Volaris has suspended all intra-Central America flights indefinitely starting April 12, 2026, citing taxes and airport fees that inflate ticket prices by up to 70%.
This move ends low-cost direct connections from El Salvador to San José, Guatemala City, Tegucigalpa, and Miami, severely impacting regional affordability and connectivity.
Regional manager Ronny Rodríguez stated that fiscal charges represent 57-70% of the final ticket cost, with an average of $110 in taxes versus $74 in base fare, rendering the ultra-low-cost model unviable.
Sales for these routes halted on January 21, following warnings issued in February.
Volaris, operating in Central America since 2016 with a base in El Salvador since 2021, will redirect capacity to high-demand international routes.
From Costa Rica, flights to Mexico City, Cancún, Guadalajara, and Orlando continue. El Salvador links to Washington DC, Los Angeles, Oakland, Newark, Houston, and Mexico City persist. Guatemala maintains Mexico City, Cancún, and Los Angeles services.
The suspension underscores how excessive taxes erode low-cost carrier competitiveness, potentially reducing passenger options and pressuring regional governments to reform aviation fiscal policies for sustained operations.