You Can Now Fly Direct to This Mexican Coastal Paradise

21.12.2023 - 03:23 / afar.com / Felipe Carrillo Puerto

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.

The airport project has been long overdue. It was first announced in 2011 but has been a start-stop project over the years due to a lack of funding and other issues. But momentum officially picked up in 2022, and the airport welcomed its first domestic flights on December 1, 2023. The hub will undoubtedly be a game-changer for the destination, as well as for some of the more remote beach destinations further south that have always remained slightly out of reach for most travelers.

At the moment, Tulum’s airport is only operating domestic flights with carriers VivaAerobus and Aeromexico via Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey, Tijuana, and Toluca. But beginning on March 28, 2024, the airport will start to welcome international flights from an all-star cast of U.S. airlines.

International carriers that will operate flights to Tulum in 2024 include:

According to CAPA – Centre for Aviation, a provider of aviation analysis and data services, the Tulum airport can reach a capacity of up to 5.5 million passengers annually.

The Tulum airport is about 20 miles southwest of Tulum proper, but it can take up to an hour to reach central Tulum from the hub. This time will be shortened once the connector road to the main Highway 307 is complete, which is anticipated to be done before the arrival of international flights.

By contrast, Tulum is 81 miles south of Cancun and a two-hour drive without traffic. Travelers can use local taxis, the ADO bus system, or private transportation to Tulum and other destinations nearby.

Rideshare services will not be permitted at Tulum airport due to tensions between the local taxi syndicates and rideshare providers like Uber and Lyft, which is true almost everywhere in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo.

The airport is also expected to have its own train station connected to the Maya Train—a government project that began partial service from Cancun to Campeche on December 15 and has been mired in controversy due to its environmental and social impacts, as well as an unprecedented cost of $30 billion. When completed, the train will connect Cancun and Tulum with other destinations around the Yucatan Peninsula, including Merida, Palenque, and Bacalar.

These days, travelers have various options for accommodations in Tulum. While many of the OG bungalows are long gone, their boho, minimalist aesthetic set the stage for the more high-brow, amenity-packed