Tulum Airport Loses Nearly Half Its Passengers as Airlines Cut Flights
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TULUM, Mexico — Tulum International Airport is facing a sharp decline in passenger traffic as airlines reduce or eliminate service to the popular Mexican Caribbean destination, raising questions about whether high travel costs are undermining demand.
According to figures reported by The Tulum Times, the airport handled 107,751 passengers in January 2026. By August, monthly passenger traffic had fallen to 53,428 — a decline of roughly 50 percent.
The contraction is now showing up in airline schedules.
Aeroméxico operated its final flight to Tulum on September 30, according to The Tulum Times. Mexican low-cost carrier Volaris is expected to end its service on January 7, while Avianca and Copa Airlines have already withdrawn flights.
The retreat is notable for an airport that opened commercially in late 2023 amid expectations that it would transform access to Tulum and reduce travelers’ dependence on Cancún International Airport, roughly 75 miles to the north.
Airlines Point to Tulum Airport Costs
Airlines and travelers appear to have different explanations for the slowdown.
Carriers have pointed to operating expenses outside their direct control, including airport fees, fuel expenses and air-navigation charges. The Tulum Times also cited a planned 35 percent increase in a fee charged to non-resident international travelers beginning in 2027.
For airlines operating routes with thin margins, higher airport-related costs can make maintaining service more difficult, particularly when passenger demand weakens.
But travelers have complained about another problem: the overall cost of visiting Tulum.
Once known as a relatively laid-back alternative to Cancún and Playa del Carmen, Tulum has developed into one of Mexico’s most expensive resort destinations. Visitors frequently encounter high hotel rates, restaurant prices and costly ground transportation between the airport, beaches and hotel zone.
That creates an unusual problem for the airport. Even if travelers can find an affordable flight, the total price of a Tulum vacation may make competing destinations more attractive.
A Dramatic Reversal for a New Airport
The decline does not necessarily mean Tulum International Airport is failing. Airline schedules are highly responsive to seasonal demand, route profitability and aircraft availability, and monthly passenger comparisons can be affected by tourism seasonality.
Still, the magnitude of the reported drop is difficult to ignore.
A decline from 107,751 passengers in January to 53,428 in August represents approximately 54,000 fewer monthly passengers. Meanwhile, the departure of multiple airlines could further reduce connectivity and make it harder for the airport to rebuild passenger volumes.
Tulum remains one of Mexico’s most internationally recognized tourism destinations, and the airport provides substantially more convenient access to the region than Cancún for many visitors.
The bigger question is whether Tulum’s popularity can overcome its increasingly expensive reputation.
For an airport built partly on the extraordinary growth of Tulum tourism, the next year may provide an important test: whether falling traffic is primarily a temporary adjustment in airline capacity — or evidence that travelers are beginning to reconsider the economics of a Tulum vacation.
