FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - The first non-stop flight to Guadalajara, Mexico with Alaska Airlines took off from Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) Tuesday. The new addition makes Alaska Airlines the only domestic airline to offer international flights at the airport. According to Vikkie Calderon, the media and public relations officer at FAT, more than 100 people were onboard the flight. She said officials wanted to celebrate the first travelers with a special send-off at the departure gate. “It's really exciting to have additional service to Guadalajara. That's Fresno's sister city. And so, it brings just another special connection to our community," she said. "Passengers arrived to check in for the flight to Guadalajara and they were greeted with [a] beautiful balloon arch that represented the gateway to their international departure.”  FAT had more than 230,000 people fly between Fresno and Guadalajara last year. Calderon said because the travel route is already high in demand, more flights will increase access for community members right before the holidays.  “Holiday travel season at the Fresno airport is very busy, so we’re really excited that we now have this additional flight," she said. Several Fresno County leaders have made the trip from Fresno to Guadalajara and are excited about what the expansion means for the Central Valley, including Huron Mayor Ray León. He released a statement about the new international flights: The addition of an Alaska Airlines flight from Fresno to Guadalajara is great news for our region. More travel options to the heart of Mexico not only enhance convenience, but also encourage healthy competition among airlines, helping to keep prices affordable for families. The San Joaquin Valley is home to hundreds of thousands of residents with deep roots in states like Michoacán, Jalisco, and Guanajuato, making Fresno the perfect hub for increased access to these destinations. I look forward to seeing even more travel options to Guadalajara, Morelia, and Mexico City in the future. The strong familial, cultural, and economic ties between Mexico and California make this expansion a natural and welcome development. Huron Mayor Ray León. Mendota Mayor Victor Martinez is planning a trip to Guadalajara next month and said he believes the new change is important, specifically for bringing more people together. “It means growth. {It} means that we are opening up more opportunities for our community so that they can go and visit their families," he explained. "I still know that a lot of people fly out of other airports, some go to Oakland, some go to San Francisco, some go to Los Angeles, but now having more flights here in Fresno going to Guadalajara, that's great." He also believes it signals a possibility of additional flights in the future. "I am very optimistic and I'm very hopeful. I think they are moving in that direction, [of] opening up those routes to maybe other places in Mexico as well," he said. The new flights run daily at 11:35 p.m. from Dec. 3 - Feb. 12, 2025. For more information about tickets, click here.