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Tulum International Airport

Coordinates: 20°10′0″N 87°40′0″W / 20.16667°N 87.66667°W / 20.16667; -87.66667
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Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport

Aeropuerto Internacional Felipe Carrillo Puerto

Tulum International Airport

Aeropuerto Internacional de Tulum
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorGrupo Olmeca-Maya-Mexica
ServesTulum
LocationFelipe Carrillo Puerto, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Opened1 December 2023; 11 months ago (2023-12-01)
Time zoneEST (UTC-05:00)
Elevation AMSL20 m / 66 ft
Coordinates20°10′0″N 87°40′0″W / 20.16667°N 87.66667°W / 20.16667; -87.66667
Websitewww.aitulum.com/en
Map
TQO/MMTL is located in Quintana Roo
TQO/MMTL
TQO/MMTL
Location of airport in Quintana Roo
TQO/MMTL is located in Mexico
TQO/MMTL
TQO/MMTL
TQO/MMTL (Mexico)
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
12/30 3,700 12,139 Concrete
Statistics (2023)
Passengers39,768
Ranking in Mexico52nd New entry

Tulum International Airport (IATA: TQO, ICAO: MMTL) – officially the Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport – is an international airport situated approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) southwest of Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico. It serves both domestic and international air traffic for Tulum, functioning as a secondary gateway for tourists visiting the Mexican Caribbean, the Riviera Maya, and the Yucatán Peninsula. It also supports various executive and general aviation activities. The primary airport in the region is Cancún International Airport, situated approximately 125 kilometres (78 mi) north of Tulum.

After commencing construction in 2022, the airport began commercial services on December 1, 2023 operated by Grupo Olmeca-Maya-Mexica, a holding company owned by the Mexican military. It handled 39,768 passengers on its first month of operations.[1]

History

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Tulum, a well-known tourist destination, has traditionally relied on Cancun Airport as its primary gateway. Efforts have been ongoing to reduce Cancun's dominance and establish alternative entry points to this tourist zone, with Cozumel Airport emerging as a successful secondary option. In the 2000s, Chichen Itza International Airport was constructed to facilitate access to the central Yucatan region, but financial viability concerns led to its closure shortly after its establishment.

The concept of a Tulum civil airport has been on the horizon for years. It reached a stage of development where, by 2011, bidding for construction contracts was set to conclude.[2] However, the project encountered challenges, leading to a standstill. Following Andrés Manuel López Obrador's inauguration as Mexican president in 2018, political backing for the Tulum Airport further diminished due to an increased emphasis on the Tren Maya project.[3] However, the project regained momentum in 2022 when it was announced by the López Obrador administration as part of efforts to boost tourism, particularly in conjunction with the Tren Maya.

Tulum Airport, constructed and operated by the Mexican army, is part of the broader strategy of the López Obrador administration to engage the armed forces in significant infrastructure projects. This trend of militarization extends to other projects, including the takeover of multiple airports, the Tren Maya, and the revival of Mexicana.[4] However, the military's involvement in civilian functions, such as airport management and hotel operations, raises concerns about accountability and transparency.[5]

Construction commenced in 2022, initially scheduled to open in April 2024. Following the announcement, major Mexican and U.S. carriers revealed services from their hubs.[6] In August 2023, Aeroméxico announced services to Mexico City, and Viva Aerobus announced flights to various Mexican cities.[7] In October 2023, Delta Air Lines disclosed nonstop flights from Atlanta from March 2024.[8] Subsequently, Spirit Airlines revealed plans to add flights from Orlando and Fort Lauderdale.[9] In November 2023, American Airlines announced flights to Charlotte, Miami, and Dallas/Fort Worth, followed by United Airlines unveiling services to Houston, Chicago, Newark, Los Angeles and Denver.[10][11] The airport began operations on December 1, 2023.[12]

Facilities

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Spanning 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) at an elevation of 20 metres (66 ft) above mean sea level, the airport features a passenger terminal and a 3,700 metres (12,100 ft) runway capable of accommodating wide-body aircraft and handling 5.5 million passengers annually. The apron comprises 13 aircraft stands primarily used by narrow-body aircraft, complemented by hardstands serving general aviation.

