Cancun vs Cozumel Flight

[Ron Lee]

I will note that you do not have to drag your luggage from CUN to Cozumel. Most of the distance it is carried on the bus or ferry. As such, the extra hauling of luggage by you is minimal.

 

[cvchief]

I will note that you do not have to drag your luggage from CUN to Cozumel. Most of the distance it is carried on the bus or ferry. As such, the extra hauling of luggage by you is minimal.

True. Hire a tricycle guy and carry VERY little.

 

[mstevens]

Different factors matter to different people. If I could get non-stops to both Cozumel and Cancún from my area, I'd probably pay $200 per person to go straight to the island. If I could get non-stop to only one, I'd do whichever one that was unless it were lots (let's say $200) more just so I didn't risk being stranded overnight somewhere. Since I can't get non-stops to either airport from my area, I'm back to being willing to pay more to go straight to the island since I have to make a connection anyway.

That's not to say the bus and ferry is unpleasant. It's not. I sort of like doing it on the way to the island. I just hate getting back to Cancún in time for a flight and dealing with the departures process there. On the island, we go to breakfast then head to the airport to check in when the lines are short to non-existent and check any suitcases if we have any, then back to the house to lounge with a beer in the pool.* We get back to the airport an hour before departure time and only have to go through security. That gives me several hours more to enjoy the island than if I were to go through CUN.

I agree with ggunn that getting from CUN to the island takes about 2-3 hours. My record is 2 hours from wheels-down to collapsing on the couch, but that took epic timing and I go with just a messenger bag and no checked luggage. For me it takes more time than that to get from the island back to CUN - I'm not willing to cut it close with the ferry, CUN departure lines are longer (and I have to deal with immigration each time I leave, which is lightning-fast at CZM and slower at CUN, though this won't affect most travelers) and I don't live cvchief's jet-setting lifestyle with the MAYAir thing. Plus, as I said, beer in pool. They don't have that at CUN.

Quite often, the least expensive option from my area is to fly to CUN but leave from CZM. That's just fine by me.

For a short answer to the "cost effective" question: if by that you mean "break-even", if you can't get a ferry discount, the trip from CUN to the island by bus and ferry will run about USD$25 per person each way with a decent exchange rate. For larger groups (around 4 people or thereabouts) a van can work out less than the bus because the vans don't charge per-person. To me, "cost effective" also has to take into account the value of my time, the scarcity of vacation days, and my hatred for CUN departure lines.

---------- Post added April 20th, 2015 at 11:49 PM ----------

Ha! You don't know my van guy. I remember last time saying, we are never gonna make the next ferry and he said, 'you want to make it?' Buckle up and go. We passed everyone and we made it.

I do know your van guy now, and I can believe that.

*edit: leaving the grounds of the airport after surrendering your FMM (part of the immigration form you filled out to enter the country) at check-in or immigration is technically illegal, so I'm really only describing what I wish I could do but would never dream of in real life. Or words to that effect.

 

[cvchief]

That's not to say the bus and ferry is unpleasant. It's not. I sort of like doing it on the way to the island.

I like it. That being said, I have learned DO NOT save a few dollars and arrive in Cancun later in the afternoon. Apparently the entire world arrives in the afternoon. Last trip we couldn't get a jetway and deplaned on the tarmac and used a bus. Then I think they literally drove the bus around a little bit before coming back to near where we stared and dumped us in a line of 5 million waiting for immigration. That sort of sucked. Earlier in the day is much much better.

Usually, we miss time the ferry enough to stop at Senor Frogs. It is right at the ferry dock with a lovely view. A couple beers and snacks make it a nice change to BEING in Mexico. If we flew straight into CZM we would go straight to the condo and the fiddling with crap begins. Not as fun. Last time we did that I had to take my nephew and escape to El Fish....

I just hate getting back to Cancún in time for a flight and dealing with the departures process there. On the island, we go to breakfast then head to the airport to check in when the lines are short to non-existent and check any suitcases if we have any, then back to the house to lounge with a beer in the pool.* We get back to the airport an hour before departure time and only have to go through security. That gives me several hours more to enjoy the island than if I were to go through CUN.

I hate that too, hence Mayair. We arrive at CZM about 40 minutes before the flight and the place is usually empty. Then BOOM we are at CUN and all is well. I have found the check in at CUN not too bad, however with the flight timing, it varies how much time we have in CUN. For a while I flew Mayair right up against the CUN flight. We were a couple minutes behind leaving CZM once and we checked in at CUN 56 minutes before the flight. The check in desk gave me a dirty look on that one, so I don't do that anymore.

I agree with ggunn that getting from CUN to the island takes about 2-3 hours. My record is 2 hours from wheels-down to collapsing on the couch, but that took epic timing and I go with just a messenger bag and no checked luggage. ....... and I don't live cvchief's jet-setting lifestyle with the MAYAir thing.

True, 2 hours might be my best to CZM or maybe a little less. However, I look at the timing in a different way. I run the clock from landing to first beer. If we stop at Oxxo, my wheels down to vakay might only be 30 minutes.

