Hurricane Simon has disrupted air travel and resort operations along Mexico’s Pacific coast; Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR) suspended all commercial and private arrivals at 5 p.m. on Saturday and will remain closed until Tuesday morning.
The National Hurricane Center said Friday that the storm had strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane with winds near 100 mph. By early Monday, the center listed Simon as a Category 3 storm with 115 mph winds, about 50 miles southwest of Cabo Corrientes.
According to The Associated Press (AP), authorities in Jalisco have ordered the tourism sector to fully accommodate all current visitors in shelters or safe zones, while public transit remains completely suspended and police patrol the closed boardwalk to ensure safety. The AP notes that while some travelers surprisingly continued arriving over the weekend, flight operations have ground to a halt following the closure of the PVR. For those currently stranded in the resort city, staff are largely instructing hotel guests to remain in their rooms and wait out the heavy rainfall and high surf.
Hurricane Simon: Airline Waivers
U.S. carriers’ waivers are as follows (please double-check directly with the airline):
Delta Air Lines’ waiver has been extended to cover passengers flying to, from, or through Guadalajara (GDL) and Puerto Vallarta (PVR) for travel dates through Oct. 12, 2026. For tickets originally issued on or before Oct. 9, 2026, Delta is waiving change fees and fare differences.
United Airlines has adapted to ongoing operational impacts for passengers traveling through Puerto Vallarta (PVR) and Zihuatanejo (ZIH), adding rolling updates to accommodate cancellations through Oct. 12, 2026. For original tickets purchased on or before Oct. 8, 2026, United is completely waiving both change fees and fare differences for rescheduled flights. To qualify under the primary waiver, the new travel must take place within the permitted window through Oct. 14, 2026.
American Airlines’ travel notice now directly impacts travelers facing cancellations today, as the policy covers Puerto Vallarta (PVR) itineraries affected by the hurricane through Oct. 12, 2026. To qualify for a change fee waiver, original tickets must have been issued on or before Oct. 8, 2026.
The Southwest Airlines travel advisory covers all flights disrupted by the storm through Puerto Vallarta (PVR) and Guadalajara (GDL). With widespread flight cancellations today due to the extended airport closure, passengers with active reservations may rebook their flights or travel standby within 14 days of their original travel date. As long as the rescheduled flight connects the same city pairs, Southwest is completely waiving the change in airfare.
The National Hurricane Center has forecast Simon to move slowly northwest through early Tuesday before turning north and then northeast toward west-central Mexico around midweek. According to reports, rainfall totals could reach about 30 inches in parts of Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco.
Advisors should check Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico, which operates the Puerto Vallarta airport, or this page for the latest updates.