The 70,000 square metres (750,000 sq ft) passenger terminal provides standard international airport services in a two-story building separating departure facilities on the top floor and arrivals on the ground floor. It features check-in areas, a security checkpoint, arrivals facilities with baggage claim areas, taxi stands, and car rental services. The departures concourse houses commercial spaces and 13 gates with ramps down to the apron level, allowing passengers to board their planes by walking to the aircraft.

In addition, the airport hosts an Executive Aviation Terminal, equipped with airport lounges and dedicated facilities for general aviation. Future plans involve the construction of an air force base within the airport grounds. Tulum Airport railway station is located next to the airport, with service to Tulum railway station, Cancun International Airport, Chetumal Airport, and other prominent tourist destinations in southeastern Mexico.[13]

Airlines and destinations

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Passenger

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AirlinesDestinations
Aeroméxico Connect Mexico City–AIFA[14]
Air Canada Rouge Montréal–Trudeau,[15] Toronto–Pearson[15]
Seasonal: Ottawa (begins December 14, 2024),[16] Quebec City (begins December 13, 2024)[17]
Air Transat Seasonal: Montréal–Trudeau (begins December 19, 2024),[18] Quebec City (begins December 21, 2024)[19]
American Airlines Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami[20]
Avianca Bogotá (begins December 10, 2024)[21]
Copa Airlines Panama City–Tocumen (ends January 11, 2025)[22]
Delta Air Lines Atlanta[23]
Seasonal: Detroit (begins January 11, 2025),[24] Minneapolis/St. Paul (begins December 21, 2024)[25]
Discover Airlines Seasonal: Frankfurt (begins December 12, 2024)[26]
JetBlue New York–JFK[27]
Mexicana de Aviación Mexico City–AIFA[28]
Sunwing Airlines Seasonal: Montréal–Trudeau[29]
United Airlines Chicago–O'Hare,[30] Denver (begins December 19, 2024),[31] Houston–Intercontinental, Newark[30]
Seasonal: Los Angeles[30]
Viva Guadalajara,[32] Mexico City–AIFA, Monterrey, Tijuana[32]
Volaris Guadalajara (begins December 5, 2024)[33]
WestJet Seasonal: Calgary, Toronto–Pearson[34]

Destination maps

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class=notpageimage|
Domestic destinations from Tulum International Airport
Red = Year-round destination
Blue = Future destination
Green = Seasonal destination
class=notpageimage|
North, Central and South American destinations from Tulum International Airport
Red = Year-round destination
Blue = Future destination
Green = Seasonal destination
class=notpageimage|
German destinations from Tulum International Airport
Red = Year-round destination
Blue = Future destination
Green = Seasonal destination

Statistics

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Busiest routes

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Busiest routes from Tulum International Airport (2023)[35]
Rank City Passengers Ranking Airline
1  Mexico City, Mexico City 9,760 New entry Aeroméxico Connect
2  State of Mexico, Mexico City-AIFA 3,660 New entry Viva Aerobus
3  Nuevo León, Monterrey 3,052 New entry Viva Aerobus
4  Baja California, Tijuana 1,083 New entry Viva Aerobus
5  Jalisco, Guadalajara 956 New entry Viva Aerobus

