Delta and Aeroméxico have won a temporary stay against the U.S. Transportation Department’s order to unwind their partnership.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit halted the proceedings while a judicial review of the DOT’s decision takes place, Aeroméxico said in a statement to its investors on Wednesday. The government’s order was set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
It was not immediately clear how long the court’s review will take.
The ruling comes as the Trump administration escalates a trade dispute with Mexico over alleged efforts by Mexican regulators to push U.S. passenger and cargo carriers out of Benito Juárez Mexico City International Airport.
Late last month, the DOT blocked 13 planned and current routes between the U.S. and Mexico operated by Aeroméxico, Viva Aerobus, and Volaris in retaliation.
The joint venture between Delta and Aeroméxico goes beyond standard interline and codeshare agreements by allowing the carriers to share information and jointly determine routes. Its unconventional structure required a special dispensation from the Transportation Department shielding the partners from federal antitrust enforcement, which was granted in late 2016.
The Trump administration said it is choosing to let that grant of immunity lapse because the carriers’ joint venture no longer serves the flying public’s interests and is exacerbating “market distortions” within Mexico.
Border Breakdown
The trade dispute centers on the Mexican government’s decision to unilaterally seize slots from foreign carriers, which made it harder for U.S. airlines like Alaska Airlines and JetBlue to access Mexico City. Mexican regulators also ordered U.S. cargo operators like FedEx and UPS to relocate from Benito Juárez Mexico City International Airport to the recently opened Felipe Ángeles International Airport.
Felipe Ángeles is considered a less desirable landing point for freight carriers because it is further away from Mexico City and increases logistical hurdles.
Mexico maintains that it was working to relieve congestion at Benito Juárez.
High-ranking Mexican officials, including President Claudia Sheinbaum, have denounced the DOT’s route cancellations, arguing that they are unreasonable and likely politically motivated. Sheinbaum and President Donald Trump spoke directly earlier this month, and while Trump described the call positively, no long-term settlement has been worked out.
