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You Can Fly Direct To Cancun From These International Destinations

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Growing List Of Direct International To Match The 37 US Cities Also Served

Cancun has always been a popular destination for Americans, evident in the astounding number of direct flights from across the country. But it’s never enjoyed as much popularity across the Atlantic and beyond.

cancun airport entrance

The pandemic has seen a seismic shift in travelers’ interest across the planet. With Mexico remaining open as the rest of the world shut up shop, an entirely new spectrum of tourists was exposed to the Mexican Caribbean and it appears that airlines are willing to bet on those visitors returning in the future.

The Cancun International Airport has seen a massive uptick in direct flights being added from across the world in addition to the constant growth of the American market. Combined with the many connecting airports already serving the region, it’s never been easier for foreign visitors to travel to Cancun and Quintana Roo.

long haul plane in cancun

According to the most recent data, 25 countries now enjoy direct routes to Cancun, not including the United States. The US alone has thirty-seven individual cities with direct flights. Many of the 25 countries are brand new routes within the past year, opening the Mexican Caribbean up to millions more potential visitors. 

Central and South America still dominate the bulk of the foreign routes, with Panama and Bogota the top two destinations with direct flights. The Colombian market has grown substantially in recent years, and Bogota also provides connecting flights for a huge chunk of South America. Panama sends 238 flights a month while Bogota adds 138, showing a huge interest in the Cancun area.

bogota skyline

The third most popular foreign destination isn’t too much of a surprise. Toronto, Canada sends 129 flights on a monthly basis. Considering its proximity to the likes of New York and other major American cities that send hundreds of flights, the Canadian inclusion makes perfect sense. Several smaller airports in Canada are adding direct flights on a temporary basis during busy seasons too.

Other Central and South American make up the majority of the foreign flights, including Medellin, Guatemala, Belize, and Havana, but the real growth is being seen further down the list.

gatwick airport london

London’s Gatwick airport now shows fifty-five flights a month. A huge increase in the British market. There’s evidence that British travelers are turning away from their usual European hotspots like Spain and Greece due to Brexit issues, and the Mexican Caribbean is becoming an extremely desirable location. Gatwick is one of the UK’s busiest airports, but other hubs like Manchester are now adding flights. The midlands city now has thirty flights a month, while Glasgow, Birmingham, Bristol, and Newcastle have all added multiple services. The demand shows interest from all across the United Kingdom, enough to avoid those tourists traveling through London to get across the Atlantic like normal.

madrid airport terminal

Even Madrid is seeing a huge uptick in volume. Spain, home to some of the best beach destinations in Europe, obviously sees the appeal of the Mexican Caribbean.

Add to this flights from Frankfurt, Brussels, Calgary, Zurich, Paris, Amsterdam, Munich, Rome, and Istanbul, and Europe has blatantly become quite infatuated with Cancun’s world-class beaches. Istanbul is currently the longest direct flight available to Cancun, clocking in at almost 15 hours. Yet there are still thirty flights a month scheduled from the Turkish capital. Even a flight from London is ten hours, a huge difference when considering a flight to a Greek Island like Zante is only four hours.

istanbul airport

Whether the momentum will continue is hard to tell. Those longer flights may become a bit too much as other beach destinations continue to open up but for now, at least, the demand is soaring and more than enough for airlines to invest in these long-haul routes. With the addition of Tulum’s airport in the near future, there is even more to gain.

sunset in cancun

Here’s a list of all international cities flying direct to Cancun by popularity:

Panama City (PTY)

Bogota (BOG)

Toronto (YYZ)

Lima (LIM)

San Jose (SJO)

Guatemala City (GUA)

Belize City (BZE)

Medellin (MDE)

Load Gatwick (LGW)

Havana (HAV)

Madrid (MAD)

Frankfurt (FRA)

Flores (FRS)

Istanbul (IST)

Manchester (MAN)

Lisbon (LIS)

Calgary (YYC)

Brasilia (BSB)

Brussels (BRU)

Zurich (ZRH)

Vancouver (YVR)

Cali (CLO)

Glasgow (GLA)

Birmingham (BHX)

Buenos Aires (EZE)

Paris (CDG)

Quebec (YQB)

Amsterdam (AMS)

Camaguey (CMW)

Munich (MUC)

San Salvador (SAL)

Bristol (BRS)

Caracas (CCS)

Newcastle (NCL)

Edmonton (YEG)

Holgun (HOG)

Kitchener (YKF)

Santiago De Chile (SCL)

Valencia (VLN)

Doncaster Sheffield (DSA)

Rome (FCO)

Barcelona (BCN)

Edinburgh (EDI)

Milan (MXP)

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