Flights to Mexico resume from Toronto after cartel violence disrupts travel plans

Flights to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, have resumed from Toronto Pearson International Airport after widespread cartel-related violence left many Canadians stranded over the weekend.

Following the unrest in the Mexican states of Jalisco and Nayarit, airlines including WestJet, Air Canada, Air Transat, and Porter Airlines cancelled or diverted flights heading to the popular tourist destination.

As of Tuesday morning, carriers are gradually restoring service, though many travellers were left scrambling after their vacations ended with no clear way home.

Porter Airlines stated on X that it is resuming service to Puerto Vallarta but warned that schedules may be modified. The airline advised passengers to check flight times before heading to the airport.

Porter intends to restart flights to #PVR on Feb 24. Service may operate with modified schedules, passengers should verify flight times before travelling to the airport.

Complimentary changes are available for PVR flights through Feb. 25.https://t.co/nZNEGbgyMt

— Porter Airlines (@porterairlines) February 24, 2026

Air Canada also announced that it is resuming flights from Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver to Puerto Vallarta. Service from Toronto to Guadalajara is expected to restart on Wednesday.

(1/4) Following consultation with the Government of Canada and Mexican authorities, we will resume full operations from Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver to Puerto Vallarta on Tuesday, February 24. Operations from Toronto to Guadalajara will resume on Feb. 25.

— Air Canada (@AirCanada) February 24, 2026

The airline also said it is deploying larger aircrafts with 258 extra seats to help bring Canadians home as quickly as possible.

On its website, WestJet said resorts in the region remain open and confirmed it will resume scheduled operations to Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara and Manzanillo on Tuesday.

Air Transat issued a similar statement online, confirming it is resuming operations while maintaining special flexibility measures for flights to Puerto Vallarta.

According to Global Affairs Canada, more than 26,000 Canadians are currently in Mexico.