Cancelled flights in and out of Mexico this week have added to what travel agents say was already a rocky season for the sector, as uncertainty continues to linger leading up to March break.
WestJet, Air Canada, Flair Airlines, Air Transat and Porter Airlines all cancelled or diverted flights that were headed to the popular tourist destination of Puerto Vallarta, as violence erupted after the leader of a major drug cartel was reportedly killed in a government operation.
On Monday evening, WestJet said it would resume service to and from Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara and Manzanillo on Tuesday, following a review of current conditions.
Air Transat said it would do the same on Tuesday for Puerto Vallarta, after a positive update from local authorities.
Air Canada said on social media that it would resume flights from Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver to Puerto Vallarta on Tuesday, with flights from Toronto to Guadalajara resuming Wednesday.
Porter also announced on X it intends to resume service to Puerto Vallarta on Tuesday, with complimentary changes being through Wednesday.
More than 26,000 Canadians in the country have registered with Global Affairs Canada, the federal government said Monday.
Others back in Canada who had been considering plans to visit Mexico are now in wait-and-see mode, said Richard Vanderlubbe, president of Canadian travel agency tripcentral.ca.
“We’re sort of in the eye of the storm,” Vanderlubbe said in a phone interview.
“Does this have an impact? Sure, like it’s going to cause a temporary pause at the very best. And if it causes concern, typically what happens is it manifests itself in the price.”
Vanderlubbe said that while Canadian tourism to Mexico might suffer in the coming weeks, that would likely lead to cheaper fares, which could eventually spark fresh demand from travellers.
While the popularity of Puerto Vallarta could take a hit in the near-term, other Mexican tourism hot spots such as Cancun — located far from the region affected by the government’s shelter-in-place order — are still attracting interest, said Anita Emilio, executive vice-president of Flight Centre Canada.
“When you look at our bookings, only about 10 per cent of what we sell to Mexico would be the Puerto Vallarta region,” said Emilio.
But she said alternative sunny destinations, such as the Dominican Republic, could benefit if unrest within Mexico continues to spread. Emilio said she’s also advising clients to consider taking a cruise, which carries the benefit of being able to divert should issues arise in a given region.
These latest tourism woes come on the heels of another major disruption for the sector after travel was halted to Cuba, where a humanitarian crisis is emerging due to a U.S. oil blockade.
All Canadian airlines have suspended service to Cuba until further notice and the Canadian government advises avoiding non-essential travel there with international carriers amid worsening shortages of fuel, electricity, and basic necessities including food, water, and medicine.
Vanderlubbe said more than 2,600 bookings made through his agency were cancelled due to that situation.
“It causes a shift of tens of thousands of people at once to start to seek alternatives,” he said.
“They were booked for winter vacations in February, March and April and suddenly it’s not there.”
Vanderlubbe added that Canadians travelling to Cuba have long had an advantage when it comes to the price of their trip, which they’re unlikely to find in other destinations.
“It’s big difference in price for an all-inclusive vacation in Cuba versus the next alternative … because we’re not competing with Americans in the auction for resorts and hotel rooms,” he said.
“A lot of (travellers) can’t afford the difference in price and so they’ve just dropped out of the market for now because there’s just no comparable alternative to Cuba for Canadian travellers.”
But Emilio said demand in travel for this year is still high among her agency’s clients, especially after tough winter weather in various parts of Canada.
However at this stage, those craving a warm getaway who have been forced to change their plans will need to stay flexible, she said.
“There’s options still, although it is quite last-minute for March break,” said Emilio.
“Maybe look to something that’s not a typical all-inclusive vacation … like Belize or Colombia, or if they have the ability to go for more long-haul travel, places like Southeast Asia. They’ll be able to get that reprieve from our harsh winter.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 23, 2026.
Sammy Hudes, The Canadian Press
