“Tulum Airport Soars as Top International Hub”

The "Felipe Carrillo Puerto" International Airport in Tulum, a key initiative of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, is already ranked among the top 10 airports in Mexico for foreign passenger traffic. Data from the Federal Civil Aviation Agency reveals that between January and July, the airport served 301,300 international travelers, representing 1.2 percent of the country's foreign travel market. During the same period, Cancún International Airport topped the list, serving over 13 million international travelers, followed by Mexico City with 9.8 million, and Guadalajara with over 3.4 million.

Fabricio Cojuc, an independent aviation consultant, highlights the airport's international focus. He notes that of the nine airlines currently operating there, six are foreign, and out of their 15 routes, 12 are international, serving destinations in the United States, Canada, and Panama. The airlines currently utilizing this airport include American Airlines, Delta Airlines, United Airlines, Air Canada, Jet Blue, and Copa Airlines.

Cojuc predicts that by the end of 2024, the airport will be served by 13 airlines, including at least nine international carriers. The number of foreign routes is also expected to increase to 19. He anticipates that 65 percent of the airport's services will cater to foreign travel, with the remainder serving domestic routes. He also revealed plans for flights to Europe to commence this year.

Cojuc describes the Tulum airport as a successful project that complements Cancun International Airport, with an expectation that 80 percent of its passengers would be from overseas.

However, Cojuc also identifies a key challenge for the airport: improving ground transportation for arriving travelers. He suggests that the airport will need to address issues of limited and costly ground transportation to and from the terminal. Furthermore, he believes more awareness is needed regarding the airport's proximity to the Maya Train.

The Olmecamayamexica Group predicts that by the end of this year, the airport will have processed 11,000 operations and served 1.4 million passengers, both domestic and international.