Even more so, *I* don't think you can count sitting at Senor Frogs or the ferry ride at travel time. I find both more like entertainment or excursion, than simple travel or waiting. That is a clear philisophical different look at the piece between CUN and stepping on La Isla.

And did you know with the magic green card that Mayair ticket is only like $32! And seldom do I have to hold the chickens....

It even looks FAST:



And look at that first class seating. Almost everyone gets a row to themselves:

I do know your van guy now, and I can believe that..

You know my van guy is awesome. Last time I brought a wash down pump for a friend on the Island. Aduana tagged me to pay duty on it. No problem. Just went to the window and paid. VERY easy. However in the process of preparing reciepts, Aduana laid my passport to the side and I left without it. Of course I realized it outside.

So began the fight with the contract security guard who would not let me back in. I couldn't get him to call the Federal Police for nothing. After about 45-60 minutes of using an outside phone to call Aduana and fooling with the security guard (that is the really short version. The long version is PAINFULLY long), my van guy said 'what's the problem?" I told him and he was on that security guard like a K9. He verbally beat him until he finally agreed to call someone from the airport. Of course the ASUR guy said, "well just go get it." Anyway, that trip was no where near 2 hours. Point being my van guy handles all sorts of issues....

 

[Aggiebq86]

You know my van guy is awesome. Last time I brought a wash down pump for a friend on the Island. Aduana tagged me to pay duty on it. No problem. Just went to the window and paid. VERY easy. However in the process of preparing reciepts, Aduana laid my passport to the side and I left without it. Of course I realized it outside.

So began the fight with the contract security guard who would not let me back in. I couldn't get him to call the Federal Police for nothing. After about 45-60 minutes of using an outside phone to call Aduana and fooling with the security guard (that is the really short version. The long version is PAINFULLY long), my van guy said 'what's the problem?" I told him and he was on that security guard like a K9. He verbally beat him until he finally agreed to call someone from the airport. Of course the ASUR guy said, "well just go get it." Anyway, that trip was no where near 2 hours. Point being my van guy handles all sorts of issues....

Mind sharing contact info for your van guy?

 

[Lorenzoid]

We have used cvchief's van guy when we were a group of four splitting costs (and yes, he can have beer waiting for you), and we have used the ADO bus when it was just my wife and me. The money we save by flying to CUN instead of CZM pays for a lot of diving, and the few hours spent in transit is no major burden. We've dragged bags and backpacks all over the world--the Cancun-Coz sidetrip is nothing to us.

Delta's nonstop from here in Atlanta to Coz would be sweet, but they want to charge us a premium because Atlanta is their hub. Like $300 more.

 

[ggunn]

Luckily for me, flying into CZM and CUN usually cost about the same from AUS. I like leaving the house at 5AM and getting to my hotel by 1PM.

---------- Post added April 21st, 2015 at 01:00 PM ----------

I like it. That being said, I have learned DO NOT save a few dollars and arrive in Cancun later in the afternoon. Apparently the entire world arrives in the afternoon. Last trip we couldn't get a jetway and deplaned on the tarmac and used a bus. Then I think they literally drove the bus around a little bit before coming back to near where we stared and dumped us in a line of 5 million waiting for immigration. That sort of sucked. Earlier in the day is much much better.

What I said above notwithstanding, that can happen at the CZM airport as well, though fortunately it's not as common. A few years ago our flight arrived third in a group of four and they only had two kiosks working. My mom who had arrived on another flight an hour and a half before us was still in line. We stood in line at CZM Immigration significantly longer than it took to get there from HOU. They wouldn't even serve us beer!

 

[MMM]

I love flying into the Coz airport, but sadly, may need to start flying through Cancun more. Delta cancelled its Regina-Denver leg a few months back so had to rebook us on another route home to Canada. My husband left a few days ago (has to go back and do income taxes) on a Cozumel-Houston-Calgary-Regina route. Flight in Houston was delayed so he missed his connection in Calgary and overnighted there. Made it back home in about 24 hours of travelling. Probably could have got a direct flight from Cancun...

 

[Aggiebq86]

What is the earliest you can safely make a flight out of Cancun? What's the latest arrival time in Cancun you can typically have and still catch the ferry to Cozumel?

 

[cvchief]

What is the earliest you can safely make a flight out of Cancun? What's the latest arrival time in Cancun you can typically have and still catch the ferry to Cozumel?

I will try not to make this complicated. If you look at Ultramar you can see the ferry schedule. It alternates with Mexico Water Jets So between them, ONE them is running at all of those times.

Then there is the new ferry, Barcos Caribe. But basically Barcos leaves Playa Del Carmen last at 11pm and one of the other two leaves Cozumel at 0600.

Figure 50 minutes in the crossing. 50 minutes on a van between Playa and CUN. You could be in the check in line by 0800.

Mayair leave Coz at 0700, 20 minute flight so you can be in the check in line around 730 ish. You can negotiate a little better price than what is on the website if you call or email them.

Basically early morning departures can be tricky. With the new 11 pm ferry late arrivals are pretty doable.

I will PM all my van guy stuff.