Hurricane Simon October 2026: Puerto Vallarta Airport CLOSED Until Tuesday October 13 — Manzanillo Suspended — American Airlines, Delta, Southwest & WestJet Waivers Active — Tropical Storm Rachel Also Approaching Baja California — Full Refund and Rebooking Guide for US, UK, Canadian & Australian Travellers

Hurricane Simon struck Mexico’s Pacific coast as a Category 4 storm with 240 km/h sustained winds. Puerto Vallarta’s international airport — gateway to one of Mexico’s most popular resort regions — has been closed since Saturday and has now extended that closure to Tuesday October 13 at 08:00 local time. Four major airlines have issued travel waivers. And a second weather system, Tropical Storm Rachel, is separately approaching Baja California. If you have a flight to or from Puerto Vallarta or Manzanillo this week, here is everything you need to know.

The Pacific Airport Group (GAP) reported that the Puerto Vallarta airport will remain closed until 10 a.m. ET on Monday. However, the closure has since been extended further. Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR) is now closed to all operations until 8 a.m. on Tuesday, 13 October.

Mexican authorities placed 28 municipalities across Jalisco and Colima under the highest cyclone alert level, while another 93 municipalities were under high alert.

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Published: October 12, 2026
Hurricane: Simon — Category 4 at peak (240 km/h sustained winds); weakened to Category 3 during landfall
Airports closed: Puerto Vallarta International (PVR) · Manzanillo International (ZLO)
Puerto Vallarta closure: Until 08:00 local time Tuesday October 13 (latest update — subject to change)
Manzanillo closure: Manzanillo International Airport (ZLO) closed at 18:00 on Saturday October 10 — check GAP for reopening
Airline waivers confirmed: American Airlines · Delta Air Lines · Southwest Airlines · WestJet
Mexican carriers affected: Aeromexico · Volaris · Viva Aerobus · Vivaaerobus
Second storm: Tropical Storm Rachel — approaching Baja California and Southern California
Landfall area: Between Manzanillo and Puerto Vallarta — Jalisco and Colima states
Ports closed: Mexico’s Navy closed nine ports including Manzanillo, Lázaro Cárdenas, Puerto Vallarta and San Blas
Airport operator: Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP) — gap.com.mx

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What Happened — Hurricane Simon in Full

Hurricane Simon developed rapidly in the Eastern Pacific, intensifying to Category 4 status with maximum sustained winds of 240 km/h as it tracked toward Mexico’s Pacific coast. A hurricane warning covered the coast from Punta San Telmo to Punta Mita, taking in both Manzanillo and Puerto Vallarta.

Hurricane Simon weakened to Category 3 as rains flooded Mexico’s Pacific coast. People traversed flooded streets as the hurricane approached, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to Manzanillo on October 11, 2026. The system moved slowly up the coast, which prolonged the period of dangerous conditions rather than producing a single sharp impact and clearance.

As of Sunday morning, Simon remained a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 240 km/h.

The slow movement is the key factor in the extended airport closure. A fast-moving hurricane passes an airport within hours. Simon’s crawl up the coast means Puerto Vallarta has been under hurricane threat conditions across three days — Saturday October 10, Sunday October 11, and now Monday October 12.

GAP advises passengers to contact their airline directly for the most current rebooking information.

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Airport Status — What You Need to Know RIGHT NOW

Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR) — CLOSED UNTIL TUESDAY 13 OCTOBER

Puerto Vallarta International Airport is now closed to all operations until 8 a.m. on Tuesday, 13 October. This changes the picture from when the airport was still expected to reopen on Monday morning.

What 08:00 Tuesday means in practice: The airport may reopen at 08:00 local time (GMT-6, CDT) — meaning 14:00 UTC, 15:00 BST, 01:00 AEDT. However, a reopening is not a guarantee of immediate operations. Airlines will need time to:

• Inspect aircraft for hurricane damage
• Reposition aircraft and crew
• Clear the backlog of cancelled services
• Process stranded passengers

Expect Tuesday flights to be limited, with full operations potentially not resuming until Wednesday. If you are booked on a Tuesday Puerto Vallarta departure, check with your airline before travelling to the airport.

Manzanillo International Airport (ZLO) — CHECK CURRENT STATUS

Manzanillo International Airport closed at 18:00 on Saturday October 10, with an initial reopening scheduled for 08:00 on Sunday. Given the continued storm movement, check GAP’s real-time status at gap.com.mx for the current reopening position.

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Airlines Affected — Mexican Carriers

Volaris announced cancellations for October 10 and 11 involving Puerto Vallarta, Tepic, Uruapan and Colima. Viva Aerobus also announced cancellations for October 11 and 12, including routes connecting Puerto Vallarta with Mexico City, Guadalajara, Toluca, Monterrey, Ciudad Juárez and Tijuana, as well as Mexico City–Manzanillo services.

Aeromexico, as Mexico’s flag carrier, is also cancelling Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo services across the disruption window.

