Viva Aerobus: your traveler's guide to Mexico's ultra-low-cost airline

The Viva fare that shows up in search results includes a personal item and nothing else, and the cheapest one can't be changed at all. This guide is about everything the low price leaves out: the Zero, Switch and Smart fare ladder, why even the carry-on is a paid add-on, bags, check-in, pets, minors and refunds, plus how to reach Viva directly or get help from a live BargainAirTicket agent, 24/7 in English and Spanish.

BargainAirTicket is an independent travel agency. We are not Viva Aerobus and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by Viva Aerobus. This guide is for information only. You can manage your booking yourself at vivaaerobus.com at no cost. If you'd rather we handle it, our agents assist for a service fee, quoted before you're charged.

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About Viva Aerobus

A quick profile of the carrier.

Viva Aerobus is a Mexican ultra-low-cost carrier built around hubs in Monterrey (MTY) and Mexico City, flying across Mexico and to the United States, the Caribbean and parts of Latin America. It belongs to no global alliance, and its model is strict: the base fare buys the seat and a personal item, and everything else, including the carry-on, checked bags, seat choice and flexibility, is sold separately. Viva answers by phone in several countries, a US line at 1-866-359-8482 staffed 24/7, a Mexican national line at 81 82 150 150, plus lines for Colombia and Costa Rica, and by WhatsApp at +52 1 55 4357 8482. One quirk worth knowing before you travel: Viva does not take delayed or damaged baggage claims by phone at all, those go through email and its online baggage portal, and the airline is registered at Monterrey airport, Terminal C.

Model

Ultra low cost

Main hubs

MTY / MEX

Alliance

None

Base fare

Personal item only

Hubs & route network

Where the airline is based and where it flies.

Viva runs its network from two Mexican hubs, and it leans heavily on domestic Mexico plus the US border market. Your Viva trip most likely touches one of these:

MTY

Monterrey

Main hub, Terminal C

MEX

Mexico City

Hub

CUN

Cancún

Leisure gateway

LAX

Los Angeles

US gateway

IAH

Houston

US gateway

MIA

Miami

US gateway

Monterrey (MTY) and Mexico City anchor the network, and a large share of Viva's traffic is domestic Mexico, along with US routes flown heavily by Spanish speakers living in the States. South and east, Viva reaches the Caribbean and parts of Latin America. Tell us your whole itinerary when you call, because on an ultra-low-cost carrier the extras, bags, seats, changes, are priced per flight and per fare, and the cheapest total is rarely the cheapest base price. If your trip connects, ask specifically about Viva's Escala Express self-connect product, it strips out protections that a normal connection keeps.

Viva Aerobus route network

Schematic of the airline's main hubs and popular routes we book, not to scale. For the full current network, see vivaaerobus.com.

Popular routes we book

Call for phone-only fares.

Monterrey → Los Angeles MTY-LAXCall for fare Mexico City → Cancún MEX-CUNCall for fare Monterrey → Mexico City MTY-MEXCall for fare Houston → Monterrey IAH-MTYCall for fare

Fares & cabins, what's included

Viva sells one cabin with a fare ladder built around how much you can change, not how much room you get. Read the bottom rung carefully, Zero can't be changed at all.

Zero

The advertised price, and the strictest fare Viva sells. It includes a personal item that fits under the seat and nothing else, no carry-on, no checked bag, and it allows no changes at all, not even a date move. Choose it only when you can travel light and your plans are truly locked.

Switch

The middle fare. It opens up paid bag options and allows up to three itinerary changes, each up to 4 hours before your first flight. If there's any chance your dates move, this is the floor most travelers should start from rather than Zero.

Smart

The flexible fare, with unlimited itinerary changes up to 4 hours before your first flight. Bags are still handled separately on Viva, so what each combo bundles varies, and we confirm exactly what yours includes before you pay.

Not sure which fare fits your trip and budget? An agent can compare them for you on the call.

Not sure which fare or route is best?

Tell an agent your dates and we'll find the right option, plus phone-only fares across 500+ airlines.

Call +1 (833) 667-2918

Baggage, the essentials

General guidance from Viva's published allowances. Your exact allowance depends on your fare and combo, and the fee sheet changes often.

