Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport

Aeropuerto Internacional Felipe Carrillo Puerto
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorGrupo Olmeca-Maya-Mexica
ServesTulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico
LocationFelipe Carrillo Puerto, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Opened1 December 2023 (2023-12-01)
Time zoneEST (UTC-05:00)
Elevation AMSL20 m / 66 ft
Coordinates20°10′0″N 87°40′0″W / 20.16667°N 87.66667°W / 20.16667; -87.66667
Websitewww.aitulum.com/en
Map
TQO is located in Quintana Roo
TQO
TQO
Location of airport in Quintana Roo
TQO is located in Mexico
TQO
TQO
TQO (Mexico)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
12/30 3,700 12,139 Concrete
Statistics (2023)
Total passengersN/A
Ranking in MexicoNew entry

Tulum International Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional de Tulum); officially Aeropuerto Internacional Felipe Carrillo Puerto (Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport) (IATA: TQO, ICAO: MMTL) is an international airport situated approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) southwest of Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico. It serves both national and international air traffic for Tulum, functioning as a secondary gateway for tourists visiting the Mexican Caribbean, the Riviera Maya, and the Yucatan Peninsula. It also supports various executive and general aviation activities. The primary airport in the region is Cancún International Airport, situated approximately 125 kilometres (78 mi) north of Tulum. Commencing construction in 2022, the airport began operations on December 1, 2023, and it is operated by Grupo Olmeca-Maya-Mexica, a holding company owned by the Mexican military.

History

Tulum, a well-known tourist destination, has traditionally relied on Cancun Airport as its primary gateway. Efforts have been ongoing to reduce Cancun's dominance and establish alternative entry points to this tourist zone, with Cozumel Airport emerging as a successful secondary option. In the 2000s, Chichen Itza International Airport was constructed to facilitate access to the central Yucatan region, but financial viability concerns led to its closure shortly after its establishment.

The concept of a Tulum civil airport has been on the horizon for years. It reached a stage of development where, by 2011, bidding for construction contracts was set to conclude.[1] However, the project encountered challenges, leading to a standstill. Following Andrés Manuel López Obrador's inauguration as Mexican president in 2018, political backing for the Tulum Airport further diminished due to an increased emphasis on the Tren Maya project.[2] However, the project regained momentum in 2022 when it was announced by the López Obrador administration as part of efforts to boost tourism, particularly in conjunction with the Tren Maya.

Tulum Airport, constructed and operated by the Mexican army, is part of the broader strategy of the López Obrador administration to engage the armed forces in significant infrastructure projects. This trend of militarization extends to other projects, including the takeover of multiple airports, the Tren Maya, and the revival of Mexicana.[3] However, the military's involvement in civilian functions, such as airport management and hotel operations, raises concerns about accountability and transparency.[4]

Construction commenced in 2022, initially scheduled to open in April 2024. Following the announcement, major Mexican and U.S. carriers revealed services from their hubs.[5] In August 2023, Aeroméxico announced services to Mexico City, and Viva Aerobus announced flights to various Mexican cities.[6] In October 2023, Delta Air Lines disclosed nonstop flights from Atlanta when international flights will open in March 2024.[7] Subsequently, Spirit Airlines revealed plans to add flights from Orlando and Fort Lauderdale.[8] In November 2023, American Airlines announced flights to Charlotte, Miami, and Dallas/Fort Worth, followed by United Airlines unveiling services to Houston, Chicago, Newark, and Los Angeles.[9][10] The airport began operations on December 1, 2023.[11]

Facilities

Spanning 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) at an elevation of 20 metres (66 ft) above mean sea level, the airport features a passenger terminal and a 3,700 metres (12,100 ft) runway capable of accommodating wide-body aircraft and handling 5.5 million passengers annually. The apron comprises 13 aircraft stands primarily used by narrow-body aircraft, complemented by hardstands serving general aviation.

The 70,000 square metres (750,000 sq ft) passenger terminal provides standard international airport services in a two-story building separating departure facilities on the top floor and arrivals on the ground floor. It features check-in areas, a security checkpoint, arrivals facilities with baggage claim areas, taxi stands, and car rental services. The departures concourse houses commercial spaces and 13 gates with ramps down to the apron level, allowing passengers to board their planes by walking to the aircraft.

