Check air fares to Cancun, and some cautions on finding air fares

[DandyDon]

Okay, cautions first...

This is true for any trip, but I use Sidestep.com/Kayak.com, same site actually, for any initial travel shopping and I certainly suggest you check the site before buying even if you check elsewhere first. Yeah, I like to ticket with the airline site itself, but do not trust an airline site to quote lowest fares any more than you can trust a politician. Airline sites have devious programs that track your shopping even without IPs and jerk you around, bump fares that you looked at earlier, hide flights even.

What airline sites do to shoppers should be a crime. Sidestep/Kayak won't hide flights and best fares I don't think, will give you a host of tools to filter searches, then will connect you to buy at the airline site usually. I have tried shopping at Continental.com before, found the best I could, then found better at Sidestep that linked directly to purchase on Continental.com - and you cannot get an airline agent to explain that.


Flying into Cancun can be much cheaper, maybe...

This just varies a lot, and never seems to help me, but sometimes you can save a lot - usually using a discount airline that doesn't fly to Cozumel (CZM). Now I only suggest this if it will save you more than $100, for me it has to be a lot more, as it is work! One member just PMed me saying that flights from the Miami area to Cancun (CUN) were about half of CZM flights tho, asking for ground & ferry info. My reply...

I see $342 on Spirit to Cancun. American is cheap into Coz but requires overnight trip = sucks. Continental looks like $596 = also sucks.

Yeah, try to get to Cancun as early as possible to avoid backup in Immigration, then leave there in the afternoon to allow plenty of time to get back to the airport.

The bus runs almost hourly, little over an hour ride, comfy, 110 Pesos/$9-10 each way*; be sure to get off at the Playa del Carmen terminal near the ferry as there are two. A porter with tricycle will tote your bags the few blocks to the ferry for tips and help you get them checked into the ferry luggage after you buy a ticket so you don't have to watch them. DO NOT BUY ROUND TRIP as the two ferries are unpredictable and you don't save any money: 160 Pesos/$13-14* each way, 95 Pesos/$8 for children. Then go back to 5th Ave to kill what time you need to. It's a 45 min crossing, a nice ferry, but take your seasick meds well before boarding if you are prone as gentle swaying can be devious to some.

*The Peso is currently quoted at $0.0831 USD, depending on where you look and when. Since the Invasion is AI, there is probably no need to convert currencies as most business will allow 10 or 11 Pesos to the Dollar if you pay in US currency, which is also fine for tipping. Small bills can help avoid problems getting change, and no bills will be accepted if torn or marked, but our bucks usually work well on the island and as far south as Playa del Carmen at least.

Airline luggage fees leaving Mexico are an exception as there is a new law about using Dollars that only the airlines seems to worry about. Use your plastic and hope your bank doesn't charge much for conversion.​

At the Coz dock, another porter will help you with bags to taxis waiting on street, then $5 to Hotel Coz. Always agree on a taxi fare before boarding tho.

There are also vans from CUN to PDC for some more, or taxis from airport to PDC for much more, or flights from Cancun to Coz - but on the planes you may get charged for bags, then you have to ride the crammed packed airport vans. The bus is nice but if you have a group, you might want to reserve a van.

This comes up often on the Coz forum. I don't know the prices of vans, taxis, or planes from Cancun, but I bet we can get some input...

 

[cardzard]

Thanks Don,
There's much good information in your post, esp on searching for Airfare.

However I want to CAUTION all members, the journey to and from Cancun is WORK and can add stress to your trip. A few points since Roxanne and I have made this trek.

1- Riding in a van for 1+ hour after flying most of the day
2- Ferry's can have a rough crossing and sways quite a bit ( if seas are to rough they can be cancelled )
3- Remember you must return thru the same method and get to the airport on time

If you feel the savings is worth the effort and stress then by all means do it.
In my opinon grabing a cab for the 10 minute ride to the Cozumel airport is well worth the extra money.

 

[DandyDon]

Good point. I added: Now I only suggest this if it will save you more than $100, for me it has to be a lot more, as it is work! But $250, yeah I'd go for it, and I think there is more than one in that party, and a short non-stop flight from Florida.

I've done with with an afternoon spent at a dentist office in Cancun city tho, and still made the 8am boat.

 

[dukeh20]

I likewise do a fair amount of shopping and price watching before I book.

We live in central Illinois and have our options of flying out of Chicago (Ohare & Midway), Indianapolis or some of our regional airports to Cozumel. I had watched the fare that I wanted out of Bloomington with one stop in Atlanta "bounce" between $500 and $540 round trip. When it hit $500 the last time I locked it in. Since then, it has gone up to $768 and has not moved since it went up.

I dont know if this is unique to our situation, but if gas does go up to $4 a gallon this year like some people say that it will, I can only imagine that air fares will get a lot worse.

 

[dougr52]

don thanks, that is great info !!
are you a travel agent??

 

[DandyDon]

don thanks, that is great info !!
are you a travel agent??

Nah, just a long time pleasure traveler who hates to pay more than needed. Have a great trip...! ilot:

 

[seanmcfarland]

For what it's worth, I just booked flights to Coz from the Baltimore/Washington area for a few days in early March. I found Dulles to be a little cheaper than BWI, but BWI is more convenient to access and the price difference was only $20-$30 round trip. I also read on a travel website (and found it to be true) that you should book betweenTue-Thur. Airlines announce sales on Tuesdays, and pull them by Thursday. I was watching a flight that was at $362 plus fees and taxes. Over the weekend it jumped to over $650, and returned to the lower levels on Tuesday. Same airplane, same seats, same flight. It was cheaper to fly into Cancun, but arrival times but wheels on the ground in Coz by 2:10 in the afternoon, vs 3:30 to 4:30 in Cancun. I can be getting out of the water after my first shore dive before the ferry would be pulling into the dock. I also find the ferry (with luggage and dive gear) to be a pain in the a**.

Just my thoughts-

 

[DandyDon]

For anyone flying into Cancun, this is a pretty good discussion...
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cozumel/372471-cancun-coz-bag-drag-details.html

With a link to this site with updated info and pics...
Cancun Airport to Playa del Carmen/Cozumel by ADO Bus
I like his helpful hints: The bathroom at the PDC bus terminal is upstairs. If you face the four side-by-side ticket counters, the stairs are to your right. Entry fee is 5 pesos so have some coins. When you gotta go, have the coins ready...!!

There are 2 bus stations in PDC but you get off the one only 2 blocks from the ferry dock. I always have too much luggage so use a tricycle porter to tote it and show me the route. There are two ticket counters and the two boats try to leave at almost the same time but last time returning from Valladolid we caught one that left late at 5:20pm. Just be sure to catch the next one. Do not buy a round trip ticket.

 

[ROXANNE]

Thanks so much Don for all the travel help you have gave to members.

 

[Sask Diver]

We are flying into Cancun A day early and leaving a day later, just so we are not rushed with ferry crossings and such, plus get to spend a couple of nights in Playa Del Carmen