What to know about Tulum’s International Airport opening
The Mexican airport industry accomplished a prestigious achievement with the official opening of the new “Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport”, TQO – also known as Tulum’s International Airport – on December 1st, 2023.
Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport is close to numerous recreational areas along the nation’s Caribbean coast on the Yucatan peninsula and is set to become a hub for up to five million travelers a year.
With the opening of this new aerial hub, traveling to Tulum and other Mexican Caribbean hotspots will be easier than ever at a time of skyrocketing tourist numbers and unparalleled global popularity: the hub will service Tulum, in the state of Quintana Roo, providing a new entry point for one of the most significant Caribbean tourist destinations.
Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport: a new, comfortable way to reach Tulum
Currently, one of the most popular places to travel in the Mexican Caribbean is Tulum. This breathtaking historical hotspot in Quintana Roo has plenty to offer tourists, including the most visited Mayan ruins and numerous immaculate white-sand beaches. Because of its perfect synergy between nature and culture, entertainment and tradition, this beachfront location has steadily increased in popularity over the past several years as more visitors take advantage of its lively culture and relaxed tropical lifestyle.
It’s easy to understand why the inauguration of the brand-new Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport is considered such an important milestone, to the point that Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the president of Mexico, Mara Lezama Espinosa, the governor of Quintana Roo, and other prominent national and local officials were present during the inauguration ceremony. The new airport will make it possible for even more visitors to reach the Caribbean resort comfortably and will usher in a new age for international travel to Tulum and the southern part of Quintana Roo.
The new Tulum International Airport: a technological gem in the heart of Quintana Roo
Tulum International Airport’s (TQO) purpose is to assist Cancun International (CUN) with its saturation levels. At least four US carriers are expected to operate flights out of the airport, which just saw the operation of its first commercial flight by Viva Aerobus.
Situated in the center of the Mayan rainforest, the 3,200-million-peso new airport boasts a total extension of 1,500 hectares. It can accommodate up to 32.000 flights per year, for a total of 5.5 million passengers.
It features three platforms for general and executive aviation, commercial flights (with thirteen positions), and the military base. It also has a 70,000 square-meter terminal and a 3,700-meter runway and is considered one of the most significant infrastructure projects in the area to date: it features a massive use of modern technology, including flight handling and security systems, and its main landing strip – the longest in Mexico with its 3,7 kilometers of length – can easily accommodate even larger aircraft.
According to the estimates, over a million passengers will pass through the Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport in just the first few months of operation. And even though Tulum’s International Airport is not quite as busy as Cancun’s Airport, it will be crucial in managing the influx of visitors to the area. Additionally, it will help reduce traffic and enhance international connectivity.
New US Direct Flights from USA to new Tulum International Airport
Several airlines are expected to operate out of the recently inaugurated Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport. The first ones, starting in December 2023, connected Tulum with five national airports through Aeroméxico and Viva Aerobus. Between March 28 and March 31, 2024, four US airlines — Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and American Airlines — will also start flying to the new aerial hub. When combined, they will link Tulum to ten American cities.
According to AviacionOnline, these cities will be Charlotte/Douglas, Dallas/Forth Worth, Miami, Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Chicago/O’Hare, Houston, Los Angeles and Newark, with up to fourteen weekly flights.
Several Mexican cities will also benefit from the Tulum airport: Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara and Tijuana, through Aeromexico and Viva Aerobus, the two companies that have, so far, already launched their domestic flights to Quintana Roo via the hyper-technological new hub.
However, a more massive international expansion will begin in the spring of 2024. The Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport is also likely to serve, in the near future, other countries in addition to the US and hopefully will also become one of British Airways’ connections to Tulum.
Are you ready to plan your unforgettable vacation in Tulum? We’ll be waiting for you at Cabañas Tulum Beach Hotel & Spa!