Personal item:

Included free on every fare, Zero included, and it must fit 45 x 35 x 20 cm under the seat. On Viva this is the only piece that is always free.

The carry-on is a paid add-on:

Unlike most US carriers, Viva charges for the overhead-bin carry-on (40 x 25 x 55 cm) on top of the fare. If you assume a cabin bag comes included, that's the surprise that meets you at the gate. Add it in advance, airport prices run higher.

Checked bags are separate too:

A checked bag runs to 158 linear cm and is a paid add-on, with the weight allowance tied to your combo. On US routes there is a hard cap of three checked bags per passenger, regardless of weight or size.

A statutory-bag note:

Viva's own Carta de Derechos, its published summary of Mexican law, lists a 25 kg checked bag as a passenger right on regulated fares. How that reconciles with the paid add-on depends on your ticket, so confirm it on the call rather than assuming either way.

We can confirm your exact allowance and pre-pay bags for you, just call.

Check-in & boarding

How to be ready on the day.

Check in online at vivaaerobus.com or in the Viva app and save your boarding pass. Because Viva is point-to-point, most trips are simple, but if yours connects through its Escala Express self-connect product, plan to collect and re-check your bags between flights yourself, it is not treated as one protected journey.

For domestic flights within Mexico, Viva accepts a valid passport, voter ID (INE), driver license or consular registration card. For international flights you need a valid passport plus whatever visa or migratory document your destination requires, and confirming those is on you. Traveling with a baby? Under-2s fly free as a lap infant with no baggage allowance, or in their own paid seat using an FAA-recommended car seat.

Loyalty & memberships

The airline's frequent-flyer program.

Viva promotes its own memberships and discount offers from time to time, and their terms change often, so we keep names and details off this page rather than risk telling you something stale. If you have a Viva account or membership, mention it on the call, and check what's current at vivaaerobus.com.

Viva Aerobus: frequently asked

Quick answers, call us for anything specific to your booking.

Does the Viva Aerobus Zero fare include a carry-on?+

No. Zero includes only a personal item that fits under the seat, and on Viva even the overhead-bin carry-on is a paid add-on on every fare, not just Zero. A checked bag is separate again. If you have any luggage beyond a small personal item, call us before you fly and we'll add exactly what you need, cheaper in advance than at the airport.

Can my child fly alone on Viva Aerobus?+

Only in narrow cases, and with no help from the airline: Viva offers no unaccompanied-minor service at all, so a child cannot be handed to staff. A minor under 14 may fly solo only on a direct domestic flight or a direct flight to or from Colombia, Costa Rica or Cuba, and never on a connecting or Escala Express itinerary. Every child aged 2 to 17 needs their own paid seat. If this is your situation, call us before booking so nothing goes wrong at the counter.

Can my dog or cat fly in the cabin with me?+

Cats and dogs can travel in the cabin when the pet plus its carrier together weigh no more than 12 kg and the carrier fits 44 x 35 x 21 cm, with a minimum age of 8 weeks. Spots are capped at 11 animals per flight across the whole aircraft, they sell out, and pets are not allowed at all on Escala Express connections. Call us with your pet's details before you book.

Can I get a refund if I cancel a Viva booking?+

If you cancel within 24 hours of purchase, Viva gives a full refund. After that, whether money comes back or only travel credit depends on your fare and is something we confirm on the call, and the Zero fare is locked with no changes at all. Tell us what happened and we'll read your exact case.

Does Viva still accept emotional support animals?+

Yes. Viva continues to carry emotional support animals, dogs and cats, free of charge, with a medical prescription or signed letter plus vaccination and health certificates. They are not treated as paid pets. This is a real difference from US carriers, which no longer accept ESAs. Bring the paperwork and confirm the details with us before you fly.

Does Viva pay anything if my flight is delayed?+

Viva publishes Mexico's passenger-rights ladder, its own Carta de Derechos, and commits to it when a delay is the airline's fault: a small fixed electronic certificate for short delays, an electronic certificate worth 8% of the affected segment past two hours, and for delays over 4 hours, airline-caused cancellations or overbooking, a choice that includes rebooking with meals, a 25% certificate, or a full refund of the segment plus 25%. See our flight-status guide, and call us and we'll pursue what applies to you.