American carriers are eager and ready to start nonstop operations to the boho-chic destination of Tulum.
For some context, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador inaugurated Tulum’s first international airport (TQO), on December 1, 2023. Since then, the airport has been operating domestic flights through VivaAerobus and Aeromexico.
This brand-new transportation hub was designed to handle more than 5.5 million travelers per year.
For those ready to book their flights to this Caribbean resort, here is some important information to keep handy.
Direct U.S. Flights Starting This Month
American travelers may be wondering what cities they will be able to fly from to visit the intriguing Mayan ruins and out-of-this-world cenotes of Tulum. Here you have the list.
Starting March 28, American Airlines will start operating outbound flights from Charlotte, Miami and Dallas-Fort Worth twice a day.
Delta Air Lines will also offer one daily flight from Atlanta starting March 28.
Starting March 31, United will start offering a daily nonstop flights to Tulum from Newark, Los Angeles, Houston and Chicago O’Hare. This carrier will also be offering more flights to other Mexican destinations, such as Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and San Jose del Cabo.
Spirt was another American airline planning to start operations from Orlando and Fort Lauderdale on March 28 but the company postponed it.
JetBlue has confirmed it will be offering trips from New York’s John F. Kennedy starting in June. The exact date is yet to be announced.
Other International Flights To Tulum Starting in 2024
Other flights from Canada, Europe, and Central America are also scheduled to start operations soon.
Air Canada will offer outbound flights to Tulum from Toronto and Montreal starting May 3.
Discover Airlines has announced it will offer two weekly flights from Frankfurt to Tulum starting December 12, 2024. This is the first European airline offering nonstop flights to Tulum.
Mexico is reportedly in talks with Switzerland and Spain to start operations to Tulum.
With Copa Airlines, Panama is another destination planning to start operations to Tulum over the next few months.
Controversy on Tulum Airport Transport Fares
Tulum International Airport has been increasingly recognized for being eco-friendly and low-carbon footprint designed.
It has also made the news for facing the majestic Mexican jungle.
What you probably don’t know is that it is not exactly located in Tulum. And here is where the problem begins.
The airport is situated 20 miles southwest of Tulum, which is about an hour’s drive to the town, or 81 miles away from Cancun, which is a bit more than a two-hour drive.
Once you exit the airport, you will need to choose one of the means of transportation available to get you to Tulum or nearby towns.
Visitors can opt for taking taxis, the ADO bus, or renting a private car.
The problem is, according to the president of the Tulum Hotel Association, David Ortiz, that transferring from the airport to Tulum town is more expensive than doing a similar route in Paris, France.
The origin of this madness lies in the fact that the airport administration is charging taxi and bus drivers more than $48 to only enter the premises to pick up a passenger.
By contrast, Cancun airport only charges drivers $1.72 for each service.
But, is it that bad? How much are you expected to pay to transfer from the airport to Tulum or other neighboring towns?
Unfortunately, it is. Be mentally prepared to pay more than $107 for a private car or even $263 for a private SUV.
Going to Playa del Carme will set you back $216 for a private car and a staggering $499 for an SUV.
To get to the closest destination, Akumal, it will cost you between $117 and $291.
If you plan to visit Bacalar, get ready to pay out up to $593! Which is, according to reports, more expensive than the airline ticket itself.
Fortunately, you still have two options to avoid these high fees.
The first one is taking the ADO bus which charges you $10. The drawback is that it only offers three rides per day.
The second, and probably the best option is renting a car. It can cost you around $27 per day. Just make sure to book it before landing.