Tulum airport flight reductions as Volaris, Aeroméxico exit

Volaris will halt all operations at Tulum's Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport from January 7, 2027. This follows Aeroméxico's earlier suspension of all flights, which began on September 30, 2026. Volaris will stop selling tickets for flights after that January date effective this weekend. The moves represent a major contraction in air access to the popular Caribbean destination just as the winter travel season begins.

Reasons behind the airline withdrawals

Both airlines cited challenging market conditions for their decisions. Volaris pointed to route profitability, low occupancy factors, and rising operational costs. These include increases in the Airport Use Fee, more expensive fuel, and charges for air navigation services. A significant factor is a planned 35% increase in the Non-Resident Fee for 2027. The Non-Resident Fee would rise from 983 to 1,334.80 pesos if Congress approves the 2027 Economic Package proposal. Aeroméxico described its exit as a temporary suspension with no set return date. Volaris stated it had reviewed route performance and determined to suspend those with lower occupancy factors.

Impact on Tulum's air connectivity

The suspensions leave Tulum's airport with severely reduced options. Scheduled domestic connectivity is now left primarily to Mexicana de Aviación and Viva Aerobus. The international board has shrunk dramatically. From about 12 routes, it is down to just four: Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and Miami. There will be almost no flights from the U.S. To Tulum in the coming months, despite the U.S. Being the main market for the region. The sole U.S. Exception is a seasonal service from Newark/New York operated by United. That service will run from December 17, 2026, to January 24, 2027, with two weekly flights on Thursdays and Sundays.

For the 2026-2027 winter season, Tulum will have seasonal flights to five destinations in Canada and the U.S. The broader trend shows a clear decline. Passenger traffic at Tulum International Airport handled 471,500 passengers between January and June 2026. That figure is 33.2% fewer than the same period in 2025. First-quarter international traffic alone fell 34% to some 178,000 visitors from abroad.

Broader trend of declining service

The departure of Volaris and Aeroméxico is not an isolated event. It follows a pattern of airlines leaving Tulum or reducing their presence. Several international carriers have already exited. These include Avianca, Copa Airlines, JetBlue, and Discover Airlines. Volaris Costa Rica has also left. Meanwhile, major U.S. Carriers like American, Delta, and United have reduced or shifted their capacity to the nearby hub of Cancún. The loss of Aeroméxico, a national reference airline, is seen as a symbolic blow to the destination's tourism profile. The airport is administered by Grupo Mundo Maya under the control of the Secretariat of National Defense.

Aeroméxico had also previously abandoned operations from Felipe Ángeles International Airport to Tulum starting in October 2026. For passengers holding tickets on affected Volaris flights, the airline will honor existing bookings. It will offer reaccommodation, vouchers, or refunds.