Flight Options from Northeast Hubs to Mazatlán

Just as our friends in Canada may want to escape the frigid winter for a fishing trip to El Salto or Picachos, so too will anglers in the northeastern U.S. benefit from a little bit of R&R South of the Border. I continue to be surprised that so much of the Anglers Inn clientele hails from Texas, California and Arizona. I’m sure it’s explained by the fact that travel from those states to western Mexico is typically much easier, but they also have year-round fisheries so the need to get away is not quite as dire.

Short of chartering or owning a private plane, if you’re coming to Mazatlán from anywhere along the I-95 corridor, you’re likely going to have to make  stops in Dallas, Phoenix, Los Angeles or Mexico City. Don’t let that be a deterrent – it’s really not that bad – but by playing the airline game properly and hedging your bets against weather-related delays you can minimize the likely hassle factor.

Because options to Mazatlán are limited and already-unsteady airline schedules can be rocked by inclement northeastern weather, I’d strongly suggest that whenever possible you rely on the smallest number of connections. If you live in or near a mid-sized city like Portland, ME, Hartford, CT or Wilmington, DE, in many cases it’s simply wiser to drive to a larger airport in a larger city the night before.

Here are one-stop flight options from the three largest northeastern cities:

Flights from NYC to Mazatlán

Anglers from New York and the tri-state area are fortunate to have three major airports from which to choose: LaGuardia, JFK and Newark. That means that you may be able to price shop and compare itineraries to find the one that best fits your needs. There are multiple one-stop options, most of which will get you there from any of the three airports the same day.

• Fly through Dallas on American, arriving in Mazatlán at 12:19pm

• Fly through Phoenix on American, arriving in Mazatlán at 1:03pm

• Fly through Mexico City on Aeromexico, arriving in Mazatlán at 4:38pm

• Fly through Mexico City on Aeromexico, arriving in Mazatlán at 10:03am (this requires overnighting in MEX)

• Fly through Los Angeles on Alaska Airlines, arriving in Mazatlán 2:48pm (this requires overnighting in LAX)

• There may also be some options on Volaris and VivaAerobus

Flights from Boston to Mazatlán

Boston Logan is the largest airport in New England, so it may serve as hub or jumping-off point for many traveling fishermen and fisherwomen from not only Massachusetts, but also Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. It’s also the most northerly of the three cities discussed here, so weather issues may be the most acute, but it’s also the city most capable of dealing with them. Right now it appears that there’s only a single carrier that easily gives New Englanders one-stop service to Mazatlán, so if you want specific dates jump on one of these routes asap.

• Fly through Dallas on American, arriving 12:19pm

• Fly through Phoenix on American, arriving 1:03pm.

Flights from Philadelphia to Mazatlán

Philly may be a good option for those of you in that metropolitan area, plus South Jersey, Delaware and some other parts of Pennsylvania, but like Boston your one-stop flight options are going to be limited. Accordingly, it may pay to also look to Newark (to the north) or BWI (to the south) and exercise a Park-Sleep-and-Fly strategy. Otherwise, they have the same two main routes as Boston.

• Fly through Dallas on American, arriving 12:19pm

• Fly through Phoenix on American, arriving 1:03pm.

Overnighting in Dallas, Phoenix, Los Angeles or Mexico City

Most of these one-stop routes to Mazatlán from the northeast require that you get up very early to catch your initial flight, and many of them have very short layovers at the first stop. If you run into any hurdles or delays, that can mean you’ll miss your connection. With a limited number of flights going to Mazatlán each day from Dallas, Phoenix and Mexico City, that can spell disaster. Accordingly, we are strong proponents of flying the night before to your layover city. This typically can be done at no additional cost other than the price of a hotel room. It also means that you’ll likely get a decent night’s sleep and not have to run through the airport to get to your Mexico-bound flight. We’ve stayed at various options in Dallas – including both the Hyatt in the airport and the one across the street, as well as several cheaper and slightly more distant alternatives. We’ve not overnighted in Phoenix yet, but we’re planning to do that on our upcoming January trip. Hanna’s dad winters there, so we have a free place to stay and we’ll get to spend some time with him after not seeing him at all over the last 18 months. There are plenty of options around LAX, too. Overnighting in Mexico City may prove to be a little more challenging as it will require you to go through customs.

Other Considerations and Limitations

Remember that the already-limited number of flights from the U.S. to Mazatlán has been further reduced or altered by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Be sure to check several things before you book:

• Does my preferred option exist on the day of the week I want to travel?

• Is there a return flight that works for me and gets me back in a timely fashion? Most of the American flights leave Mazatlán in the early afternoon, as does one typical AeroMexico booking, but there’s also an AeroMexico itinerary that leaves at about 6am that may be best for some travelers headed back to NY, but it requires an early wakeup call at the lodge.

• How does Daylight Savings Time affect where you’ll be heading and the amount of time you’ll have for transfers?

No matter which of these routes you want or need to fly, it pays to get on the books soon simply because options are so limited. Reach out to Hanna if you have any questions.