It would be difficult to tell the story of North American aviation without mentioning Aeromexico. Founded in 1934 and based in Mexico City, Aeromexico has expanded its international footprint in recent years while upgrading the passenger experience and broadening its product offerings to reach new markets.
As Mexico’s largest airline and the only Mexican carrier serving Europe and Asia, Aeromexico is well positioned for continued growth. The airline operates roughly 600 daily flights to 43 domestic destinations and to 50 international points across the United States, Canada, Central and South America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia.
Recent route additions include a fifth European destination: three weekly nonstop flights between Mexico City and Barcelona (BCN) using the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Aeromexico also launched three weekly flights linking Mexico City with Guayaquil (GYE) and eliminated a technical stop in Monterrey on its Mexico City–Seoul Incheon service, converting it to a nonstop schedule that saves time for travelers.
Alongside network expansion, the airline has modernized its fleet. In 2012 Grupo Aeromexico — which encompasses the mainline carrier, Aeromexico Connect, cargo and other divisions — placed an historic order for 100 Boeing aircraft valued at about $11 billion. By last year the group completed a fleet simplification plan, reducing its types to four models from two manufacturers: the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 737, and the Embraer 170 and 190. Airline executives say the simplified fleet improves efficiency across maintenance, operations and crew training.
Today Aeromexico operates a modern fleet of approximately 130 aircraft, a factor that has contributed to a reduced carbon footprint and forms part of the airline’s environmental strategy to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The 787 Dreamliner has been a key element of those efforts: Aeromexico reports fuel consumption and CO2 reductions of roughly 23 percent and noise reductions up to 60 percent, driven in large part by the efficiencies of the Dreamliner and its General Electric GEnx-1B engines, as well as composite airframe materials that lower maintenance needs.
Aeromexico Boeing 787-9 Clase Premier PHOTOS: © AEROMEXICO
Modernizing the fleet isn’t just about technology; it’s also about improving the passenger experience. Aeromexico launched a multi-year program in 2010 to upgrade onboard products and service, and those efforts continue to evolve.
Passengers on long-haul flights to Europe and Asia notice some of the most significant enhancements. The airline introduced a new seasonal culinary program on routes between Mexico City and European capitals including Madrid (MAD), Paris (CDG), London (LHR) and Amsterdam (AMS). Menus, refreshed four times a year, were developed with Chef Elena Reygadas, a celebrated restaurateur and cookbook author based in Mexico City.
Economy passengers on transatlantic flights also benefit from upgraded dining, receiving three-course meals tailored to the time of day and designed to emphasize balanced, health-conscious options to help travelers feel better during and after long journeys.
Salon Premier, cuisine PHOTOS: © AEROMEXICO
These Europe menus complement culinary upgrades introduced in December 2018 for Clase Premier on select international and domestic routes from Mexico City. Working with Gate Gourmet and chefs such as Christian Hallowell, Gottfried Menge and Dennis Purchet, Aeromexico introduced seasonally rotating options, added a fourth meal choice on flights to and from Buenos Aires (EZE), Santiago (SCL) and São Paulo (GRU), and added handmade pasta and stone oven-baked bread on many flights to and from the United States, Canada and Latin America. The airline also expanded sous-vide preparation techniques to enhance meat, fish and poultry flavors.
Technological improvements have complemented the culinary and cabin upgrades. Aeromexico offers free messaging via WhatsApp, iMessage and Facebook Messenger on its Boeing 737 and 787 aircraft. The airline also expanded its in-flight entertainment library in September by adding Universal Studios content to an existing selection that includes Warner Bros., Paramount and Fox, increasing available programs from about 300 to roughly 400 and including documentaries and series from partners like National Geographic.
Travelers may notice new cabin crew uniforms created by Mexican designer Lorena Saravia. The refreshed look features a tailored navy blue palette with black accents and dispenses with the long-standing hats for female flight attendants, reflecting a contemporary design direction.
On the ground, Aeromexico relaunched its website, installed new airport check-in kiosks, redesigned its mobile app and introduced chatbot customer service on Facebook and WhatsApp to streamline pre-flight and post-booking interactions.
For passengers seeking premium ground facilities, Aeromexico opened the Terraza Premier by Heineken at Monterrey International Airport. The Terminal B lounge seats 54 and is available for a fee or included with selected front-cabin fare classes and certain credit card privileges.
Strategic partnerships remain central to Aeromexico’s growth. Its close cooperation with Delta Air Lines is one of the airline’s most important alliances. The two carriers operate a joint cooperation agreement that coordinates transborder services between the United States and Mexico; Delta holds a 49 percent stake in Aeromexico as part of that relationship. The airlines co-locate teams at many airports and now share terminal space at 12 airports, operating more than 1,100 combined transborder flights weekly and carrying millions of passengers.
Aeromexico is also a founding member of SkyTeam, the global alliance that includes 19 member carriers, and maintains codeshare agreements with a range of airlines including Avianca, Copa, EL AL and GOL Linhas Aéreas. This year the airline expanded codeshare cooperation with Air Europa to extend service to European cities such as Asturias (OVD), Seville (SVQ), Stockholm (ARN) and Athens (ATH).
Beyond scheduled service improvements, Aeromexico has targeted a different market with a partnership aimed at private travelers. The new Aeromexico Private Jets service, created with Aerolineas Ejecutivas, provides on-demand charter flights using a fleet that ranges from six-passenger Beechcraft Premier A1 aircraft to 12-passenger Bombardier Challenger 605 jets. The offering targets customers and companies that value flexibility, time savings and personalized travel.
Aeromexico Private Jets also offers a Jet Card for frequent private flyers. The prepaid program lets members book flight hours and select aircraft types with as little as eight hours’ notice, and grants cardholders benefits such as cabin upgrades and discounts on Aeromexico scheduled flights, plus access to Delta Private Jets when available.