"""A "couple extra hours" is probably more or less of a hassle depending on how long you have already been traveling."""
Not really..........there are so many DIRECT NON STOP flights to Cancun from all over the USA and not so many to Cozumel. So, for me, having a flight into CZM BUT connecting in places like ATL, DFW and IAH, etc......seems like the same amount of time lost (=bag drag time!) AND a much less chance for delays, equipment failure, etc.
I was already accounting for the sitting in the airport time as travel time. For me, whether I go to Cozumel or Cancun I have to sit in a connecting airport, and unless the savings is significant, I don't then also want to take a bus and a ferry. It is just too long of a day.
But because you have a direct option to Cancun, you are
saving time by going there; so the bag drag doesn't add time to your day. It sounds like it may save it. So of course it makes sense to do it. Save time and money? I don't know why anyone wouldn't choose that. But you also sound like someone on the "less hassle" end because it sounds like your travel time isn't that long.
For those of us who don't have a direct option to Cancun, and flying to Cancun takes as long as flying to Cozumel- the extra few hours can add to an already long day. Which is where it comes into "how much is it worth to you".
If I was able to fly direct to Cancun and cut out the domestic connection time, I bet the bag drag would be worth it. But since I already have to sit in a connecting airport in the states for a few hours, or drive a few hours to another airport that flies to Cancun the time adds up and doesn't make it worth the maybe $100 I can save by not going to Cozumel.
I'm not saying it doesn't make sense for many people- heck, if I was in Houston, I'd probably fly direct to Cancun; but if you've already had 8 hours of travel, and extra hour or two is a lot. Just that how "worth it" it is depends on a variety of factors, one of which is how long it takes to get to Cancun to begin with.
If the choice was bag drag or death, I would do the bag drag for sure