Tulum Airport: Better than Cancún’s Airport?

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Cancún’s International Airport has long been the gateway to the Yucután Peninsula for foreigners, especially Americans and Canadians. However, Cancún Airport isn’t the best place to start or end your Mexican vacation. Long lines, chaotic ground transportation, and a terminal that feels a couple of sizes too small await. Quite frankly, it is best for those who can be extremely patient.

Although Americans can fly to the smaller airports in Mérida and Cozumel, few nonstop flights exist from the United States, and those that do tend to be much more expensive. Instead, almost everyone flies into Cancún and then takes ground transportation to where they want to go on the Yucután Peninsula.

However, a new airport in town may give Cancún a run for its money. Tulum International Airport, also known as Aeropuerto Internacional del Tulum Felipe Carrillo Puerto and IATA code TQO, opened at the end of 2023 and is already attracting international flights from the U.S. and Canada.

Kevin and I flew into and out of Tulum, Mexico, Airport for our one-week stay instead of flying into Cancún, and I was very impressed with the airport. This guide explains what to know about Tulum’s new airport.

Tulum Airport – What is it like?

I can’t express enough how much I love the design and architecture of Tulum Airport. Mexico did not build a stuffy, industrial airport that looks like any other airport in the world. Instead, the airport – inside and out – incorporates local architecture, design, and colors. As soon as you step off the plane, you feel like you are in Tulum. I love how well the airport reflects the local culture.

Tulum Airport is also much smaller than Cancún’s. There is only one terminal that barely has 12 gates. The airport is small but spread out, so it feels spacious. Cancún Airport feels so overwhelming and packed to the brim with people. Conversely, Tulum feels like your lovely local airport in the United States – small but not stressful, and it gets you where you want to go.

Having said that, the airport is still in a sort of break-in period. Some stores and restaurants are still under construction. There is supposed to be a viewing deck before you get to security, but the security officer told us, “next year.” The Tren Maya – the Yucután’s high-speed rail network – is supposed to reach the airport, but is still under construction. 

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Additionally, Tulum Airport feels so calm and peaceful compared to the chaos at Cancún Airport because there just aren’t many passengers. Our Avianca flight from Bogotá had barely 30 people on it (I actually counted because I was so shocked at how light it was). Our flight to Miami on American probably wasn’t more than 50% full. And note that this was in January, which is during the high season. 

I expect that as the airport matures and more people use it, it will feel less peaceful. But at the current rate, that probably is a couple of years away. Cancún Airport, on the other hand, is already at maximum capacity.

Fun Easter Eggs at Tulum Airport

After you arrive and before you reach the Immigration and Customs area, you can stop to view some artifacts from the airport’s construction. This isn’t museum-quality, and it is primarily just one long wall of ancient finds on display. However, if you are into this kind of stuff, it could be interesting to stop and look.

Additionally, there is a time capsule that won’t be opened until the year 2074. It is located outside of the terminal in the middle of the courtyard where the giant Mexican flag is. According to the description, the time capsule contains letters from the workers who built the airport. The time capsule was created in 2024 in tribute to the airport’s first anniversary (the airport opened in December 2023).

Finally, there is a large statue outside dedicated to Felipe Carrillo Puerto, the airport’s namesake. According to the sign below the statue, Mr. Carrillo Puerto was a political journalist who governed Yucatán from 1922 to 1924. The sign says he fought for justice and social inclusion for the Mayans, as well as opening government jobs to women.

What to Eat at Tulum Airport?

Tulum Airport has places to eat before and after security. Outside of security – “landside” – options are limited to a couple of restaurants on the lower level near baggage claim and car rental offices. As of January 2025, the two main restaurants were a local chicken chain and a taco place, and there were a handful of convenience stores. In other words, not much, yet more than other airports with nothing.

However, beyond security – “airside” – there are several eating options. Note that the terminal is split into two sides once you pass security. However, both wings of the terminal have food courts, and the options differ. We recommend checking out both sides before making a decision. Remember that the terminal is relatively small, so walking between the two wings should take less than five minutes.

If you are looking for American chains, the wing leading to gates D3 and D4 has Carl’s Jr, and the wing leading to gates D1 and D2 has Burger King and Starbucks. There are also local options and convenience stores, so there is plenty to choose from. Considering the airport’s size, I felt there were more options than I expected.

Arriving and Departing Tulum Airport

Because Tulum Airport is small and not busy, it is very easy to fly in and out of. Arriving and departing Tulum felt like a breeze compared to flying through Cancún International Airport. 

Arrival Procedures at Tulum Airport

Unless you are flying a domestic flight within Mexico, you must exit through Mexican immigration on arrival. There is no ability to connect internationally without going through immigration, unlike other international airports. It was very easy to pass through immigration on arrival at Tulum Airport. Although the immigration area is small, again, there aren’t many flights or passengers, so things move very quickly.

