Aeroméxico began in 1934 as Aeronaves de México, started by Antonio Díaz Lombardo. It flew a single Stinson between Mexico City and Acapulco. The Mexican government took over the airline in 1959. Through the 1950s and 1960s it absorbed many smaller domestic carriers and became the country's dominant operator. The Aeroméxico name arrived in 1972. The airline opened Mexico's first long-haul routes, flying DC-8s to Madrid and Paris.
The state company went bankrupt and was wound up in 1988, but the airline was reborn under private owners. It kept growing across the Americas and reached Europe and Asia. In 2000 Aeroméxico helped found SkyTeam, an alliance in which airlines work together and connect passengers. It was the only Latin American carrier among the founders, alongside Delta, Air France, and Korean Air.
Delta later bought a stake, and in 2017 the two began a joint venture tying US-Mexico flying together. Aeroméxico survived the pandemic through a US Chapter 11 restructuring finished in 2022 and came out with newer planes. It is now Latin America's largest operator of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. From Mexico City it flies to Europe, Asia, and South America, including a long-standing Tokyo route built on trade ties.