There are 296 aircraft active aircraft in Mexico, according to data provided by ch-aviation. The oldest plane still flying commercially through the Mexican skies is from 1967, a DC-9 currently operating as a freighter.

Who has the oldest aircraft in Mexico?

It is not a surprise that Mexico’s oldest active aircraft is currently flying as a freighter. Cargo airlines often use former passenger planes for freighter operations worldwide.

Aeronaves TSM, a Mexican airline operating cargo services, has the country’s eight oldest active planes. All of them are Douglas DC-9 units. The oldest one has a registration XA-UXP and serial number 47044. This plane rolled out on August 3, 1967.

According to ch-aviation, Texas International first received the aircraft in 1967 and operated it until 1972. Texas International was an airline that ceased operations in 1982, when it merged into Continental Airlines, and had hubs in Dallas and Houston.

After flying with Texas International, XA-UXP went to Finnair, where it was operated between 1972 and 1988. Following its stint with the Finnish flag carrier, the DC-9 flew with Evergreen International Airlines, another ceased US carrier that went out of business in 2014. The DC-9 stayed with Evergreen until 2013; then, it was parked for a couple of years before Aeronaves TSM leased the unit in 2015.

Aeronaves TSM has a big fleet. It currently has 43 units, 34 active and nine inactive. The average age of its fleet is 35.5 years old. The company has 12 DC-9, all built between 1967 and 1970. Aeronaves TSM’s youngest aircraft is a CRJ200ER constructed in 2003.

This is a picture of Mexico's second-oldest active aircraft. Photo: Aeronaves TSM

A look into Mexico’s oldest active planes

Aeronaves TSM has nine out of the ten oldest active planes in Mexico; all of them are DC-9. Prior to their stint with Aeronaves TSM, these DC-9s flew with carriers like Hawaiian Airlines, KLM, Alitalia, and more.

The other carrier that cracks the top ten is Primero Transportes Aéreos, an obscure operator without a website. This airline only has one aircraft, a DHC-6-300, registration XA-TAT. It had its first flight in 1969.

Magnicharters B737-300
Magnicharters has the oldest active passenger commercial airplane in Mexico. Photo: Guillermo Quiroz Martínez via @gquimar.

The oldest aircraft among commercial airlines

There are seven commercial airlines in Mexico. These are Volaris, Aeroméxico, Viva Aerobus, Aeromar, Magnicharters, Transportes Aéreos Regionales, and Aéreo Calafia. The first four have relatively young fleets, as they have updated them recently.

Magnicharters, Transportes Aéreos Regionales, and Aéreo Calafia have slightly older aircraft, particularly the first one.

Magnicharters has the oldest commercial active plane in Mexico, according to ch-aviation. It is a Boeing 737-300, registration XA-UQX. The aircraft was ordered by Ansett Worldwide Aviation Services in 1986 and had its first flight in 1987.

This B737-300 has had quite a history, as it has flown with 12 different operators throughout the years. It flew for Monarch Airlines, Norway Airlines, Air Europe, Air Columbus, Air Malta, TAP Air, Transbrasil, Air Plus Comet, Hamburg International, Airlift Service, and Magnicharters.

Viva Aerobus’ oldest aircraft is an Airbus A320-200, whose first flight was in 2004. The registration is EI-EUA.

Volaris’ oldest plane is an Airbus A319-100. The registration is XA-VOI and it had its first flight in 2005.

Finally, Aeromexico’s oldest plane is a Boeing 737-800 registration N342AM. It had its first flight in 2005. Aeromexico has three older B737-700 that first flew between 2002 and 2004 but are all stored.

Did you ever fly onboard a DC-9? How was the experience? Let us know in the comments below.