Tulum Airport Loses Momentum as Passenger Traffic Plunges in Early 2026

Tulum, Quintana Roo — The Tulum International Airport (AIT), which opened in December 2023 with high hopes of drawing tourists to the southern Riviera Maya and even competing with Cancún’s airport, is experiencing a significant decline in passenger traffic, airlines, and destinations just two and a half years into operation, according to industry experts.

In 2024, the airport handled 1.233 million passengers; in 2025, 1.244 million. But from January to April 2026, it recorded only 366,000 passengers, airport figures show.

International traffic fell sharply: the first quarter of 2026 saw 178,000 international travelers, a 34% drop from the same period in 2025, according to the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC). That equates to 90,800 fewer international passengers, even though January through March is peak season for Canadian tourists escaping winter.

Domestic passenger numbers also fell, with 36,000 travelers in the first quarter, down 25% from the first three months of 2025.

Airlines Cut Routes and Frequencies

Fabricio Cojuc, an independent aviation consultant, noted that in June 2024, foreign airlines offered flights from Tulum to 12 destinations, including Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Miami, and Panama City. Today, only four international destinations remain — Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and Miami — served by American, Delta, and United.

“Eight destinations were lost, and from 10 daily departures two years ago, there are now only three. Connectivity to New York was lost at both JFK and Newark airports,” Cojuc said.

Several foreign airlines have suspended flights to Tulum altogether: Avianca, Copa Airlines, JetBlue, and Volaris Costa Rica.

Cojuc attributed the lack of interest to the fact that airlines had to maintain dual operations in the region — Cancún and Tulum — and needed higher demand in Tulum to justify the extra service.

“The expectation was that a lot of traffic would shift to the southern Riviera Maya, generating enough demand. At first there was a bubble, a buzz, but gradually the numbers didn’t meet expectations, and airlines began cutting schedules, reducing seats, and prioritizing Cancún,” he explained.

Cojuc also pointed out that Tulum lacks a ground transportation ecosystem like Cancún’s. “There have been complaints that taxi and bus services [Uber does not operate in Tulum] are very expensive. Getting from the airport to the hotel zone is costly, unpredictable, and lacks sufficient service providers — something that doesn’t happen in Cancún,” he said.

Tourism Crisis: Sargassum, Infrastructure, and Insecurity

Karim Goudiaby, CEO of Iad Mexico and a real estate investment expert, said Tulum’s decline stems from three factors: sargassum on the beaches, hotels with lower infrastructure, and insecurity.

“Tulum had an oversupply of hotel rooms and an overestimated dependence on digital nomads. But one of the most important causes is sargassum. Cancún offers a first-world hotel experience even when there is sargassum, but Tulum has smaller hotels that have amenities but are not all-inclusive like in Cancún or Playa del Carmen,” Goudiaby said.

“The appeal of Tulum is walking on endless white sand beaches, and that’s not the same with a brown sea or an unkempt beach. Hoteliers in Tulum don’t have the resources for constant cleaning,” he added.

Insecurity has also hurt. “There have been incidents of shootings in Tulum that don’t help attract North American tourists. They hear about it and don’t want to travel there,” Goudiaby said.

“In the end, the destination becomes less competitive if you have to pay for expensive accommodation, expensive transportation, and eventually expensive food,” he noted.

Cojuc estimates Tulum may handle 700,000 passengers this year, down from 1.2 million last year — “a very sharp drop.” His projection is based on a 60% decline in seat capacity for May 2026 compared to May 2025, with the winter high season still far off.

Goudiaby believes the destination can recover, but only with help from authorities and the private sector. “The Nascar race held at the Tulum airport was a way to bring a different event beyond music festivals. The destination is high quality, but the risk is insecurity. If it’s an unsafe place, it will be difficult,” he said.