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Estadística Operacional de Aeropuertos / Statistics by Airport". Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  2. ^ "Avanza Tulum Hacia Su Transformación: González Canto". Blog Gubernamental (in Spanish). Gobierno del Estado de Quintana Roo. 18 September 2009. Archived from the original on 2 December 2009.
  3. ^ "Pone en marcha SCT proyecto de tren transpeninsular en Quintana Roo". Imagen Radio (in Spanish). March 10, 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  4. ^ "Mexican government gives military control of four more airports". Reuters.
  5. ^ "Mexico's military is reviving one of its oldest airlines". NPR.
  6. ^ "Tulum will get a new luxury airport in 2023". Forbes (EE.UU.). October 7, 2020.
  7. ^ "New Nonstop Flights Announced To Tulum From These U.S. Cities". The Cancun Sun. August 29, 2023.
  8. ^ "Delta Air Lines to Fly Direct to Tulum When New International Airport Opens". www.travelmarketreport.com. 2023-10-16. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
  9. ^ "Paradise is Calling: U.S. Travelers Gain Daily, Low-Fare Flights to Tulum's New Airport with Spirit Airlines". ir.spirit.com. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  10. ^ "Tokyo to Tulum: American Airlines unveils new international routes to enhance 2024 travels".
  11. ^ "United Airlines starting with 22 weekly U.S. flights into Tulum International". 24 November 2023.
  12. ^ Carlos Rosado van der Gracht (December 22, 2023). "Tulum's New Airport Has a Long Way to Go, But It Sure Is a Looker". Yucatán Magazine.
  13. ^ "Cancun Airport's Link to Maya Train: Construction Set to Start Soon". 12 June 2023.
  14. ^ "Aeroméxico flies to Tulum from AIFA for few slots at AICM". Reportur (in Spanish). April 2024. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  15. ^ a b "Air Canada Adds Tulum Service From May 2024". Aeroroutes. December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  16. ^ "Air Canada NW24 Sun Destinations Service Changes – 26JUN24". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  17. ^ "Air Canada Offers Québec City Region a New Hotspot for This Winter with Non-stop Flights to Tulum". aircanada.com. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  18. ^ "Air Transat Plans Tulum Service in late-Dec 2024". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  19. ^ "Air Transat announces new non-stop route between Tulum and Québec City". Aéroport de Québec. July 2024. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  20. ^ "American Airlines Schedules Tulum Launch in Late-March 2024". Aeroroutes. November 14, 2023. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  21. ^ "Avianca será la primera aerolínea sudamericana en volar a Tulum". Aviacionline. September 24, 2024. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  22. ^ "Copa Airlines suspends four international routes". Aviation Club Center (in Spanish). November 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  23. ^ "Vacation in Mexico this spring with direct-to-Tulum service on Delta". Delta News Hub. October 2023. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  24. ^ "Delta Continues Mexico Network Expansion in NW24". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
  25. ^ "Delta adding seasonal flight from MSP to Tulum, Mexico". KSTP-TV. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
  26. ^ "Discover Airlines Launches as First European Connection to Mexico's Newest Caribbean Airport". Aviacionline. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  27. ^ "JetBlue Expands Mexico Service with Flights from New York to Tulum on Sale Today". December 14, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  28. ^ "Nueva Mexicana de Aviación, operada por el Ejército, arranca con un vuelo a Tulum". aldiadallas (in Spanish). The Dallas Morning News. 25 December 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  29. ^ "Sunwing Airlines NW24 Network Additions". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  30. ^ a b c "United Debuts Direct Flights Between U.S. and Tulum" (Press release). November 17, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  31. ^ "United to have non-stop flights between Denver and Tulum". Aviacionline. January 15, 2023. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  32. ^ a b "Viva Aerobus announces new routes to Tulum". EnElAire (in Spanish). August 2023. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  33. ^ "Volaris connects Guadalajara with Tulum: Take advantage of the opening offer with flights from $99 pesos". El Debate (in Spanish). April 2024. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  34. ^ "The WestJet Group further solidifies its position as Canada's leisure champion with expanded 737 service to sun destinations". westjet.com. May 21, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  35. ^ "Estadística operacional por origen-destino / Traffic Statistics by City Pairs" (in Spanish). Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil. January 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
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