If you have ever flown into Cancún, you know how long immigration can take. In fact, Kevin and I flew into Cancún just this week, and it took us over an hour to get through immigration. And even though Cancún has e-Gates while Tulum doesn’t, the e-Gate line is just as delayed as the regular Agent lines.

Departure Procedures at Tulum Airport

Regardless of how you arrive at Tulum Airport when departing – whether by private car, taxi, or ADO bus – you’ll be dropped off on the lower level. You’ll need to go inside the terminal – the only terminal – and take the escalator upstairs to be on the departure level. As of January 2025, the automated check-in kiosks were not working, so ensure you either check in ahead of time to receive a mobile boarding pass or arrive a bit earlier to check in at the desks.

Once you have your boarding pass ready and checked your bags, you’ll see where to enter for security checks. Note that there are two security entrances, and the signs make it seem like you have to choose the side corresponding to your gate. However, in reality, it doesn’t matter which side you pick, so choose the side with the shortest line.

INM Desk for Mexican Foreign Residents

If you have Mexican residency, please remember to visit INM before going through security. I almost made the mistake of entering the security line without visiting INM because, in Mexico City, the INM desk is now in the terminal after security. But at Tulum Airport, INM is a small office right before the D1/D2 side of security. There are zero signs reminding anyone of this, so please be careful. Fortunately, Kevin reminded me of this, so we took some time hunting down the INM desk and found it for you!

We visited the INM desk, and the lady was very nice. Kevin and I still aren’t sure what the point of visiting INM is if you are leaving Mexico; all of the INM officers just write your information down on a post-it note. But either way, make sure you visit INM before entering security at Tulum Airport.

Ground Transportation at Tulum Airport

One catch about Tulum Airport is that it isn’t near Tulum at all. By taxi, private shuttle, or ADO bus, it takes about 45 minutes to reach the center of Tulum. Add in a few minutes if you are staying in a hotel further up the coast. Another catch is that Uber doesn’t operate in Tulum, so you can’t just call for an Uber once you arrive. As such, you have three main options for getting to or from Tulum Airport: private shuttle, airport taxi, or the ADO bus. 

Private Taxi or Shuttle Bus

Upon arrival at Tulum Airport, we took an airport taxi to our Airbnb. We purchased our tickets from Jungle Shuttle on the airport’s lower level, right outside baggage claim. It cost us 950 Mexican pesos for the two of us, plus another 100 pesos in tip (about 10%), for a total of about US$52.

Honestly, I felt this was rather expensive given that I was flying into Tulum Airport – not Cancún – and our Airbnb was in Tulum Centro. But after realizing how far away Tulum Airport actually is, plus that the cost of living in Tulum isn’t as cheap as I figured, the price makes sense.

You can book private shuttle buses and taxis online prior to arrival as well. The cost depends on how many people are there, so our fare was one of the cheapest since it was just the two of us. If there are more than two of you, you may want to pre-book private transportation. There are several options, so you can shop around. But if you are 2-4 people, expect to pay in the US$70-100 range one-way.

The ADO Bus to Tulum Airport

ADO is one of the largest intercity bus companies in Mexico. You’ll easily recognize an ADO bus due to its bright red color scheme and large ADO signage. ADO offers nonstop bus service between Tulum Airport and Downtown Tulum, which takes 45-50 minutes. As of January 2025, it costs 226 Mexican pesos, or around US$11.50 per person one-way. 

We took the ADO bus from Tulum Centro (Downtown Tulum) to Tulum Airport. It was an easy experience, and I will gladly do it again. However, Kevin didn’t quite see the value in it. Here’s why:

• There are several departures each day, but they are spaced out. I figured it would be okay to buy our bus tickets once we arrived at the ADO bus station. Yet, despite arriving at the station 45 minutes before the next bus, only 4 seats remained. In other words, if we’d missed a seat, we’d have to wait another hour for the next bus, cutting it quite close to our flight departure time.
• We had to take a taxi from our Airbnb to the ADO bus station, which itself cost 200 Mexican pesos, or around US$10. Combined with the two bus tickets, it cost us 652 Mexican pesos, or around US$32, to go from our Airbnb to Tulum Airport via local taxi and the ADO bus. Yet, as I wrote above, it cost us 1,000 pesos, or US$50, just to take a private airport taxi straight to our Airbnb. That is why Kevin doesn’t see the value – for around US$20 more, it is way faster and simpler just to take a taxi.
• The ADO bus station is tiny. It has a roof and a bathroom, but little else in terms of services. It isn’t a spot you want to wait around in. While you could walk around Tulum Centro, it would be awkward if you were lugging your luggage around with you. And there are no luggage storage services at the ADO Terminal.

Tren Maya

When we arrived in Tulum, I had wanted to take the Tren Maya – the Yucután’s new high-speed rail system – but it wasn’t open yet at Tulum Airport. In fact, we asked a couple of employees at the airport to help us find the train station, and they seemed dumbfounded at what we were asking. Finally, one of the airport staff told us the train would open up “next year” – a common term at Tulum Airport, apparently.

