Felipe Carrillo Puerto travel tips

It’s official: It’s now easier than ever to get to Tulum. What has traditionally been a lengthy journey, usually involving a flight into Cancun and then a two-hour drive south, has now been dramatically shortened with the official opening of the Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport or Tulum Airport (TQO) in Quintana Roo, Mexico.

Coming home from a recent trip, I had the opportunity to transit through the brand-new Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport, located outside the increasingly popular Mexican Caribbean destination of Tulum in the state of Quintana Roo. 

There's a brand-new airport for travelers hoping to visit Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.

The most difficult leg of a trip—especially on long international journeys—is making that last flight connection or lengthy ground transfer to your final destination. Those final couple hours in transit, when the effects of jet lag are rearing up and patience is running thin, can be laborious and time-consuming, but are often necessary in order to reach some of the world's most remote destinations.

With just weeks away until the first scheduled departure, Spirit Airlines is postponing flights to the brand new airport in Tulum, Mexico.  In October, the airline announced new routes to Tulum’s new Felipe Carrillo Puerto Airport but confirmed with Travel + Leisure on Friday thatSpirit will be postponing the start date of the flights indefinitely due to ongoing mechanical issues with engine parts.  “We are postponing the start date of our Tulum (TQO) service as we continue to manage operational constraints related to Pratt & Whitney GTF engine availability,” a representative from Spirit Airlines said in a statement to T+L.  The flights were originally set to takeoff from both Orlando International Airport and Tampa International Airport on March 28. “We apologize to our guests for any inconvenience, and we’re reaching out to those with impacted travel plans to offer alternate flight options or a refund,” a representative from Spirit shared with T+L. “We look forward to the opportunity to serve Tulum in the future and will share more once we have an updated schedule.” Spirit Airlines has faced headwinds with the repair and availability of the engine parts since August 2023.  «This new issue is yet another frustrating and disappointing development,» Spirit Airlines CEO Ted Christie said to investors, according to Reuters.  Spirit Airlines didn’t provide a timetable for when the Tulum flights could be restored, however company executives have discussed the engine service timeline during a recent earnings call.  “The timing of engine removals and aircraft being pulled through service is fluid,” Spirit Airlines’ Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Vice President Matthew Klein said during the airline’s most recent earnings call.  Tulum's airport opened to domestic flights on December 1, 2023 when a Viva Aerobus flight landed to a special water cannon salute.

Spirit Airlines is postponing plans to fly to Mexico's newest major airport before it's even opened to international airlines.

American Airlines has unveiled its latest network announcement with several new routes in the Caribbean and Latin America for the spring and summer of 2024.

Travelers is heading to Mexico — whether they're to indulge in its vibrant street food culture or relax at an all-inclusive resort — may be in luck as flights to the destination are on track to get much cheaper in 2024.

Heading to Tulum, Mexico just got easier thanks to a new direct flight launching in 2024.

Tulum has long been a popular vacation destination for many Americans, but getting there hasn't necessarily been part of the fun.