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The largest airline serving the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America is making a big bet on the sun, sand, and surf of Cancun this winter.
American Airlines announced Wednesday that it plans to increase service on 23 routes and grow its seat capacity to the region by 10 percent compared to winter 2022.
The airline currently operates more than 35 peak-day flights to Cancun International Airport.
Increased Flights from Charlotte
The American Airlines hub in Charlotte will see an expansion of flights to Cancun, with service increasing to five daily flights.
This will improve the opportunity for visitors from the Northeast to visit Cancun with a single stop at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT).
In all, additional flights to Mexico, including Cabo San Lucas, will be part of a 40 percent increase in available seats to Mexico, the Caribbean, and Latin America from Charlotte.
New Nonstop Service to Cancun
Along with the addition of flights from Charlotte, American Airlines also announced two new nonstop flights to Cancun.
Starting December 9, the airline will start nonstop service to Cancun from both Nashville (BNA) and Cincinnati (CVG).
The initial flight service from the two new destinations will take place on Saturdays through March 2024.
Additional Flight From Austin
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Strong demand for flights from Austin, Texas had American Airlines adding an additional flight to accommodate tourists.
American Airlines announced the addition of a new flight from Austin (AUS) earlier this year. The second daily service from the city to Cancun will start on November 5.
Mexico Flight Additions From Dallas-Fort Worth
While Cancun was not on the list for additional flights from the company’s headquarters in Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), other flights to Mexico were added from the hub.
Those cities included Acapulco, Huatalco, Monterrey, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, Zacatecas and Zihuatanejo.
American Airlines already offers several direct flights from the Dallas-Forth Worth airport.
Need For More Flights To Cancun
The busiest beach vacation destination in Mexico is set to break records this year as visitor counts continue to grow in Cancun.
Even with the slow summer shoulder season approaching due to the intense summer heat and threat of the hurricane season, visitors continue to book reservations for a vacation in Cancun.
The commitment of American Airlines to expand its flights to Cancun during the busy winter season demonstrates the strong demand already present for flights in the cooler season.
Experts believe additional flights to Cancun may be announced soon as the beach resort destination continues to increase in popularity among American travelers.
What it Means For Travelers
While many visitors may believe that the additional flights may make them more affordable, unfortunately, that is not expected to be the case.
The additional flights show a strong demand for vacations in Cancun during the upcoming winter season.
At best, the additional flight service may at best moderate the costs of flights, especially from the American Airlines hub cities, and potentially keep them steady during peak demand.
Nonetheless, travelers should prepare for resort hotel rooms during the season. This will result in more visitors, traffic, and higher prices for preferred resort properties in the Zona Hotelera.
Tourists should reserve their hotel rooms now to get the best location and resort room rate for the winter vacation period.
They should also consider booking tour packages for the season as those will also increase in demand, and potentially, some of the top sellers could sell out.
Overall, the increase in flights to Cancun International Airport will make visiting the beach resort destination easier with more options for flights.
However, it will also serve to increase the popularity of the area, which will increase the price for hotel room nights and other popular tourist amenities.
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