MSP–Puerto Vallarta flights canceled amid cartel unrest

Feb 23 Breaking Twin Cities 1 source 5 relevant data

Sun Country and Delta have canceled multiple Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport flights to Puerto Vallarta on Sunday and Monday, Feb. 22–23, 2026, after Mexican forces killed Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes and cartel gunmen launched retaliatory attacks across Jalisco. U.S. travelers already in Puerto Vallarta are being told to stay at their resorts, and Delta has posted a travel alert saying civil unrest could disrupt flights through Feb. 26, while Sun Country warns that all travel to and from Jalisco airports, including PVR, "may be impacted" and is waiving change fees for affected passengers. Mexican officials say 25 National Guard members were killed in six separate attacks in Jalisco as cartel members blocked roads and burned vehicles following El Mencho’s death. The cancellations hit just as Minnesota’s spring break travel season ramps up, and social media posts from Twin Cities families show confusion and anxiety as they scramble to rebook or decide whether to travel into a volatile situation. Airlines say they are "monitoring the situation" with local authorities, but have given no firm timeline for when regular MSP–Puerto Vallarta service will resume.

📌 Key Facts

Sun Country and Delta canceled MSP–Puerto Vallarta flights on Sunday and Monday, Feb. 22–23, 2026, citing civil unrest in Mexico.
Mexico’s military killed Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes over the weekend, triggering road blockades, vehicle fires and at least 25 National Guard deaths in Jalisco.
Delta issued an alert saying travel to Puerto Vallarta could be affected through Feb. 26, and Sun Country is waiving change fees for trips to and from Jalisco airports, including PVR.

📊 Relevant Data

In 2023, there were 72,776 fentanyl overdose deaths in the United States.

Are fentanyl overdose deaths rising in the US? — USAFacts

In 2023, the fentanyl overdose death rate for Black Americans was 35.0 per 100,000 population, which is over 50% higher than the national average of 21.8 per 100,000; Black Americans comprise approximately 13% of the US population.

Are fentanyl overdose deaths rising in the US? — USAFacts

In 2023, non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native people had the highest fentanyl overdose death rate of 65.0 per 100,000 population; they comprise approximately 1% of the US population.

Reduce drug overdose deaths — infographic — Healthy People 2030

The Jalisco New Generation Cartel is one of the primary Mexican cartels responsible for producing and trafficking fentanyl into the United States, with Mexican cartels producing the vast majority of street fentanyl flowing into the US.

Trump used fentanyl to justify tariffs, but the crisis was already easing — NPR

Approximately 80% of fentanyl seized at US borders occurs in the southwest border region, primarily smuggled by Mexican cartels.

Fentanyl Continues to Be the Leading Cause of Overdose Deaths. What’s Being Done to Combat Trafficking into the United States? — GAO