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McALLEN — It was an effort a decade in the making, and one McAllen City Manager Roel “Roy” Rodriguez joked meant he could finally retire.
On Wednesday, an ebullient Rodriguez — surrounded by fellow city staffers and executives from ultra-low-cost Mexican airline Volaris — heralded a new era for the McAllen International Airport with a nonstop route to Cancún, Mexico.
“Obviously, my work is done. We’ve got a flight to Cancún and so my exit might be tomorrow,” Rodriguez quipped to the amused chuckles of those in the crowd.
In an exclusive interview with The Monitor last month, Rodriguez confirmed his pending retirement will come sometime after the fiscal budget season comes to a close this September.
But before that happens, Rodriguez was excited to celebrate achieving a goal he had long ago set for the city.
“Today marks a significant advancement for our city’s connectivity as we introduce a new nonstop route from McAllen International Airport to the vibrant destination of Cancún,” the city manager said.
The nonstop flights, which are offered on Wednesdays and Saturdays, officially commenced July 3, according to a news release.
The nonstop routes to the popular Mexican tourist destination mark the fourth major new route offering to come to the McAllen airport this year alone.
Last month, the airport began offering nonstop flights to and from Tampa, Florida via low-cost U.S. airline Allegiant Air, which already flies similar nonstop routes out of McAllen to Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Orlando.
In April, Delta Air began flying three daily nonstops to the state capital’s Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
And in February, Mexico’s flag carrier airline, Aeroméxico, began offering daily nonstops to Mexico City.
With McAllen now also offering direct flights to Cancún, vacationers and business people alike can reach its sandy beaches in just a few hours, the city manager said.
“This is a really big deal,” Rodriguez said after Wednesday’s celebration ceremony inside the airport.
“I mean, we’re really proud of all of the routes we have and all of the fantastic airlines that we have, but we’ve been trying to get Cancún for a long time,” he said.
For the airport’s aviation director, Jeremy Santoscoy, the variety of new offerings illustrates an airport that has finally come into its own.
“Now we’re looking like this is really an airport that has come into its fruition,” Santoscoy said.
Though McAllen named Santoscoy its aviation director in December, the professional engineer has had a much longer tenure with the airport and the city itself at nearly two decades of service.
Nonetheless, over the course of his first few months at the helm of the airport, he’s overseen a bevy of forward progress.
In addition to adding new routes and destinations to the lineup, Santoscoy has also seen the airport continue its record-breaking financial trends.
“It’s been a great, great year for you, and certainly a great 2024,” Rodriguez said, lauding Santoscoy during the celebration.
Four out of the past five years have seen the airport’s enplanements and deplanements — or passenger boarding and arrival numbers — skyrocket.
And already, 2024’s early numbers look to be on track to again surpass previous records.
“This year, we’re above 20% year-over-year,” Santoscoy said.
Data published by the airport shows that 51,302 people boarded flights this May compared to about 42,400 last year for a year-over-year increase of 21%.
Similarly, some 45,647 passengers deplaned in McAllen during the month of May, a 19% increase over the same period of time in 2023.
But with an increase in passenger traffic, airlines and flights comes an increased need for infrastructure at the airport.
Currently, all six of the airport’s gates are at capacity, District 2 McAllen Commissioner Joaquin “J.J.” Zamora said.
“All our gates are docked in the evening hours — so much that the Aeromexico flight … has to be stationed away from the terminal itself because we don’t have any more gate space,” Zamora said.
The airport needs additional space for terminals, ticket counters, baggage claim and more.
To that end, the city is conducting a monthslong terminal capacity study, thanks in large part to funding secured by U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-McAllen.
“Earlier this year, thanks to Congresswoman Monica De la (Cruz), she brought the bacon home in the amount of $7.1 million to help assist with our terminal expansion,” Zamora said.
Santoscoy expects the study to be completed by the end of the year. Once it is, McAllen officials will have a better idea of how best to invest in the facility, which is a major money maker for the city.
“That terminal capacity study will indicate to us, and give us the justification on how we move forward with any type of growth with the terminal,” the aviation director said.
And as the airport grows, McAllen residents will reap the benefits, the city manager said.
“It is a revenue generator and it helps the city of McAllen reduce the burden of the taxpayers. So, (it’s) very exciting, a great extra that we get out of our airport and I’m super happy today,” Rodriguez said.
In the meantime, he had a message for potential travelers.
“We look forward to welcoming you in McAllen and nos vemos en Cancún!”
