Tulum Airport guide 2026: code, flights and how to get to Tulum

Is there an airport in Tulum? Yes. Tulum International Airport, officially Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport, carries the code TQO and opened on December 1, 2023. It sits about 20 km (12 miles) southwest of town in a straight line, roughly 41 km (25 miles) and 45 minutes by road from downtown Tulum.

That road figure, not the 12 miles often quoted, is the one that decides how you plan an arrival. This guide is current to October 2026: the airlines flying today, the winter schedule that starts on October 25, and every practical way to get from the terminal to your door.

Where it is

The airport is inland, south and west of Tulum, off federal highway 307. Grupo Mundo Maya, the state company formerly known as GAFSACOMM, operates it as one of a dozen airports in its network, on a 1,200 hectare site. Its international code is TQO; its ICAO code is MMTL.

Road distances from the terminal, in normal traffic:

• Downtown Tulum: about 41 km (25 miles), around 45 minutes.
• Tulum hotel zone: about 48 to 54 km (30 to 34 miles), around an hour depending on which end of the beach road you are staying.
• Akumal: about 69 km (43 miles), a little over an hour.
• Playa del Carmen: about 106 km (66 miles), around an hour and forty minutes.
• Bacalar: about 202 km (125 miles), close to three hours, heading south.

Those times are for a clear road. Allow more on a Friday evening, or if your stay is on the southern stretch of the beach road where traffic moves slowly in high season.

Flights and airlines

American Airlines landed the first international flights on March 28, 2024, from Miami, Dallas Fort Worth and Charlotte. Since then the schedule has settled into two layers: a set of year-round flights to the United States and Mexico, and a winter layer from Canada and the northeast that runs from late October to April.

Year-round, United States

Four nonstop routes operate through the year: American Airlines from Dallas Fort Worth and Miami, Delta from Atlanta, and United from Houston.

Winter 2026 to 2027, Canada and Newark

The federal tourism ministry published the seasonal schedule on September 13, 2026:

• Montreal: Air Transat on Sundays, October 25 to April 18; Air Canada on Thursdays, October 29 to April 8.
• Toronto: Air Canada on Sundays, October 25 to April 11; WestJet on Thursdays and Saturdays, October 31 to April 24.
• Calgary: WestJet on Thursdays and Saturdays from October 29.
• Quebec City: Air Transat on Sundays from October 25.
• Newark: United on Thursdays and Sundays, December 17 to January 24.

Within Mexico

Mexicana de Aviación flies daily from Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) near Mexico City, adding flights in high season. Viva Aerobus flies nonstop daily from Mexico City International Airport (AICM, Benito Juárez) and three times a week from AIFA, as well as from Monterrey, with Guadalajara in season. Volaris flies from Guadalajara until January 7, 2027, when it has said the route will be suspended. Aeroméxico suspended its Tulum flights on September 30, 2026, so check any older booking.

There are no scheduled nonstop flights to Tulum from Europe or South America this season. Travelers from those regions connect through Mexico City, a United States hub, or fly into Cancún. Our winter flight schedule report has the background on each route.

Getting from the airport to Tulum

ADO bus

ADO, Mexico's main intercity coach line, runs scheduled buses from a stop in front of the terminal to its station on Avenida Tulum in downtown Tulum, a trip of about 50 minutes, plus a few daily departures to Playa del Carmen. Departures are spaced around the main afternoon arrivals rather than every flight, so check the timetable and buy tickets at ado.com.mx before you land.

Maya Train

The Maya Train has its own Tulum Aeropuerto station, and a connecting bus links it with the terminal. From there trains run north to Tulum, Playa del Carmen and Cancún, and south toward Felipe Carrillo Puerto and Chetumal. There are only a few departures a day, so it suits travelers heading up the coast more than those going straight to a Tulum hotel. Timetables are published at trenmaya.gob.mx.

Taxis and private transfers

Taxis at the airport charge fixed fares by destination zone rather than by meter, and the fare is set before you leave the curb. Prices change, so confirm the fare at the desk. Prebooked private shuttles are the simplest option for families, groups and late arrivals, when the buses have stopped.

Car rental

The major international rental brands, along with Mexican firms, have counters in the terminal. A car makes sense if you plan to explore Cobá, Akumal or Bacalar, and the drive to Tulum is a straightforward run on federal highway 307.

Tulum or Cancún airport

Cancún International Airport is about 116 km (72 miles) from downtown Tulum, roughly an hour and a half by road, and it carries far more flights and far more nonstop routes. Tulum's airport saves you the drive down the coast. The practical rule: if a nonstop to TQO fits your dates, take it. If not, Cancún and a transfer south remain the reliable fallback, and the ADO coach runs directly from Cancún airport to downtown Tulum.

Arriving: what to expect

The terminal is new and compact, with arrivals on one level and departures on another. Mexico's immigration institute has moved air arrivals to a digital entry form, the FMMd, which you download after clearing immigration by scanning the QR code at the desk; keep it until you leave. Customs follows baggage claim.

Quintana Roo keeps Southeast Time, UTC minus 5, all year with no daylight saving. In winter that matches New York and Toronto; in summer it matches Chicago. ATMs and currency exchange are in the arrivals area, but it pays to arrive with some pesos for the bus or a tip.

The airport handled 1,233,459 passengers in 2024, its first full year, according to figures reported by Expansión. For the longer story of how it came to be built, see the 2010 tender that came first.

Frequently asked questions

What is the airport code for Tulum, Mexico?

TQO. The ICAO code is MMTL. Cancún, the other airport travelers use for Tulum, is CUN.

When did Tulum airport open?

It opened on December 1, 2023, with domestic flights. International service began on March 28, 2024.

How far is Tulum airport from Tulum?

About 41 km (25 miles) by road from downtown Tulum, around 45 minutes, and about an hour to the hotel zone.

Which airlines fly to Tulum?

Year-round: American, Delta and United from the United States, plus Mexicana (from AIFA) and Viva Aerobus (from AICM and AIFA) within Mexico. In winter 2026 to 2027, Air Canada, Air Transat and WestJet add Canada, and United adds Newark over the holidays.

Is there a train from Tulum airport?

Yes. The Maya Train's Tulum Aeropuerto station is linked to the terminal by a connecting bus, with services north to Tulum, Playa del Carmen and Cancún.

If the trip is the first step toward a place of your own, start with our guide to Tulum's neighborhoods or browse homes for sale in Tulum, Mexico.