🛂 Mexico Changes Charter Permit Arrangements; International Arrivals Continue at Cancún
Permit arrangements for cross-border business charters in Mexico have changed. Aviation International News reported on October 1, 2026, that Mexico’s Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) is no longer issuing single-entry charter landing permits. The change concerns permit applications for inbound charters; airport arrival totals alone cannot establish which permit applies to a particular flight. Avi-Go data show that business aircraft departing airports outside Mexico made 217 landings at Cancún International Airport (MMUN) from August 11 to October 5, 2026: 53 from August 11 to August 31, 144 in September, and 20 from October 1 to October 5. The figures were current as of October 6, 2026. Each landing counts as one movement, and flights originating within Mexico are excluded. Because the three periods differ in length, the figures show international arrival activity, not an equal-length comparison of traffic before and after the rule change.
Impact: Brokers arranging inbound charters to Cancún need to verify permits separately from preparing quotes and scheduling flights. The 217 landings show that the airport received aircraft from outside Mexico during the reporting period, but airport traffic cannot substitute for the permit basis applicable to an individual flight.
Recommendation: When arranging charters to Cancún, brokers should confirm the applicable entry permit with the relevant parties for each booking and document the outcome in the quote and itinerary. A point to monitor is how individual charter requests are processed under the new permit arrangements.