Quintana Roo Adds New Air Routes Ahead of Winter Tourist Season

Cancún, Quintana Roo — Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa has announced a fresh push to expand Quintana Roo’s air connectivity ahead of the coming winter season, adding new domestic routes, restoring lost links and courting new source markets to draw visitors to the state’s southern destinations.

Among the new operations is a Los Cabos–Cancún route that will launch on Dec. 1 with three weekly flights, along with the return of the Acapulco–Cancún connection, which Viva Aerobús will operate from Nov. 3 with two flights a week.

Lezama said talks are continuing to expand the Mexican Caribbean’s presence in international markets, particularly Canada and Brazil, which she described as strategic for reviving South American tourism.

She said she recently met with Brazilian tourism officials to discuss ways to increase the flow of visitors to Quintana Roo. Topics included visa reciprocity and the need for direct flights that cut travel costs and time.

“We continue working to strengthen connectivity and open more opportunities for our destinations,” she said.

Cancún Airport Looks to Rebuild Traffic

The strategy comes as Cancún International Airport seeks to recover some of the connectivity lost in recent months. During the 2026 summer season, the terminal averaged between 420 and 506 daily operations, according to data from Asur, and maintained links to roughly 80 domestic and international destinations through more than 30 airlines.

International passenger traffic, however, fell during several months of 2026, prompting state officials and the tourism industry to intensify the search for new routes and source markets.

Chetumal Airport May Add Bacalar to Its Name

In parallel, the state government is pursuing a strategy to strengthen connectivity in southern Quintana Roo. As part of that effort, officials are studying a change to the name of Chetumal International Airport to include a reference to Bacalar, capitalizing on the tourism profile of both destinations.

The proposal is pending with federal authorities and is part of a broader attempt to raise the airport’s visibility in search engines and flight booking platforms.

Lezama noted that Chetumal’s airport now has customs service, infrastructure seen as key to expanding its logistics and connectivity options.

The state government is also in talks with airlines and tour operators about opening new routes to the state capital and the southern region, where destinations such as Bacalar and Mahahual are seeking a larger share of the domestic and international tourism market.

The governor acknowledged that launching new routes requires airlines to plan well in advance, so negotiations will continue over the coming months. The goal, she said, is to build a broader connectivity network that boosts arrivals in both northern and southern Quintana Roo and diversifies the state’s tourism offering.

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By Laura Castillo

Laura Castillo covers tourism, business, and economic development across Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and the wider Riviera Maya for Riviera Maya News & Events. She tracks the region's most important business stories — from hotel investments and airline route expansions to real estate market trends and local economic policy — helping English-speaking readers stay informed about the economic pulse of Mexico's Caribbean coast.Laura has been reporting on Quintana Roo's tourism sector since 2020, closely monitoring developments in Cancun's hotel zone, Tulum's rapidly growing commercial corridor, and the evolving business landscape in Playa del Carmen. Her coverage includes corporate investments, employment trends, infrastructure projects, and the economic impact of events like sargassum seasons and hurricane preparation.Before joining Riviera Maya News & Events, Laura worked in business development and market analysis in the Riviera Maya region, giving her first-hand insight into how tourism, real estate, and local commerce intersect. She is fluent in English and Spanish.For story tips: laura@rivieramayanews.mx