Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Tulum airport sees over half a million passengers in first 8 months

The Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport in the Caribbean resort city of Tulum has seen over half a million passengers since its opening on Dec. 1, 2023, according to Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama.

Speaking at President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s morning press conference on Aug. 12, Lezama said the Tulum airport saw 670,000 passengers and 5,200 flights between December 2023 and August 2024.

Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama
The governor spoke at President López Obrador’s morning press conference last week. (lopezobrador.org.mx)

“But what’s really impressive is the progression of that growth,” Lezama emphasized. 

In March, the month it inaugurated its first international route, the Tulum airport saw over 5,000 international passengers. The following month, the number jumped ten-fold — increasing to 53,000 — and in July, the Tulum airport received over 88,000 international passengers.  

Overall, counting national and international flights, the airport saw flight operations increase from 316 in December to 1,040 in July, or approximately 35 flights per day.  

“In just four months, the number of international passengers multiplied by 16 and the projection is fabulous,” Lezama said. She added that if the trend continues, the airport could close the year with total domestic and international passenger traffic of 1.4 million. 

Tulum airport has now become the 10th busiest in the country. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)

The increase in international passenger traffic puts Tulum airport as the 10th terminal with the most international passenger traffic among Mexican airports, representing 0.7% of the market share. It is also the second airport in Quintana Roo — behind Cancún — with the most international passenger traffic, surpassing older airports like Cozumel and Playa del Carmen.  

Currently, three domestic airlines and five international carriers operate at Tulum airport. International destinations from Tulum include Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and Miami in the U.S., Montreal and Toronto in Canada, and Panama City in Panama.

Upcoming flights to Tulum airport

New routes operating from Tulum include the following:

  • Frankfurt-Tulum, starting Dec. 12 and operated by Discover Airlines.
  • Minneapolis-Tulum, starting Jan. 11, 2025, operated by Delta Air Lines.
  • Detroit-Tulum, starting Jan. 11, 2025, operated by Delta Air Lines. 

Mexico News Daily 

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