Early flights out of Cancun

[Streydog]

Does any one have experience with early flights out of Cancun? AA has a daily 6:16 departure to DFW. What time would you recommend getting to the airport? Does anyone know what time AA staffs their ticket counters in the morning?

I have normally flown out in the evenings on weekdays and 2 hours gives me more than enough time. I don't get much time off with my new job so I am trying to figure out how to squeeze a short trip in.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

If it is a 6:15 AM departure, you better stay in a Cancun Hotel the night before. Sad news is that there are no hotels close to the airport. It will be a long day, better to change flights if you can.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

 

[wnissen]

There's no customs pre-clearance, so I feel like 2 hours is generous. That's about what we did the last time (with a kid) and we waited a looong time at the gate. The food is expensive, even by U.S. airport standards. The ticket counter opens at 3, if you did want to get there that early: Cancun, Mexico (CUN)
Just to calibrate, I arrive 1 hour before domestic flights with no luggage, 90 minutes if I am checking bags and I know the security is slow, like SFO, MCO, DEN, etc.

 

[WetInPortland]

If it is a 6:15 AM departure, you better stay in a Cancun Hotel the night before. Sad news is that there are no hotels close to the airport.

Courtyard Marriott Cancun Airport is 4 km away and has a free shuttle to/from the airport. Rooms are decent and there's a restaurant on site. It can be a little pricey, but depending on flight connections and prices, it can be a good option.

Comfort Inn is actually closer, but only has a free shuttle *from* the airport, so return is a (potentially expensive) taxi ride.

 

[Streydog]

Dave I haven't booked anything yet, just trying to figure out how I can get 2 days of diving in with only using two days off. I would need to work a late shift on the day I come back and I think the next direct flight back leaves around noon.

Ya the food at the Cancun airport is extremely high, pretty sure that's the reason they only price them in Peso's. Over $9 for once slice of Pizza, dont get me started with beer prices.

I think it would be just as easy to stay in Playa the night before. Looks like the ADO bus leaves at 3:00 AM or I could cab it for 700 Peso's.

 

[pauldw]

We got to the airport well under the two hours in advance we were supposed to be there, and the lady chewed on us a bit before saying she'd let us get a boarding pass anyway. So, be careful about not getting there just before time to board.

Of course, this was Frontier, which sucks generally.

 

[ReefHound]

Only once ever I can recall getting to an airport 2 or more hours early and that was a trip to Philippines leaving at midnight. Got there before 9pm so we could spend time in the club getting "relaxed" for the 16 hour flight segment.

 

[gopbroek]

I have taken that flight in the past. The counter staff is there at least by 5AM (the earliest time I got there) but I would expect them to be there at least two hours prior. Most of AA's staff in Mexico are contract employee's and take their jobs seriously and are very professional. If you need to check a bag they need at least 45 minutes to get it from the counter to the plane and would prefer at minimum an hour, that is just the mechanics of the airport's baggage handling system.
When I have taken it I have stayed primarily downtown but also once at the Comfort inn Aeropuerto, I prefer downtown as the AM transportation from the Confort inn can get flakey with no shuttles and only cabs charging excessive rates available.
I have stayed at hotels on or near the central circle by the ADO bus station and ADO has a bus at 4:30AM for $86MXN but there are also always cabs at the cab stand out front. There are normally also additional cabs in the circle and if you flag one down away from the main cab stand they will often be more reasonable than the official union rate for 'Aeropuerto' trips. The hotels downtown are reasonably priced in advance but on a peak weekend at the last minute that prices go up, the hotel I used to use was turned into a Hostel but I have heard good things about the Plaza Caribe across the street from the ADO station.
Note: if there is anyone out there that knows the current official taxi union rate for downtown Centro to the Aeropuerto it would be nice to know.

 

[cvchief]

Southwest has gone by the 1 hour rule for checked bags in Cancun.

 

[lthomas132]

Does any one have experience with early flights out of Cancun? AA has a daily 6:16 departure to DFW. What time would you recommend getting to the airport? Does anyone know what time AA staffs their ticket counters in the morning?

I have normally flown out in the evenings on weekdays and 2 hours gives me more than enough time. I don't get much time off with my new job so I am trying to figure out how to squeeze a short trip in.

I agree with WetInPortland. The Marriott Courtyard (Courtyard Cancun Airport) has an airport shuttle and is close to the airport. Great hotel with a good restaurant and bar. Have stayed there many times for early flights.