The Airport Use Fee (TUA) of the Mexico City International Airport (AICM) will increase by 2.9% for domestic routes to 30.59 dollars, according to the publication in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF). Amidst renovations for the 2026 World Cup, the Secretariat of the Navy officially published the increase. According to the airport itself and considering the exchange rate, the TUA for domestic flights will be 542.4 pesos starting this Wednesday, April 1. For international flights, the TUA, which can represent more than half the cost of an airplane ticket, will rise to 58.09 dollars. Thus, the cost of this fee for international flights departing from AICM is around 1,030 pesos, according to official information. Why is the AICM TUA increasing? It is done annually and is based on an agreement with the Secretariat of Finance and Public Credit that states this fee must be increased on January 1st, 'considering the increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the Federal Reserve (Fed) of the United States.' This time, the TUA increase was delayed until April 1st, which marks the beginning of the second quarter of 2026. What is the AICM TUA used for? The TUA collected by airport terminals is intended to finance their own expansion, carry out routine maintenance, and cover the salaries of those who work in the airports. However, in the case of AICM, the funds collected from this fee are held in a trust to pay interest to the bondholders of the New International Airport of Mexico (NAIM), a project that was canceled by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador through a popular consultation. The goal was to link the TUA to the construction of the airport in Texcoco so that it would be paid for by the revenues generated by the project itself, meaning no government funds would be needed to cover its operation. Nevertheless, once the project was canceled, the payment of 3.7 billion dollars, as well as the interest generated, is guaranteed by the TUA of the Mexico City International Airport. In this way, only the surplus from the TUA, as well as commercial revenues, have kept the AICM operational.
Mexico City Airport Fees to Increase to Fund Canceled Project
The Airport Use Fee (TUA) at Mexico City's AICM will rise by 2.9% for domestic and international flights. The increased revenue will be used to pay interest on bonds for the canceled New Mexico City Airport project, rather than for the AICM's own development.