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International Airline Waivers — American, Delta, Southwest, WestJet

All four major international carriers serving Puerto Vallarta have issued travel waivers for flights disrupted by Hurricane Simon:

American Airlines: Change and cancellation fees waived for customers with tickets to/from Puerto Vallarta (PVR) and Manzanillo (ZLO). Check aa.com/travelalerts for specific eligible dates and rebooking windows.

Delta Air Lines: Travel waiver active for PVR and ZLO. Customers may rebook to a different date or request a refund for cancelled flights. Check delta.com/travelinfo.

Southwest Airlines: Waiver active for Puerto Vallarta flights. Southwest’s standard no-fee rebooking policy applies alongside the waiver. Rebook at southwest.com → Manage Reservations.

WestJet (Canada): Waiver active for Canadian passengers on WestJet flights to Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo. Check westjet.com → Travel Advisories for current waiver terms. Particularly relevant for Canadian passengers — Puerto Vallarta is one of the most popular Canadian winter-sun destinations and WestJet operates heavily on the route.

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Your Rights — What Every Affected Passenger Is Owed

The Extraordinary Circumstances Rule

A hurricane is a natural weather event — the clearest possible example of extraordinary circumstances under DOT, EU261, UK261, and APPR. Airlines are entitled to invoke extraordinary circumstances for hurricane-caused cancellations, which means:

• Fixed cash compensation (EU261 €250–€600, UK261 £220–£520) does NOT apply — the hurricane is genuinely extraordinary
• Full cash refund DOES apply — for all cancelled flights regardless of cause
• Duty of care DOES apply — meals, hotel, rebooking for stranded passengers

Right 1 — Full Refund on All Cancelled Flights

If your flight was cancelled due to Hurricane Simon, you are entitled to a full refund to your original payment method regardless of your ticket type, fare class, or whether it was labelled non-refundable.

• US passengers (DOT): Refund within 7 business days (credit card) or 20 calendar days (other payment). Request: “I want a full cash refund under DOT rules, not a voucher.”
• UK passengers (UK261): Full refund within 7 days.
• Canadian passengers (APPR): Full refund for cancelled flights.
• Australian passengers: Full refund under airline conditions of carriage and Australian Consumer Law.

Right 2 — Rebooking on Next Available Flight

You may choose rebooking on the next available flight to Puerto Vallarta or Manzanillo at no additional charge.

Given the airport closure extends to Tuesday: if you were travelling this weekend for a week’s holiday, rebooking to Wednesday may significantly eat into your trip. Many passengers in this situation may prefer a full refund over a rebooked flight that arrives days late.

Right 3 — Accommodation for Stranded Passengers

If you are already in Puerto Vallarta and cannot depart on your scheduled return flight, contact your airline immediately. Airlines have a duty of care obligation to passengers who are stranded at the destination. This includes meals and hotel accommodation while you wait for a flight to operate.

For passengers stranded in Puerto Vallarta: The hotel where you were staying is the most practical first contact — most resort hotels have protocols for guests whose departure has been disrupted and will arrange extended stays, sometimes at no additional charge if the cause is a declared natural disaster. Check with your hotel’s front desk.

Right 4 — Travel Insurance

This is exactly the scenario travel insurance is designed for. Your travel insurance policy should cover:

• Trip interruption: If you are stranded in Mexico, covers additional accommodation and meal costs until you can depart
• Trip cancellation: If you chose not to travel after the hurricane was announced and before the airport officially closed, covers non-refundable pre-paid trip costs
• CFAR (Cancel For Any Reason): If purchased, covers cancellations you made before any formal airline cancellation

Contact your insurer now if you are stranded. Keep all receipts.

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Tropical Storm Rachel — The Second Weather System

Separately from Hurricane Simon, Tropical Storm Rachel’s surf has driven out Long Beach residents and shut Newport Beach beaches as the system approaches Baja California and Southern California.

Tropical Storm Rachel is affecting:

• Baja California Sur airports (Los Cabos — check status)
• Southern California coastal airports may experience surf advisories
• Cruise port operations at Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas

Passengers travelling to Los Cabos (SJD) or other Baja California destinations this week should monitor Rachel’s track separately from Simon. Los Cabos International Airport has not been closed as of this publication, but conditions may deteriorate if Rachel strengthens.

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Quick Reference — Hurricane Simon October 2026

GAP Airport Operator: gap.com.mx — real-time closure/reopening notices for PVR and ZLO

NHC Hurricane Tracking: nhc.noaa.gov — Hurricane Simon + Tropical Storm Rachel current positions

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Posted By : Vinay

As a lead contributor for Travel Tourister, Vinay is dedicated to serving our Tier 1 audience (US, UK, Canada, Australia). His mission is to deliver precise, fact-checked news and actionable, data-driven articles that empower readers to make informed decisions, minimize travel risks, and maximize their adventure without compromising safety or budget.