There's a New Airport in Tulum—With Nonstop Flights From the US

This week, US airlines are launching their first nonstop flights to the new Tulum airport—meaning it’s about to get a lot easier for Americans to visit the ever-popular Riviera Maya destination on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula.

Aeropuerto Internacional de Tulum Felipe Carrillo Puerto (TQO), constructed and operated by the Mexican army, first opened to domestic flights in December. And on March 28, it’ll welcome its first international visitors.

Tulum has long been a favorite escape for Americans, with travelers drawn not just to the sunny Caribbean weather, paradisiacal beaches, and delectable eats, but also historical and natural wonders like the seaside Mayan ruins and crystal clear cenotes. Previously, the closest airport to the boho-chic city was the Cancún International Airport (CUN), about a two-hour drive away.

While the new airport is certainly more convenient, it has struggled with early challenges including limited transportation options and sky-high taxi rates, David Ortiz Mena, president of the Tulum Hotel Association (AHT), warned following its December launch. Protestors have also blocked roads to the airport, claiming the federal government hasn’t fulfilled the agreements it made when purchasing the land from local residents, including paving streets and bringing internet service and electricity to the surrounding communities.

Despite these hurdles, US airlines remain ready to take off this week. Below, see the new flight routes soon to be offered between the Tulum airport and American hubs including New York, Chicago, and Atlanta.

American, Delta, and United launch their first non-stop flights to Tulum in late March.

American Airlines

Starting March 28, American Airlines will launch year-round daily flights to Tulum, including one flight per day from Charlotte and Miami, and two flights per day from Dallas-Fort Worth—all of which will be operated on Boeing 737 aircrafts. That opens Tulum up to one-stop connections from more than 200 destinations in the airline’s network. In a search today, we found round-trip flights between Tulum and Charlotte for about $396, Dallas for $377, and Miami for $352.

“With more flights to Tulum from the US than any other airline, American will offer convenient nationwide connectivity to this popular vacation gem on the Riviera Maya,” the airline’s senior vice president of network and schedule planning Brian Znotins said in a statement.

Delta Air Lines

Delta also launches its Tulum service on March 28, kicking off the airline’s year-round, non-stop service from Atlanta on board the Boeing 737-800 aircraft. With Delta connecting more than 100 cities to ATL, this new route also opens up plenty of one-stop connections to the popular Riviera Maya destination. Our search turned up prices starting at about $341 round-trip per person from Atlanta to Tulum.

Additionally, Delta’s partner airline Aeromexico began flying from Mexico City to Tulum in December, a route that’s currently offered 14 times per week on board the Embraer 190 aircraft.

United Airlines

This Sunday, March 31, United will launch its first Tulum-bound flight from Newark Liberty for around $264 roundtrip, from Houston George Bush Intercontinental for $232, and Chicago O’Hare for $222. In total, United will offer 22 non-stop flights per week from the three US airports. On May 23, the airline will add an additional daily seasonal service from Los Angeles—we saw prices starting around $367.

JetBlue Airways

Marking its fourth Mexico destination, JetBlue will commence nonstop flights from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to Tulum on June 13. Flight 2879 will leave at 7:55 a.m. daily and arrive in Tulum at 11:15 a.m. on an Airbus A320m. Flight 2880 will do the reverse trip slightly after, leaving Tulum at 12:45 p.m. and arriving back in the Big Apple at 5:55 p.m. When we checked, one-way launch fares started at just $149.

“With picturesque beaches and vibrant cultural heritage, Tulum has proven to be a destination in demand by seamlessly blending ancient and modern, in a country that continues to lead with world-class hospitality,” JetBlue’s vice president of network planning and airline partnerships David Jehn said in a statement, calling the new airport “modern and convenient.”

Air Canada and Copa Airlines

Canadian passengers will get direct access to Tulum on Air Canada with a direct route from Toronto on Fridays and Saturdays starting May 3, and from Montreal on Saturdays starting May 4.

Panama-based airline Copa Airlines, part of the Star Alliance, will start up its Tulum service June 26, running four times a week on Tuesdays, Wednesday, Fridays, and Sundays. The flights will depart at 7:45 a.m. local time from Panama and land in Tulum at 10:34 a.m., and depart from Tulum at 11:44 a.m. and land back in Panama at 2:23 p.m.