Arriving at the Airport (updated for 2023)

Arriving at the Cancun airport is quite an experience. While it is nothing difficult or scary, it is something you should be prepared for. With a little knowledge and preparation, the whole experience will go faster and you will be on the beach quicker.

Cancun’s airport is quite large. There are now four terminals. They are numbered 1, 2, 3 & 4.  You will likely land at Terminal 3 or 4 depending on what airline you fly. If you come on a charter or a domestic flight, you may land at terminal 2. Terminal 1 is rarely used by the flying public.

Terminal 4 airlines include: Aero Mexico, Air Europa, Air France, Air Transat, Alaska Airlines, Condor, Frontier, Interjet, Lufthansa, Novair, Premiair, Southwest, Sun Country, Thomas Cook, Transaero, Virgin America, Virgin Atlantic, & WestJet.

Terminal 3 airlines include: Air Canada, American Airlines, British Airways, Delta, Evelop, Eurowings, JetBlue, Spirit, United Airlines & Wamos.

Terminal 2 airlines include: Aeromar, Copa, Cubana, Latam, Magnicharters, Sunwing, Thomson,Viva Aerobus & Volaris

The above information is subject to change, so be sure to check your air info carefully. 

*Cancun Airport is now going through a pilot program (no pun intended) that eliminates the familiar FMM two-part forms that we used to fill in on the plane. Now, the immigration agent will just want to stamp your passport and will likely give you 180 days in Mexico. Cancun airport is one of a handful of Mexican airports that are using this new system. If you fly to a different city, you may have to fill in the form. I am sure that in the big picture, this will be the new system and the old forms will disappear from our lives.

You will likely have a “jetway bridge” connect to the plane and you will be dumped into the same part of the terminal where they handle departures. Tourists will be everywhere. The people flying back home can be easily identified by their fried skin, bloated livers and “Hard Rock” T-shirts. Ignore them and look for Immigration. At Terminal 3, it is down one floor, there are signs for it all over.

Immigration is the “wild card” in the whole airport experience. You can be here for 30 seconds or stuck for hours. Often tourists make the situation more difficult by lining up in only one line, leaving dozens of inspectors with nothing to do. Have a good look at the situation and try to pick a good line, working your way to the right often works well.

*Yet another “pilot program” is underway in some of the Cancun terminals. Instead of meeting up with a friendly immigration agent, you may meet up with an “e-Gate machine”. You scan your passport and collect a receipt and you are in the country in about 30 seconds. These machines are meant to speed up the immigration process for all visitors and ease the chronic shortage of agents at the airport. If you don’t want to use a machine, there are still human agents ready to help you.

If you are a permanent or temporary Mexican resident visa holder, you are advised to NOT use these machines under any circumstances. Using them could make you enter as a tourist and your hard-earned residency will disappear. 

Congratulations. You are through immigration. Now grab a luggage cart if necessary and walk to the baggage carousels. There are several, marked by numbers and hopefully marked with your flight number. They have been known to switch carousels around, so watch the other ones too. Usually the luggage comes out quite quickly. This is where you will tell yourself you’ll never buy another @#$%& black suitcase because they all look alike. Next time you’ll tie a piece of ribbon to the handle or something. Next time…

Also, look around the carousels for your bag. The carousels are not big enough and bags often fall off or are put aside if they have made the trip around a few too many times.

Gather your bags and go through customs. Normally, a customs agent will approach you as you are trying to exit and ask you some simple questions. Usually, they will ask about their two favourite duty topics: tobacco and alcohol. If you have neither of these, and don’t have a really bulging luggage cart, you will likely get to exit quickly. At worst, they may want to do a cursory search of your bags or x-ray them. The old “stoplight” system appears to be history.

Transportation

Okay, you made it into the country with yourselves and luggage intact. Now, how are you getting to Puerto Morelos? Most of the tourists you flew with will be herded onto large buses and hauled off to their all-inclusives. You are probably handling your own transport. You have several choices. They range greatly in price. Driving time to Puerto Morelos is just 15-20 minutes.

Rent a Car: If you are getting a car for a week or more, book it at least a week out and get it at the airport. All the big companies are represented at the airport. We usually book our cars on Travelocity or Expedia (use the Canadian versions (.ca) if you are from Canada) and go with the cheapest option. Remember that the price will almost double when you add insurance. Some credit card rental car insurance does not cover Mexico, and in any case, you want to make sure you have a 1-800 number that works in Mexico that you can call if you get in trouble or an accident. Renting a car for a day or two can be done in Puerto Morelos.

Book a Private Transport: There are a bunch of companies that do this. We like Jin from Abbey del Sol. You can book him here: http://www.abbeydelsol.com/transportation/ A driver will be waiting outside the doors with a sign with your name on it. It’s seamless. Jin will also stop at a grocery store if you wish for a small extra fee.

For the ride back to the airport, the rates drop. You can grab a taxi in town back to the airport for $600 pesos. Book at the kiosk, wave one down or contact us for the info of a driver.

Taxi: Book a taxi at one of the booths on the way out of the airport. Cost is about $70-$90 US per taxi, up to 4 persons. It will cost about $25 when you go back to the airport from Puerto Morelos. The driver will be from Cancun and will likely not know anything about Puerto Morelos, so make sure you have directions to where you are staying. Uber has now been approved in our state, but they are not really established yet for airport pickups. 

Public Transport: Book it at the booth on the way out of the airport. Cost is about $20-$30 US per person to Puerto Morelos. Two companies, Grey Line or Greenline. Booths near the exit. They will wait until they have at least four persons before they will make the trip. The driver will be from Cancun and will likely not know anything about Puerto Morelos, so make sure you have directions to where you are staying.

Bus: *Update: The ADO bus is not stopping at Puerto Morelos right now. We want them back! Why not contact them and ask them to come back to Puerto Morelos. 

Walk: Not an option. The airport is way out on its own.

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Note: Try to arrange your transport before you leave home or at least before you leave the airport. As soon as you step outside, you will be deluged with offers of transport and help with your bags. Official bag helpers wear blue shirts with logos on them. Unofficial guys will carry your bag anywhere for a tip, though likely they will try to take you to their friend’s transport company. Outside the airport is like running the gauntlet. Keep a firm grip on your bags (unless you want help) and get clear of the chaos. There are bars located to the left and right as you exit if you would like to get an early start on the fiesta.

If someone is meeting you at the airport, in Terminal 3, take a left AFTER you exit the airport. There is an official “meeting place” sign and a bar right there. They are most likely waiting for you right there. At Terminal 4, there is a special “Friends and Family” door to exit. Make sure you know where you are going before you exit the terminal, they won’t let you back in.

Other tips: The temperature change for you, especially if you are coming from a northern climate, is going to be shocking. This is where zip-off pants are priceless.

Timeshare guys are omnipresent at the airport. They will offer a ride to a resort for a 90-minute presentation and a whole pile of gifts. Know what you are getting yourself into. You may not be up to such an adventure after flying all day.