Cancún International Airport

Cancun International Airport is the busiest airport in Mexico by international passenger traffic and one of the busiest in Latin America, serving the resort city of Cancun and the broader Riviera Maya region on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. Located approximately 16 kilometers southwest of Cancun's Hotel Zone, the airport opened in 1974 as tourism development in the region began in earnest. CUN handles over 30 million passengers annually across four terminals. Terminal 3 is the largest and serves the majority of international flights, while Terminal 2 handles domestic carriers and select international services. Terminal 4, the newest facility, serves primarily U.S. carriers. Terminal 1 handles charter and smaller airline operations. The airport receives flights from an enormous number of carriers, particularly from the United States, Canada, Europe, and other Latin American countries, reflecting Cancun's status as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Volaris and VivaAerobus operate significant domestic networks from the airport. The airport operates two parallel runways. Ground transportation is primarily by taxi, private transfer services, and ADO bus services to Cancun city center, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum. Cancun International is distinctive among major airports for the extremely high proportion of leisure travelers, with the vast majority of passengers visiting for beach vacations, archaeological site tours at places like Chichen Itza, and eco-tourism in the surrounding region.