In addition, the airport hosts an Executive Aviation Terminal, equipped with airport lounges and dedicated facilities for general aviation. Future plans involve the construction of an air force base within the airport grounds. A station for the Tren Maya is currently under construction on the airport premises, aiming to establish connections with Tulum, Cancun International Airport, Chetumal Airport, and other prominent tourist destinations in southeastern Mexico.[12]

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

AirlinesDestinations
Aeroméxico Connect Mexico City
Air Canada Rouge Montréal–Trudeau (begins May 4, 2024),[13] Toronto–Pearson (begins May 3, 2024)[13]
American Airlines Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami (all begin March 28, 2024)[14]
Delta Air Lines Atlanta (begins March 28, 2024)[15]
JetBlue New York–JFK (begins June 13, 2024)[16]
Mexicana de Aviación Mexico City–AIFA[17]
Spirit Airlines Fort Lauderdale, Orlando (both begin March 28, 2024)[18]
United Airlines Chicago–O'Hare, Houston–Intercontinental, Newark (all begin March 31, 2024), Denver (begins December 19, 2024)[19]
Seasonal: Los Angeles (begins May 23, 2024)[19]
Viva Aerobus Guadalajara,[20] Mexico City, Mexico City–AIFA, Monterrey, Tijuana[20]

Destination maps

Domestic destinations from Tulum International Airport
Red = Year-round destination
Blue = Future destination
Green = Seasonal destination
International destinations from Tulum International Airport
Red = Year-round destination
Blue = Future destination
Green = Seasonal destination

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Avanza Tulum Hacia Su Transformación: González Canto". Blog Gubernamental (in Spanish). Gobierno del Estado de Quintana Roo. 18 September 2009. Archived from the original on 2 December 2009.
  2. ↑ "Pone en marcha SCT proyecto de tren transpeninsular en Quintana Roo". Imagen Radio (in Spanish). March 10, 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  3. ↑ "Mexican government gives military control of four more airports".
  4. ↑ "Mexico's military is reviving one of its oldest airlines".
  5. ↑ "Tulum will get a new luxury airport in 2023". Forbes (EE.UU.). October 7, 2020.
  6. ↑ "New Nonstop Flights Announced To Tulum From These U.S. Cities". The Cancun Sun. August 29, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Delta Air Lines to Fly Direct to Tulum When New International Airport Opens". www.travelmarketreport.com. 2023-10-16. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
  8. ↑ "Paradise is Calling: U.S. Travelers Gain Daily, Low-Fare Flights to Tulum's New Airport with Spirit Airlines". ir.spirit.com. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  9. ↑ "Tokyo to Tulum: American Airlines unveils new international routes to enhance 2024 travels".
  10. ↑ "United Airlines starting with 22 weekly U.S. flights into Tulum International".
  11. ↑ Carlos Rosado van der Gracht (December 22, 2023). "Tulum's New Airport Has a Long Way to Go, But It Sure Is a Looker". Yucatán Magazine.
  12. ↑ "Cancun Airport's Link to Maya Train: Construction Set to Start Soon".
  13. 1 2 "Air Canada Adds Tulum Service From May 2024". Aeroroutes. December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  14. ↑ "American Airlines Schedules Tulum Launch in Late-March 2024". Aeroroutes. November 14, 2023. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Vacation in Mexico this spring with direct-to-Tulum service on Delta". Delta News Hub. October 2023. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  16. ↑ "JetBlue Expands Mexico Service with Flights from New York to Tulum on Sale Today". December 14, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Nueva Mexicana de Aviación, operada por el Ejército, arranca con un vuelo a Tulum". aldiadallas (in Spanish). The Dallas Morning News. 25 December 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  18. ↑ "Paradise is Calling: U.S. Travelers Gain Daily, Low-Fare Flights to Tulum's New Airport with Spirit Airlines". October 27, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  19. 1 2 "United Debuts Direct Flights Between U.S. and Tulum". November 17, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  20. 1 2 "Viva Aerobus announces new routes to Tulum". EnElAire (in Spanish). August 2023. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
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