Travellers flying into or out of Guadalajara (GDL) and Monterrey (MTY) airports have encountered significant disruption over the past week, with 56 delays and 6 outright cancellations recorded at the two hubs between 21 and 28 July 2026. If you are travelling through either airport in the coming days, building in extra time is strongly recommended.
What is causing the disruption
The disruption is linked to adjusted airspace management connected to World Cup 2026 match days. Both Guadalajara’s Aeropuerto Internacional Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and Monterrey’s Aeropuerto Internacional General Mariano Escobedo are among the stadiums and host cities for the tournament, and air traffic control procedures around major match days have altered standard flight corridors and sequencing. The knock-on effect extends to domestic routes and connecting flights well beyond the immediate stadium periods.
Carriers most affected include Volaris, VivaAerobus, and Aeroméxico, which between them operate the majority of domestic and short-haul international services through both airports.
Practical advice if you are flying
The clearest action is to arrive at both airports earlier than usual — at least 90 additional minutes over your normal pre-flight buffer. This is particularly important for early-morning departures, which are absorbing delayed equipment from overnight disruption.
Check your flight status with the airline directly on the day of travel rather than relying solely on check-in reminders. If your flight is cancelled or delayed by three hours or more, you may be entitled to compensation or rebooking under Mexican aviation consumer rules. Our flight delay compensation guide for Mexico explains what to ask for at the desk and what documentation to keep.
Connecting travel
For travellers using GDL or MTY as connections on multi-leg international itineraries, the disruption makes tight layovers particularly risky at present. If you have a connection of under two hours and the option to rebook onto a later departure, it is worth contacting your airline to explore this before you travel.
Our Guadalajara city guide and Monterrey city guide have information on ground transport from both airports into their respective city centres, including taxi, shuttle, and public transport options — useful if an unexpected overnight stay becomes necessary.
The tournament schedule runs through early August, so conditions at both airports may remain tighter than normal through the end of the month. We will update this article if the situation changes materially.