On the way out of Tulum, we passed by the future train station, which was clearly under construction. However, the train station did not seem to be within walking distance of the terminal. I am unsure of the plan for passenger transport between the station and the terminal once the station opens. I imagine there will be a shuttle bus that loops between the train station and the terminal. We shall see.

Ground Transportation to Playa del Carmen and Cancún

The rule has always been that you fly into Cancún and then take ground transportation to Playa del Carmen and Tulum. But does the reverse also work now? Yes!

You can take the train throughout the Yucután Peninsula when the Tren Maya opens at Tulum Airport. Not just Cancún and Playa del Carmen, but also the western peninsula, such as Mérida and Campeche. Note that it will most likely take a few hours, but you can do it.

Otherwise, shuttles and ADO buses visit Playa del Carmen and Cancún. If you want to take a private shuttle, you’ll want to pre-book it to confirm pricing and availability. If you are okay with taking the ADO bus, you’ll book two tickets: one from Tulum Airport to Tulum Centro and another from Tulum Centro to your final destination. ADO buses are cheap, plentiful, and easy to use, so don’t be afraid to use them.

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Note that Cancún, Playa del Carmen, and, by extension, Cozumel are all relatively close to each other. Ground transportation is already quite extensive between the cities because they already had to be linked up due to the main airport being in Cancún. Therefore, if you find that flights to Tulum are either cheaper or just at a better time than flying into Cancún – and especially better than flying into Cozumel – then you’ll be fine flying into Tulum and doing the ground transportation dance in reverse.

Destinations and Airlines

Unlike Cancún, Tulum is still a regional airport, albeit an international one. All international flights into Tulum are from the U.S. and Canada, along with a smattering of domestic flights from other Mexican cities.

Unfortunately, as of April 2026, airlines have continued to cancel flights into Tulum. The flight we took to Tulum – Avianca’s flight from Bogotá – no longer exists. JetBlue stopped serving the airport entirely. Revisiting this blog post in April 2026 makes me sad to see how many destinations are no longer available from Tulum.

Still, if you are flying from the United States or Canada, you have several nonstop options to Tulum. Here are some of the most common options:

• Delta from Atlanta (Minneapolis and Detroit are discontinued)
• American from Miami and Dallas (American discontinued its Charlotte flight).
• United operates from Houston, with seasonal service from Newark (Chicago service has been discontinued).
• Air Canada from Toronto and Montreal (Ottawa is discontinued, and Air Transat now serves Quebec City).
• WestJet from Calgary.

The Best Airport to get to Tulum, Mexico

I must say it is Tulum Airport (TQO), not Cancún. Tulum’s Airport can’t even be compared to the stressful and chaotic situation at Cancún Airport. While Tulum Airport is still “under construction,” it nonetheless works very well. And because there are so few passengers and flights, things move very quickly. You deserve a peaceful experience at the beginning and end of your Yucután vacation, and Tulum Airport delivers. If Tulum is your first, last, or only destination on your Yucután trip, I highly recommend using Tulum Airport instead of Cancún. (And if you are planning a vacation to Tulum, check Tulum hotel prices here on Expedia.)

But what if you aren’t visiting Tulum? Does flying to Tulum Airport and taking ground transportation to other cities still make sense? First, if you are visiting any part south of Tulum, it makes complete sense to fly into Tulum. Tulum is the southernmost international airport on the eastern side of the Mexican Caribbean. Thus, if you are visiting any small cities south of Tulum, Tulum Airport is the closest airport.

But what about cities beyond Tulum?

I would also say the same if you are visiting Playa del Carmen or Cozumel. Flying into Cozumel would be the first option, but flights to Cozumel are often limited and expensive. If you must choose between Cancún or Tulum, it is just as easy to get to Playa del Carmen (and then Cozumel via ferry) from Cancún or Tulum. In this case, it comes down to flight schedules and prices as to whether you should pick Cancún or Tulum Airport.

But if you are visiting Cancún, I’d probably stick with flying into Cancún. As much as I can’t stand Cancún Airport, Tulum is much further away. While going from Cancún to Tulum – or vice versa – is completely doable on the ground – it has been the only way until 2023 – would you rather have a 30-minute shuttle ride to your hotel or a 2-3 hour trip that will be way more expensive?

Finally, if you are visiting the western Mexican Caribbean, such as Mérida or Campeche, flying to Mérida is the best option. But outside of Mérida Airport, I’d still probably stick with Cancún. Cancún has so many ground transportation options compared to Tulum because it has long been the hub of the Yucatán Peninsula. Mérida – and especially Campeche – are quite a ways away, so ground transportation links are thinner. If you can get ground transportation ahead of time from Tulum to Mérida, then Tulum becomes an option. But Cancún is the surer bet.

Let us know your experiences and questions regarding the airports of the Yucután Peninsula in the Comments section below!

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