Tulum Airport Loses 59% of International Flights Amid Global Airline Downturn

Tulum, Quintana Roo — The Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport in Tulum has lost 59% of its international flights between January and May 2026, according to state tourism officials, who attribute the decline to a global downturn in the airline industry rather than local factors.

Bernardo Cueto Riestra, head of the Quintana Roo Tourism Secretariat (Sedetur), said the airport is facing connectivity challenges similar to those seen in other destinations across Mexico, the United States, and the Caribbean. “The challenges are not exclusive to Quintana Roo; we are also seeing reductions in connectivity in other tourist destinations,” he said.

Official figures show the airport recorded a total of 1,758 domestic and international operations from January to May, carrying more than 366,000 passengers — a drop from the same period last year. International flights fell from 446 in January to just 181 in May, a decline of over 59%. Domestic flights decreased from 372 to 318 over the same period.

Passenger traffic in the first quarter of 2026 also declined: international traffic fell 34% and domestic traffic dropped nearly 25%, forcing airlines to adjust their schedules. The drop in arrivals directly affected hotel occupancy, which averaged 48.8% in the last week of June, according to state tourism indicators.

Sedetur is working with the federal government and the Mundo Maya Group to create incentives for airlines and restore air connectivity in the short term. Officials maintain that the airport remains strategically important for southern Quintana Roo and expect demand to stabilize once global economic pressures ease.