Airfare Cozumel vs Cancun

[scubawife]

I just about always fly to Cancun then head down to Playa (sometimes private transfer, sometimes bus) and ferry across. We can get good prices on a non-stop to Cancun with CO (although "good prices" for air fare these days is relative...) There are 3 flts/day to choose from each way and it's rare to not be able to use miles for upgrades. Most trips it's close to $200pp savings on air to Cancun vs Cozumel.

If we take the bus it's $16 pp round trip, then $24 pp round trip for the ferry. Still plenty of savings to make it worthwhile. I also just find the drive/ferry connection in Mexico more enjoyable then sitting in an airport and taking 2 planes.

For anyone who hasn't flown to Cancun from the US in the last year, Terminal 3 is VERY nice, marble restrooms and all. (At least the ladies room...) I've been flying to Cancun since the airport was just one small building, walk out on the tarmac and up the stairs to the plane, and they had just gotten a luggage carousel. It's come a long way and the addition of the new terminal is a good one. Not too Mexican though. You'll think you're in a new airport in a major city in the US based on the food court and some shops, but, it is comfortable and the customs and immigrations processes you through pretty quickly. There's even a duty-free you can hit on arrival - right after immigration and before you claim your bags and head through customs.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

Part of my reason for preferring direct flights into Cancun is that it is quite common to have flight delays into Houston, and missing the once daily flight to Cozumel. Yea, its fine when it works right but absolute hell when it don't!

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

 

[diverrex]

I just about always fly to Cancun then head down to Playa (sometimes private transfer, sometimes bus) and ferry across. We can get good prices on a non-stop to Cancun with CO (although "good prices" for air fare these days is relative...) There are 3 flts/day to choose from each way and it's rare to not be able to use miles for upgrades. Most trips it's close to $200pp savings on air to Cancun vs Cozumel.

If we take the bus it's $16 pp round trip, then $24 pp round trip for the ferry. Still plenty of savings to make it worthwhile. I also just find the drive/ferry connection in Mexico more enjoyable then sitting in an airport and taking 2 planes.

For anyone who hasn't flown to Cancun from the US in the last year, Terminal 3 is VERY nice, marble restrooms and all. (At least the ladies room...) I've been flying to Cancun since the airport was just one small building, walk out on the tarmac and up the stairs to the plane, and they had just gotten a luggage carousel. It's come a long way and the addition of the new terminal is a good one. Not too Mexican though. You'll think you're in a new airport in a major city in the US based on the food court and some shops, but, it is comfortable and the customs and immigrations processes you through pretty quickly. There's even a duty-free you can hit on arrival - right after immigration and before you claim your bags and head through customs.

Last November we traveled through Cancun (Sat - Sat) and it probably took 15 minutes on arrival and less than 30 minutes on departure. This past May (Sat - Sat again) going through Cancun took us 1 hour and 45 minutes just to get through immigration on arrival and the Delta check in on departure took 1 hour 30 minutes. The airport was a zoo both those days.

In September we're flying dirrect to CZM. Since we can't catch a direct flight to Coz I always compare the prices of either through Canun or connecting flights to CZM and the various timeframes. Timewise I usually figure it works out the same.

 

[scubawife]

Last November we traveled through Cancun (Sat - Sat) and it probably took 15 minutes on arrival and less than 30 minutes on departure. This past May (Sat - Sat again) going through Cancun took us 1 hour and 45 minutes just to get through immigration on arrival and the Delta check in on departure took 1 hour 30 minutes. The airport was a zoo both those days.

In September we're flying dirrect to CZM. Since we can't catch a direct flight to Coz I always compare the prices of either through Canun or connecting flights to CZM and the various timeframes. Timewise I usually figure it works out the same.

Most of my travel is mid-week dates and never during peak times (school breaks, holidays, etc.). Longest wait I've had coming into Terminal 3 has been 45 minutes from landing to being curbside with our bags in hand.

The "Riviera Maya" has gotten very popular and the tour packages for the resorts seem to arrive/depart on Sat and Sun which adds to the airport traffic.

 

[DiverMo]

Absolutely no question that flying directly into Coz is easier, more convenient, and preferred. However, we have followed the advice given by Dave before, and made out quite nicely. My wife and I take our kids, and when you are paying for 5 airfares, a little bit of discount for flying into Cancun adds up quickly. In our case, last year the savings for us flying into Cancun almost paid for one week of lodging for our five-some (we stayed at Dave's Villa). So, yes - in certain circumstances it can pay off quite well.

 

[underachiever]

Out of Atlanta for the days we wanted it is/was $488 to Cancun and $700 to Cozumel. We were wanting to go to Holbox anyway so this worked out great. The biggest obstacle will be getting to the Cancun airport by mid morning on the day we leave. We might head over the afternoon before and stop in at Poerto Moreles. Been wanting to check it out also.

 

[DandyDon]

Out of Atlanta for the days we wanted it is/was $488 to Cancun and $700 to Cozumel. We were wanting to go to Holbox anyway so this worked out great. The biggest obstacle will be getting to the Cancun airport by mid morning on the day we leave. We might head over the afternoon before and stop in at Poerto Moreles. Been wanting to check it out also.

Yep, certainly a good time to head for Cancun. I wonder how many think to check Open-Jaw, tho? Fly into one, out of the other. Sometimes it's just one day expensive to/from Coz, but the other day cheap. I open 5 or more tabs in the same window...

1. Check Sidestep for preferred dates to/from Coz, leave tab open;
2. Check Sidestep in next tab for to/from Cancun;
3. Check Sidestep in next tab, select Multi city, check to Coz, from Cancun;
4. Check Sidestep in next tab, select Multi city, check to Cun, from Coz;
5. Check preferred airline in next tab for best illustrated by Sidestep.

And maybe additional tabs for other ideas.

You have to be back by mid-morning from Holbox or Coz? If Holbox, then PM would be out of the way I think so you must mean from Coz. Other option is take the 5am ferry and a cab since there are two of you. I did that leaving before H.Dean in case there were any jams, slept thru both parts (I sleep on any boring ride) so I don't remember how long it took, but it should get you to the airport by 7am I think?

Your approach is fine, if you don't mind changing hotels. My next trip is 3 nights Coz, 2 nights Playa del Carmen, 3 night Holbox. I wouldn't want to move for just one night.

 

[underachiever]

Hey Don, we are headed to Holbox on the first leg of the trip. Packing lighter this trip and our dive gear is in Cozumel. So no tto many bags to drag around. We plan to rent a car since we can rent at the Cancun airport and return it in Playa.

We did the into Cancun and out of Cozumel in December and that worked out well.

 

[DandyDon]

Hey Don, we are headed to Holbox on the first leg of the trip. Packing lighter this trip and our dive gear is in Cozumel. So no tto many bags to drag around. We plan to rent a car since we can rent at the Cancun airport and return it in Playa.

We did the into Cancun and out of Cozumel in December and that worked out well.

 

[scubawife]

At least one trip a year we spend a week+ in Cozumel then a 6-7 days on the mainland. Roundtrip to Cancun still works best. I've done the open jaw a few times. Rarely works out well price wise, and where I'm coming from it still involves the connecting flights either to or from Cozumel.

If I had a non-stop to Cozumel and it was within $150 of a non-stop to Cancun, I'd fly to Coz. Connecting flights for more money, no thanks.

and our dive gear is in Cozumel

Annual storage at Scuba Repair? We've been thinking about that, but we still do at least one trip (sometimes two) to other destinations so we'd still be hauling it back and forth and having it at home a few months in the year.