British Airways and Viva start a codeshare, putting 13 Mexican cities on one ticket from London
From March 28, 2027, BA will sell Viva flights from Mexico City and Cancún to places like Oaxaca and Los Cabos, earning Avios and tier points.
British Airways customers will soon be able to buy one ticket from London to cities such as Guadalajara, Monterrey and Puerto Vallarta. On Nov. 3, BA said it has signed a codeshare deal with Viva, the Mexican low-cost airline formerly called Viva Aerobus. The partner flights are on sale now at ba.com for travel from March 28, 2027.
The deal covers 13 places in Mexico. Viva will fly the domestic legs, and BA will sell them under its own flight number. Connections run through Mexico City and Cancún, the two gateways BA's own flights from London use. British Airways' announcement says members of The British Airways Club will earn Avios and tier points on the Viva flights.
What changes for travelers
Today, a London traveler heading to Oaxaca or Los Cabos usually books BA to Mexico City and then buys a separate domestic ticket. That works, but the two trips are not linked. If the long-haul flight is late and you miss the domestic one, the second airline owes you nothing.
A codeshare puts both flights on one booking. BA says customers can now book the whole journey in one transaction. Airlines generally rebook missed connections on a single ticket. BA has not published its rules for these Viva connections, though, so check the fare terms before you book a tight transfer.
The deal also works the other way. Someone starting in Tijuana or Mérida can connect onto BA in Mexico City or Cancún and fly to London. From there, BA says, the rest of its network of more than 200 destinations opens up.
The 13 destinations
BA's notes list the routes by hub. Mexico City has the longer list, and several cities are reachable from both hubs.
| Connect in | Viva flights to |
|---|---|
| Mexico City | Cancún, Chihuahua, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Mérida, Monterrey |
| Mexico City | Oaxaca, Puerto Vallarta, San José del Cabo, Tijuana, Veracruz |
| Cancún | Chihuahua, Guadalajara, León, Monterrey, Querétaro, Tijuana, Veracruz |
León and Querétaro are only on the Cancún list. Hermosillo, Mérida, Oaxaca, Puerto Vallarta and San José del Cabo are only on the Mexico City list.
Who is Viva?
Viva is an ultra-low-cost airline based near Monterrey. BA describes it as Mexico's most affordable low-cost carrier. It says Viva has flown more than 180 million passengers in its 20 years and runs a fleet of about 110 Airbus A320 and A321 jets. Viva flies to more than 60 places in Mexico, the US, Colombia, Costa Rica and Cuba. Our Viva page has its fleet and hubs.
That model matters. Viva sells a bare seat and charges for extras. It is not a member of oneworld, BA's alliance. So do not expect oneworld perks on the Viva legs. BA's release does not mention lounge access, priority boarding or free checked bags on Viva flights. It also does not say which BA cabins or fares can be paired with Viva. Until BA says more, assume the domestic leg is a standard Viva economy seat.
Neil Chernoff, BA's chief planning and strategy officer, said the deal is about "opening up more of Mexico" to BA's customers. Viva's Javier Suarez said much the same from the other side: his passengers can now reach Europe on a single ticket.
Where to wait
If your BA flight leaves from Heathrow Terminal 5, Club World and oneworld elite travelers can use the Galleries Club South or Galleries Club North. First Class passengers and oneworld Emeralds can use Galleries First. See our Heathrow guide for the full list.
On the Mexican side, BA has not said whether any lounge benefit carries over to the Viva legs. Plan to wait at the gate for the domestic hop unless BA confirms otherwise.
The bottom line
This is a useful link for anyone flying BA to Mexico who wants to go past the two big gateways. It turns Oaxaca, Los Cabos or Puerto Vallarta into a one-ticket trip from London, with Avios along the way. The fine print on bags, lounges and fare rules is still to come, so read it closely before you book. You can see all of BA's lounges on our British Airways page.
