The United States has announced new restrictions on flights from Mexico and is threatening to revoke antitrust immunity for the Delta Air Lines–Aeroméxico joint venture. The move comes in response to Mexico’s decision to relocate all cargo flights from Mexico City’s Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX) to the newer Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA), located nearly 50 kilometers outside the capital.

The Mexican government enacted the change via a 2023 decree by then-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, citing congestion and safety concerns at MEX. The U.S., however, argues the policy violates a bilateral air transport agreement and gives unfair advantage to Mexican airlines.

On Saturday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the relocation disrupted market operations and imposed excessive costs on U.S. cargo carriers. “Mexico has not complied with the bilateral agreement since 2022, when it abruptly canceled slots and forced U.S. all-cargo carriers to move,” he said. “This decision left American businesses shouldering millions in additional costs.”

As part of its response, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is:

  • Requiring all Mexican airlines to file schedules for U.S. operations

  • Mandating DOT approval for all large charter flights by Mexican carriers

  • Proposing to withdraw antitrust immunity from the Delta–Aeroméxico alliance

The Cargo Airline Association (CAA), representing major U.S. cargo carriers, welcomed the announcement. “This sends a clear message: the U.S. will not tolerate anti-competitive practices that harm American companies and violate Open Skies agreements,” the group said in a statement.

Mexico’s current President, Claudia Sheinbaum, downplayed the issue on Monday, saying her administration has not received formal notice of any sanctions and insisted the airport relocation was based on safety and efficiency. “[Benito Juárez] had reached saturation levels and posed operational risks,” she said.

Mexico’s Transportation Ministry echoed this view on social media, citing improved metrics at AIFA following the transition. However, the U.S. argues that promised infrastructure improvements have yet to materialize and that AIFA is already at capacity for cargo operations, according to reporting by Reuters.

The potential cancellation of the Delta-Aeroméxico partnership could have wider consequences. Delta responded with concern, warning that revoking the alliance would “harm consumers, U.S. jobs, and transborder competition.”

Mexico remains the top international destination for U.S. travelers, with over 40 million passengers flying there in 2024 alone. Analysts believe the U.S. actions may be aimed at gaining leverage ahead of a future renegotiation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

“They’re using this as a bargaining chip,” aviation analyst Fernando Gómez told Reuters. “Just like they’ve done in the past with tariffs and immigration. USMCA is the real target.”