Cancún airport to the Hotel Zone, Playa del Carmen and Tulum

Cancún airport is the gateway to the whole Mexican Caribbean coast, and most arriving passengers are not going to Cancún at all: they are going to a resort somewhere along the hundred kilometres of coast between the Hotel Zone and Tulum. That changes the usual airport logic. Here is what to expect and how to choose.

Why taxis are not the default here

Ordinary city taxis are not allowed to pick up at the airport. Ground transport is provided by licensed airport operators, which means the choice is between a shared shuttle and a private transfer, both booked in advance or at the counters inside the terminal. The counters are busy and the sales pitch at the exit is intense; a transfer booked before you fly removes all of it.

Shared shuttle

The cheapest door-to-door option. The van waits to fill and then stops at several resorts along the way, which is fine for a couple with no schedule and tiring for a family after a long flight. Expect the journey to a Riviera Maya resort to take considerably longer than the direct drive.

Private transfer

A driver with a name board meets you at the exit of your terminal, loads the luggage and drives straight to your resort at a price fixed when you book. For the Riviera Maya it is the standard choice: one vehicle for the family or the group, child seats requested in advance, no stops, and a pick-up time already arranged for the return. The driver follows your flight and the free waiting time is 45 minutes from landing.

Journey times from the airport

• Cancún Hotel Zone: about 20 to 30 minutes.
• Puerto Morelos: about half an hour.
• Playa del Carmen: about an hour.
• Akumal and Tulum: an hour and a half to two hours, depending on the resort's position along the coast.

The coastal highway is good; delays come from road works and from the entrances of large resorts rather than from traffic.

Terminals

Cancún has several terminals used by different airlines, some for domestic and some for international flights. Your flight number tells us the terminal; the driver waits at the right exit. After customs you walk through a hall of timeshare and tour desks before reaching the outside meeting area: keep walking.

Return transfer

Book the return at the same time. Resorts are far from the airport, flights home are often early, and a confirmed pick-up time printed on your booking is one thing less to arrange at the end of a holiday. Round-trip bookings on Pickup Transfers are two linked transfers with one confirmation.

Practical notes

• Have the exact name of the resort: many share similar names along the same stretch of coast.
• Large families and groups: a minivan or minibus carries everyone with the luggage in one vehicle.
• Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before the pick-up, on both legs.

See the airport page for the vehicle classes and prices from Cancún International Airport.