Tulum Airport experiences a flight shift as Discover Airlines relocates to Cancún.
Tulum International Airport (TQO) is experiencing a significant shift in airline operations, with multiple carriers, including Air Canada, United Airlines, Copa Airlines, and Avianca, re-evaluating their presence in the region. This change is primarily due to infrastructure challenges, lower-than-expected demand, and broader tourism declines in the Tulum area.
One of the key contributing factors is the infrastructure limitations at TQO. The airport faces ongoing issues such as limited and slow ground transportation options due to insufficient road connections to key tourist areas like the Tulum hotel zone. This lack of convenience for travelers and its impact on airline profitability has led to a reconsideration of routes.
Another significant factor is the lower demand and profitability on routes to Tulum. Airlines have reported that demand has been less than expected, leading to reduced profitability. Discover Airlines, for example, is discontinuing its Tulum-Frankfurt route after only a season and shifting flights to Cancún as a result.
The area has also seen a significant drop in visitors in 2025, attributed to factors such as large amounts of sargassum seaweed on beaches and high tour fees for parks and archaeological sites. Local merchants have described the 2025 summer vacation period as worse than the pandemic in terms of visitor numbers.
In response to these challenges, airlines are favoring the better-established Cancún International Airport, which has better connectivity and continues to attract the majority of Riviera Maya international traffic.
Aerolineas Argentinas is one airline increasing its service to Cancun, offering up to seven flights per week between Buenos Aires (EZE) and Cancun. Discover Airlines, a German subsidiary of Lufthansa, will cancel its direct route between Frankfurt International Airport (FRA) and TQO starting this winter. Air Canada has suspended flights from Ottawa (YOW) and Quebec City (YQB) to Tulum and will reduce frequencies from Montreal (YUL), dropping from five to three flights per week.
Despite the challenges, the Tulum airport remains operational and continues to serve as a hub for international travel to the region. However, the airport, despite incentives announced by the government, continues to face challenges that have led to airlines withdrawing from the destination.
Cancun, on the other hand, continues to add flights, making it one of the most in-demand international destinations. The new routes between Buenos Aires (EZE) and Cancun will operate on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, with an additional flight on Thursdays during the Christmas period to meet increased demand. However, there will be no operations between Aerolineas Argentinas and Cancun on Fridays and Sundays.
United Airlines has canceled a planned route from Denver (DEN) and eliminated service from Boston (BOS), shifting its focus to Cancun. The Tulum airport was one of former President Andres Lopez Obrador's flagship projects, opening as a modern and strategic alternative to relieve congestion in Cancun and bring international tourism closer to destinations such as Bacalar, Mahahual, and the surrounding Maya region.
In summary, the shift away from Tulum International Airport results from a combination of operational challenges, insufficient infrastructure, lower passenger demand, and declining local tourism conditions, prompting airlines to favor the better-established Cancún International Airport.
- The limited and slow ground transportation options from Tulum International Airport (TQO) to key tourist areas, such as the Tulum hotel zone, are contributing to infrastructure challenges that are causing airlines to re-evaluate their presence.
- The tourism industry in the Tulum area has seen a significant drop in visitors in 2025, with factors like large amounts of sargassum seaweed on beaches and high tour fees for parks and archaeological sites causing a decrease in visitor numbers.
- In response to the challenges faced at Tulum International Airport, many airlines are favoring Cancún International Airport, which has better connectivity and continues to attract the majority of Riviera Maya international traffic.
- Aerospace industry players, like Aerolineas Argentinas, are increasing their service to Cancún International Airport, recognizing its appeal as a popular and in-demand travel destination.
