DOT ends Delta Aeromexico joint venture Jan 1

Published on Sep 21, 2025, 4:45 pm CDT

6 min read

The U.S. Department of Transportation issued a final order to terminate the Delta Aeromexico joint venture effective January 1, 2026, citing reduced competition tied to slot access and other government actions in Mexico City. The decision withdraws antitrust immunity, so the carriers must stop coordinating prices, capacity, and schedules. Reporting and agency statements indicate that arm's-length cooperation, including codeshares and frequent flyer reciprocity, may continue. Delta says flights operate normally for now. For travelers, the big change is less coordinated connecting service via Mexico City International Airport, and a shift to more head-to-head competition on key U.S.-Mexico routes.

Key Points

Why it matters: Coordinated pricing and schedule banking between partners will end on January 1, 2026.
Travel impact: You may see fewer tightly timed connections via Mexico City and different fare dynamics.
What's next: Expect new timetables and pricing as each carrier plans independently for U.S.-Mexico flying.
Loyalty: Codeshares and mileage accrual are expected to continue, subject to partner agreements.
Alternatives: American and United provide strong nonstops and hubs for U.S.-Mexico itineraries.

Snapshot

DOT's final order ends approval and antitrust immunity for the Delta Aeromexico joint venture on January 1, 2026. The agency ties its decision to competition concerns in the U.S.-Mexico City market, referencing slot allocation and related policy moves in Mexico. DOT and subsequent reporting state that non-immunized cooperation, such as codesharing, marketing, and frequent flyer reciprocity, can continue. Delta, which holds a minority stake in Aeromexico, says customers should see current flights operating as scheduled for now. Practically, travelers will notice less synchronized connection banks at Mexico City International Airport, more variability in minimum connection times, and fewer seamless protections when itineraries mix the two carriers.

Background

Delta and Aeromexico launched their immunized joint venture in 2016, allowing deep cooperation on U.S.-Mexico routes, including shared revenue, coordinated schedules, and joint sales strategies. In July 2025, DOT issued a tentative decision to revoke approval, pointing to market distortions around Mexico City International Airport slot access and other measures. On September 15, 2025, DOT finalized its order, setting a January 1, 2026 end date for antitrust immunity and JV coordination. The department notes that carriers can maintain arm's-length relationships, such as codeshares and loyalty cooperation, without immunity. News reporting following the order emphasizes that loyalty earning and redemptions are expected to remain, while the most material changes will be to pricing strategy, coordinated capacity, and the tightness of connections via Mexico City.

Latest Developments

What happens to codeshares, miles, and benefits

DOT's announcement and follow-up coverage indicate that the carriers can continue non-immunized cooperation, including codeshares and frequent flyer reciprocity. That means many Delta-marketed Aeromexico flights, and vice versa, can still appear in booking flows, with mileage earning and redemptions available under each program's rules. Delta's policy today also allows Global Upgrade Certificates on select Aeromexico flights, subject to fare class and availability; absent a new policy change, that mechanism remains in place. Lounge access continues through SkyTeam reciprocity when itineraries and status qualify. None of this guarantees unchanged accrual charts or upgrade inventory, so frequent flyers should check fare classes, partner earning tables, and whether a flight is marketed or operated by each carrier before purchase.

Connections via Mexico City after January 1

Without joint planning, the carriers will no longer timebanks to each other at Mexico City International Airport (MEX). Expect fewer perfectly aligned inbound-to-outbound connection pairs, more mixed layover lengths, and less proactive cross-reaccommodation during irregular operations unless you hold a single-ticket codeshare. Protected connections still exist on one-ticket itineraries, but same-day switches across the two airlines may be tighter and upgrade waitlists less harmonized. Travelers connecting beyond MEX should verify terminal usage and minimum connection times, consider earlier feeders, and favor single-carrier or single-ticket options when reliability matters.

Analysis

For flyers in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York, the near-term play is to compare three baskets on Mexico City and beyond: Delta on its own metal, Aeromexico on its own metal, and competitors' nonstop or hub-connect options. American Airlines is currently the largest U.S. carrier to Mexico by schedule, with deep connectivity over Dallas Fort Worth and Phoenix, and growing Chicago O'Hare service to Mexico City. United remains strong via Houston and Newark, with additional options over Chicago O'Hare. These networks give you alternatives when JV-era schedules uncouple.

If you value SkyMiles earning, you can still book Delta-marketed codeshares on Aeromexico to keep accrual simple. If you value the shortest travel time, compare pure nonstops on whichever airline flies your city pair, including United or American. If you value operational resilience, try to keep mixed-carrier trips on a single ticket and pad connections at MEX. Elite flyers should continue to get SkyTeam lounge access and priority services where eligible, but upgrade odds across partners may soften without coordinated inventory. Price-sensitive travelers should also check low-cost options, like Viva Aerobus or Volaris, on point-to-point routes, then weigh baggage and change-fee policies against legacy carriers. As schedules reset, expect competitive fares on overlapping routes and shifting bank structures at MEX, making comparison shopping more important than during the joint venture period.

Final Thoughts

The end of the Delta Aeromexico joint venture will reshape, not remove, your choices. Codeshares, mileage accrual, and SkyTeam benefits should persist, but you will see less choreography on connections via Mexico City. Compare single-carrier nonstops against codeshared options, keep mixed-carrier trips on one ticket, and leave extra slack at MEX. On trunk routes, American and United provide strong alternatives, and price competition may increase. Expect a few months of timetable churn as both airlines plan independently, then settle into a new normal on the Delta Aeromexico joint venture markets.