The United States terminates the Delta-Aeroméxico alliance citing anticompetitive practices.

• The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that the Donald Trump administration has issued an order requiring Delta Air Lines and Aeroméxico to dissolve their strategic alliance by January 1, 2026.
• This measure, which follows a proposal in July, seeks to address concerns about anticompetitive practices in the airline market between the two countries, particularly on key routes such as those connecting to Mexico City.
• The U.S. Department of Transportation proposed the measure in July as part of a series of actions targeting Mexican aviation.

U.S. and Mexico Air transport agreement is seen to be in danger, as the U.S. Administration ordered the Delta Airlines and Mexican Aeroméxico, to end their joint venture, which allows them to coordinate scheduling, pricing, and capacity decisions for flights between the U.S. and Mexico.

"Through this Order, the U.S. Department of Transportation makes final the decision proposed in Order 2025-7-12 to terminate the joint pricing and capacity-fixing venture operated by Delta and Aeroméxico," reads the published document, which is more than 30 pages long.

Specifically, the agency is revoking its approval of the joint venture agreements and the grant of antitrust immunity (ATI). This termination will take effect on January 1, 2026.

The Department said Monday that the action "is necessary due to the ongoing anticompetitive effects in the markets between the United States and Mexico City that provide an unfair advantage to Delta and Aeroméxico."

The document, issued by the Trump administration, accuses the Mexican government of continuing, without mentioning Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, to distort the market and act in violation of the U.S.-Mexico Air Transport Agreement.

The joint venture, established in 2017, has allowed the airlines to collaborate on pricing, flight scheduling, and capacity management, representing approximately 60% of traffic between Mexico City Airport and destinations in the U.S.

However, U.S. authorities determined that this coordination gave the two companies unfair advantages over competitors, harming competition in the sector. It is important to note that the order does not require Delta to sell its 20% stake in Aeroméxico.

The measure comes after the Trump administration noted that the Mexican government has done nothing to restore cargo operations at Mexico City International Airport (AICM) and not at Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA).

• Aeroméxico expressed in a statement that it "regrets" the decision of the neighboring country's Department of Transportation, as it ignores "the benefits that the alliance has provided to connectivity, tourism, and consumers in Mexico."
• The airline assured, the development will not affect its customers and guaranteed that passengers will be able to continue using the connectivity service of both airlines.

The document, issued by the Trump administration, accuses the Mexican government of continuing to distort the market and act in violation of the U.S.-Mexico Air Transport Agreement.

“As documented in this proceeding, the Mexican government has seized slots, prohibited all cargo operations at Mexico City's primary airport (Benito Juárez International Airport, MEX), maintained a slot allocation regime that falls short of international standards and favors Aeroméxico, and has generally demonstrated that it can disrupt airlines' aviation operations and long-term business planning at any time through arbitrary actions,” the document states.

The order also detailed that it will take time before the Department can assess the willingness and ability of the Mexican government, now headed by Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, to return to full and sustained compliance with the Air Transport Agreement and to improve competitive conditions in the bilateral market.

Delta and Aeroméxico expressed their disappointment and are evaluating future options on cooperation. Understandably, the measure is part of a series of actions by the Trump administration against Mexican aviation, raising doubts about future alliances between companies from both countries.