Travel Times to Cancun Airport

If you are traveling to Cancun for the first time, or if you have not visited this paradisiacal destination for a long time, you should know that recent travel times to Cancun Airport are much slower than usual due to heavy traffic on the highway caused by improvements to widen several highways and roads, as well as other larger projects.

You should know that the Federal Government has initiated the modernization of the Cancun International Airport road junction and the rehabilitation of more than 13 km of Bulevar Luis Donaldo Colosio, plus a bridge connecting downtown Cancun to the Hotel Zone.

The Cancun government has proposed new infrastructure projects, which affect the Cancun Airport Traffic. So if you are traveling to Cancun Airport or leaving Cancun, this information is useful for you.

For several months, Cancun will be facing major changes caused by elevated bridges and other interventions. So if you are traveling to Cancun, you should be aware of these major delays caused by Construction Traffic Near Cancun Airport. 

Authorities have been warning both residents and tourists of possible delays due to this huge Cancun Road Construction Project. Combined with the peak seasons, many tourists are having difficulty making their flight on time. 

Cancun Road Construction Projects

As part of the massive remodeling are the following projects:

• The bridge, the rehabilitation of Bulevar Colosio, with an extension of 13.5 kilometers. The work will be completed in October 2023.
• Nichupte Vehicular Bridge of 8.8 kilometers. The bridge will have access to the boulevard, coming from the airport towards the hotel zone, and returning from the hotel zone it will be possible to enter towards the boulevard, towards the airport, through Kabah and Bonampak avenues. The project is expected to be completed in December 2023.
• Chac Mool Avenue, 4.4 kilometers from downtown. It is scheduled for completion in September 2023.
• Finally, the Cancun Airport Road Distributor, which will improve accessibility to the air terminal. It is expected to be completed in October 2023.

For the time being, due to Cancun Construction Traffic, traffic authorities recommend the following alternate routes:

• Huayacan Avenue
• Jose Lopez Portillo Avenue
• 135th Avenue
• Highway 180 Merida-Cancun

Considering all these infrastructure updates in Cancun, it is essential to consider flight departure times and how long it will take you to get from the hotel to the Cancun Airport.

You should know that all airlines require you to check in at least 2 hours before departure. Therefore, adding the waiting time in the potential traffic due to the works mentioned above, your departure from the hotel should be much earlier than usual. For your better understanding, here is an example.

Let's suppose your flight is at 2 pm and your hotel is located in the Cancun Hotel Zone; before the work and without the traffic, it was only necessary to consider 20 minutes of travel time plus the 2 hours before check-in, arriving at 12 pm. However, nowadays, you must leave much earlier and anticipate that the trip will be between 45 min to 120 min. But, of course, this will also depend on the location of your hotel and the distance to the airport.

Destinations and times to get to Cancun Airport

Below we recommend some minimum travel times for each popular destination so you can check in on time. Remember that leaving early will give you peace of mind and make your trip more enjoyable.

45-minute trips

The destinations that require approximately 45 minutes to Cancun Airport are Cancun Hotel Zone, Cancun Downtown, Isla Mujeres, and Puerto Morelos.

60-minute trips

Destinations requiring approximately 60 minutes to Cancun Airport include Playa Mujeres, Costa Mujeres, and Maroma Beach.

75-minute trips

Playa del Carmen is one of the destinations requiring approximately 75 minutes to Cancun Airport.

90-minute trips

If you are staying at Xcaret or Puerto Aventuras, your trip may take up to 90 minutes.

Trips of 100 to 120 minutes

Akumal requires a 100-minute trip, while Tulum could take up to 120 minutes.

Avoid inconveniences and travel in advance with suitable transportation

To get to your flight on time, you must choose the proper transportation from your hotel to the airport. Although there are many options, such as buses and cabs, these usually have too many stops or have unstable rates. Therefore, hiring a Cancun Airport Transportation service may be the best alternative, guaranteeing a direct, comfortable, and fast trip.

Finally, arriving on time at the Cancun International Airport is always advisable. Stay calm if you have no time to eat or buy something essential. In all airport terminals, you can find Duty-Free stores and restaurants that will help you satisfy your needs and make the wait for your flight much more enjoyable.

We recommend you to take a look at Cancun Airport Basic Guide to improve your travel experience and avoid any mishaps.