The picturesque city of Tulum is located on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula on the Caribbean coast. This ancient city, full of history with Mayan ruins overlooking the ocean, has risen in popularity among tourists, expats and digital nomads for its beauty, affordability, culture and modern amenities. In an effort to meet demand, major airlines have added flights, but now two US airlines have canceled flights to Tulum Airport.
The popularity of Tulum
Tulum has always been a popular destination, but its popularity has increased partly due to social media influencers and partly due to lifestyle changes.
Tulum offers visitors a boh-chic vibe with eco-resorts, boutiques, trendy restaurants and more. The city has also become a hotspot for wellness enthusiasts. There is an endless list of wellness spas, retreats and spas. Tulum has indeed become a place to unwind and relax while enjoying a bit of luxury.
The new Tulum airport
The Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport, or Tulum Airport (TQO), opened in December 2023 to accommodate Tulum’s rising popularity. The modern, sleek airport was an exciting addition, as visitors previously had to fly to Cancun or Cozumel followed by a 2+ hour drive. Major US airlines jumped at the opportunity to transport passengers directly to the popular Mexican destination. American Airlines, Jet Blue, Delta and more added stops to TQO, but now some have been scaled back.
Airlines are canceling routes to Tulum
Both United Airlines and American Airlines have done so cut off routes to Tulum. American Airlines will suspend flights between its hub in Charlotte, North Carolina to Tulum. However, it will continue flights to Tulum from its hubs in Miami and Dallas. United Airlines will continue to operate routes to Tulum from Los Angeles in the same manner, but has scrapped plans to serve the airport from other hubs.
Tulum Airport continues to see growth
Despite some US airlines cutting back on routes to Tulum Airport, the airport is experiencing growth worldwide. Avianca has started flights between Bogota, Columbia and Tulum, opening up accessibility between Tulum and South America. On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, Tulum also has new opportunities Discover airlines has launched direct flights between the Mexican destination and Frankfurt, Germany.
