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Travelers from four more cities in the United States will be able to enjoy the facilities at the new Tulum International Airport in March of next year.
United Arrives in Tulum
United Airlines is the latest airline to announce service to the new Tulum International Airport in the Mexican Caribbean on Friday.
While the new airport officially opens for arrivals in just a couple of weeks, it will be March next year before United’s international flight operations are available at the new airport.
Subject to government approval, the airline will start with 22 weekly flights to Tulum’s new airport from Newark/New York Liberty International Airport (EWR), Houston Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) on March 31, 2024.
It plans to add one additional city, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), for seasonal service starting on May 23, 2024.
Flights were expected to go on sale on Saturday, November 18.
Not Departing Cancun and Cozumel
The big question for many airlines flying to the Tulum International Airport is to maintain their “competing” existing schedule of flights to Cancun International Airport, about 90 miles north of the new airport and soon to be easily accessible by the new Maya Train.
United Airlines has made the strategic decision to have the flights to Tulum complement its existing flight schedule to Cancun.
In fact, United announced in a statement that it intends to offer more than 200 weekly flights to Cancun from eight cities in the United States during the key peak winter holiday travel season.
It also plans to continue using its ultra-widebody Boeing 777 jet to make those flights to Cancun from cities such as Chicago, Denver, and Houston.
United also plans to continue its flight schedule to Cozumel, offering 11 nonstop weekly flights during the peak winter holiday travel season from Chicago, Denver, and Houston.
The airline said in a statement that it will be the largest airline between the U.S. and the Riviera Maya region and will have the most flights to Cancun in its history.
Additional Mexican Caribbean Enhancements
At the same time, United Airlines announced it is enhancing its winter flight schedule by 25 percent to the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico.
It will offer four daily flights from Chicago to the Cancun International Airport.
It also will make daily flights connecting Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) to Cancun for the peak winter holiday travel season and six weekly flights in March for the peak spring travel season.
Tips for Travelers
A recent review for upcoming prices at the Tulum International Airport is actually showing higher fares than for flights to Cancun International Airport. That’s probably due to all the buzz around the opening of the new Mexican Caribbean airport.
Once the Maya Train starts service, it may actually be cheaper for travelers to the area to fly to Cancun for their vacation getaway to Tulum. While fares have not been established for the 90-mile train trip, it will most likely be cheaper than the current difference in flight fares.
Eventually, it is expected that the fare difference between the two similarly located airports will become pretty close in price.
For those looking to vacation near Bacalar, the flight to Tulum International Airport may actually make sense since it is further south from Cancun than Tulum. However, travelers should review pricing out the differences before choosing which airport for their arrival and departure city.
The new Tulum International Airport is an exciting development for travelers looking forward to a vacation getaway to the beach resort destinations on the Mexican Caribbean.
Once it opens for international flights in March, it will provide travelers with a southern alternative to the other airports in Cancun and Cozumel and have a seamless connection to the onward Maya Train service.
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