The “Felipe Carrillo Puerto” airport is scheduled for inauguration on December 1st and is making excellent progress to meet the set timeline. Its operations are slated to commence with flights departing to various destinations, including San Francisco, Chicago, Toronto, Tijuana, Aguascalientes, and Guadalajara. This will establish connections from this Caribbean paradise to breathtaking spots in North America and Mexico.
Tulum, situated in the heart of the Mexican Caribbean, is a town with a population of 33,000, located 120 kilometers to the south of Cancun. Over the past few decades, it has witnessed remarkable expansion driven by the allure of sun and beach tourism. Boasting a complex network of cenotes and subterranean rivers meandering beneath the jungle, along with pristine sandy beaches and the remnants of an ancient Mayan city perched on a cliff, Tulum stands out as a key destination within the Riviera Maya. This tourist development extends from Puerto Morelos in Quintana Roo, MX to the border with Belize.
The complex, combined with a military base, is poised to establish itself as the second-largest entry point for travelers in the southeastern part of Mexico, projecting an annual estimate of 32,000 operations to accommodate 5.5 million passengers. This would position it just behind Cancun Airport, which in 2022 served 30.3 million passengers annually and dominated 40% of international tourism in the first half of 2023. The upcoming airport will include a primary runway extending 3,700 meters and 13 commercial flight positions, all supported by a single hangar.
Location and Connectivity
The new airport, funded with an investment of 3.2 billion pesos, is situated on a 1,200-hectare plot of land positioned 20 kilometers to the southwest of Tulum’s city center within the Felipe Carrillo Puerto municipality. A 10.5-kilometer road that establishes a link between the airport complex and Federal Highway 307, which will serve as a key commercial and service route, will facilitate the primary connection to the airport. Furthermore, the airport will connect with sections five and six of the Maya Train.
Located 76 kilometers away from Playa del Carmen, the aerodrome will become the most convenient gateway to the magical town of Valladolid and the Chichén Itzá archaeological site in Yucatán. Additionally, it will offer improved access to the southern region of the Riviera Maya, which is less developed compared to its northern counterpart. In the southern part, the dominance of large all-inclusive resorts and ecotourism parks gives way to charming coastal towns and the northern boundary of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, a unique blend of ecosystems featuring lush jungle, subterranean rivers, mangroves, and the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, which ranks as the second-largest coral reef system on the planet.
Official Commercial Airlines with Confirmed Direct and Connecting Flights to the Destination
-Delta Airlines: As the first airline to make the announcement, Delta Airlines will introduce service to Tulum from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, United States, commencing on March 28, 2024. This initiative will expand connectivity within Quintana Roo. Delta Airlines will provide daily, non-stop flights to Tulum’s Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport starting from the specified date.
The corporation will initiate a year-round service from its primary hub located at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, United States. This move will contribute to Delta’s continued growth in Mexico and the broader Yucatan region, following their recent announcement of new air routes in collaboration with Aeromexico Airlines.
This service plays a vital role in improving connectivity within the region because one of the prevalent methods to reach Tulum has involved flying to Cancun and subsequently driving to your hotel or vacation rental.
La ruta Tulum-Atlanta será operada en aeronaves Boeing 737-800 con capacidad de 160 asientos, ofreciendo First Class, Delta Comfort+ Main Cabin, dijo la aerolínea.
Delta is in an exceptional position to offer customers comfortable and direct access from both Canada and the United States to Tulum, a top-tier destination celebrated for its boutique hotels, Mayan archaeological sites, and commitment to eco-friendliness. Through their business alliance and in cooperation with Aeromexico, they will create a network that allows international travelers from Toronto, Canada, as well as Chicago and San Francisco in the United States, to easily reach the Riviera Maya. It’s worth noting that just this past August, Aeromexico revealed plans to provide 14 weekly flights to Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport.
Tulum Airport has a new addition:
-Spirit Airlines is set to launch daily flights from Florida and Atlanta to the airport, with its inauguration scheduled for December this year.
If all goes to plan, Tulum Airport will be coming into operation just as another highly anticipated project plans to open in the region, with the Mayan train looking to connect tourists all throughout the region, from connecting airports as well some of the most visited and sought after locations for all its passengers.
One thing is certain: As tourism, shows no sign of slowing down in the Mexican Caribbean, government authorities are responding with deep and meaningful action to help and grow offerings for tourists and ensure they all get the vacation they have been dreaming of.
