History of Volaris in Timeline
Volaris is a prominent Mexican low-cost airline headquartered in Mexico City. As Mexico's largest airline based on passenger volume, Volaris holds a dominant 42% market share in the Mexican domestic airline sector. It operates from several key bases, including Cancún, Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Tijuana, serving both domestic and international destinations across the Americas. The airline plays a significant role in connecting Mexico with various points in North and Central America.
August 2005: Pre-operations phase started
In August 2005, Volaris began its pre-operations phase under the name Vuela Airlines, including founding legal entities and setting up required infrastructure. The initial idea came from the proposed "Vuelamex" project.
2005: Launched with a pixelated star logo
Since its launch in 2005, the Volaris logo has been a colorful, pixelated star against a black background, representing the north star, Polaris.
January 2006: Started ticket sales
In January 2006, Volaris began selling tickets.
February 2006: Operated first non-commercial flight
In February 2006, Volaris operated its first non-commercial flight after receiving its first aircraft.
March 13, 2006: Launched scheduled revenue flights
On March 13, 2006, Volaris launched its scheduled revenue flights, with the inaugural flight operating between Toluca and Tijuana.
November 2008: Announced codeshare agreement with Southwest Airlines
In November 2008, Volaris announced a codeshare agreement with Southwest Airlines.
April 2009: Announced start of U.S.-bound flights
In April 2009, Volaris announced the start of U.S.-bound flights out of Toluca and Guadalajara to connect with Southwest Airlines hubs.
July 2010: Televisa and Inbursa sold stake in Volaris
In July 2010, Televisa and Inbursa sold their stake in Volaris, altering the ownership structure. TACA Airlines, Investment fund Discovery Americas, and Indigo Partners became the primary owners.
September 2010: Began service to Mexico City
In September 2010, Volaris began service to Mexico City after absorbing flight routes from defunct Mexican airlines Aerocalifornia and Mexicana.
March 2011: Announced hub move to Guadalajara
In March 2011, Volaris announced that its hub in Toluca would move to Guadalajara.
2011: Began using Guadalajara as an American gateway hub
In late 2011, Volaris began using Guadalajara International Airport as an American gateway hub.
June 2012: Launched VClub frequent flyer program and added PayPal as payment
In June 2012, Volaris launched the VClub frequent flyer program and also integrated PayPal as a payment option on the airline's website.
September 2012: Announced codeshare partnership with Condor
In September 2012, Volaris announced a codeshare partnership with Condor, a German airline, expanding international destinations for Condor's passengers.
February 2013: Volaris and Southwest stopped codesharing
In February 2013, Volaris and Southwest Airlines ended their codeshare agreement.
March 13, 2013: Celebrated seventh anniversary
On March 13, 2013, Volaris celebrated its seventh anniversary by offering passengers 70% off all flights.
March 2016: Announced creation of Volaris Costa Rica
In March 2016, Volaris announced the creation of a subsidiary, Volaris Costa Rica.
November 2016: Volaris Costa Rica started operations
In November 2016, Volaris Costa Rica, based in San José, started its operations.
January 2018: Announced codeshare agreement with Frontier Airlines
In January 2018, Volaris announced a codeshare agreement with Frontier Airlines.
2019: Discontinued use of in-flight entertainment
By 2019, Volaris had discontinued the use of in-flight entertainment (IFE) on its aircraft.
2022: Faced class-action lawsuits
As of 2022, Volaris faced multiple class-action lawsuits for failing to properly refund flights canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
February 2025: Operates an all-Airbus A320 family fleet
As of February 2025, Volaris operates an all-Airbus A320 family fleet.
