mexico-bound travelers. For the first time, travelers from Los Angeles will have a direct flight to the heart of Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit, thanks to a new route announced by Mexican ultra-low-cost carrier Volaris. Starting July 16, the airline will operate three weekly flights between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Tepic-Riviera Nayarit International Airport (TPQ), marking a major milestone for the recently expanded airport and the state of Nayarit as a whole.
The new Volaris service means more than just another flight—it’s a strategic move designed to unlock tourism potential and strengthen ties between Southern California and one of Mexico’s most culturally rich regions. Nayarit, home to nine “Pueblos Mágicos” (Magical Towns), pristine beaches, and lush jungles, has long been overshadowed by neighboring Puerto Vallarta. PVR remains a viable entry point with a plethora of international flight options, but the distance to resorts and towns in Nayarit can add hours to a travel itinerary. With this new route, travelers will have easy and time-efficient access to the state’s hidden gems, from the surf town of Sayulita to the tranquil shores of San Blas and the biodiverse wonders of La Tovara National Park.
“This route opens a fresh and genuine, highly accessible way to experience Mexico,” said Jorge Roberto Garcia Rojas, Director of Market Development, Distribution and Cargo for Volaris, at a press conference this week in Los Angeles. “We’re very confident that this new route will boost economic, social and tourism exchange between both regions and open new opportunities. It’s is a major milestone for Nayarit.”
The expansion of Tepic’s airport into an international hub has been years in the making. On April 16, 2024, the airport successfully completed its first international test flight, a crucial step toward securing regulatory approvals. Now, with Volaris’s LAX service confirmed, the airport is poised to become a key entry point for travelers seeking an alternative to Puerto Vallarta’s more crowded terminals. The airport’s upgrades include a new runway, a 42-meter control tower (the third tallest in Mexico), and fully digital immigration processing, eliminating long lines upon arrival.
For Volaris, the route is a natural fit. The airline has built its U.S. network around serving Mexico’s diaspora, and Southern California is home to a significant population of Nayarit natives who frequently travel back and forth. But beyond visiting friends and relatives (VFR) traffic, the route opens up leisure opportunities for American tourists looking to explore beyond Mexico’s most well-trodden destinations.
The timing aligns with broader infrastructure improvements in Nayarit, including a new highway connecting Tepic to Compostela, which will slash travel times to coastal hotspots like Punta Mita to just over an hour. This accessibility is expected to boost tourism in lesser-known areas, including the Sierra Madre mountains, where visitors can explore coffee plantations, waterfalls, and indigenous Huichol communities.
While Puerto Vallarta remains the primary gateway for most international travelers, Tepic’s airport offers a compelling alternative, particularly for those venturing into northern Nayarit. The airport has the capacity to handle up to 20 million passengers annually, though initial projections estimate around 4 million travelers in its first five years of international operation.
Volaris’s expansion comes amid broader shifts in its U.S. network, including a move from New York’s JFK to Newark Liberty International Airport for flights to Guadalajara and San Salvador. Despite a slight dip in load factors early this year, the airline remains bullish on cross-border travel, betting on routes like LAX-TPQ to cater to both diaspora and leisure demand.
For Nayarit’s tourism officials, the new flight is a long-awaited victory. The state has been working to position itself as a premier destination, even securing a partnership with the Los Angeles Lakers last year—an unusual but high-profile collaboration that underscored its appeal to Californians.
“We’re especially excited to invite travelers from Southern California to discover a side of Mexico that have but very few have explored, including the pristine beaches of Punta Mita, the living history of San Blas, and the biodiversity of Islas Marias,” Rojas added.
The new flights on Volaris are priced from $120 each way and run Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. LAX-TPQ: 11:30 am – 2:27 pm. TPQ-LAX: 6:50 am – 9:48 am.
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