DOT Orders End to Delta–Aeroméxico Joint Venture Over Slot Disputes
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has ordered Delta Air Lines and Aeroméxico to dismantle their joint venture by January 1, 2026, citing unfair competition linked to how takeoff and landing slots are allocated at Mexico City’s congested airport.
Approved in 2016, the partnership gave the two carriers antitrust immunity to coordinate prices, schedules, and capacity on U.S.–Mexico routes. The DOT now argues that opaque slot allocation at Benito Juárez International Airport, combined with other Mexican government interventions, has tipped the scales too far in favor of Aeroméxico and its U.S. partner.
American rivals have long complained that slots at Mexico City are confiscated or distributed in ways that disadvantage foreign airlines. The DOT also highlighted restrictions on all-cargo flights and forced relocations to the new Felipe Ángeles airport as distortions that breach the U.S.–Mexico air services agreement.
While Delta and Aeroméxico may continue to codeshare, coordinate frequent flyer benefits, and maintain their equity ties, they will lose the right to jointly manage fares and capacity — the essence of their alliance.
Consumer groups welcomed the ruling, saying it could restore competition and lower fares, while the airlines defended the venture as one that had expanded connectivity.
With the deadline looming, the future of one of North America’s most prominent cross-border airline partnerships now hinges on whether Mexico will address U.S. concerns over airport access and competition.
