Cancun airport received 648 passenger flights on Saturday, almost breaking the previous record of 659 set on March 31, 2018, before the pandemic hit.
It is also ending the year as the second-busiest international airport in the world, right behind Dubai, and ahead of those in Paris and New York.
The second place on the podium was given by Forward Keys, a company that gathers and analysis airline and tourism data 24/7.
Cancun didn’t even appear in the top twenty before the pandemic. But, its remarkable recovery has positioned it at the heart of the global tourism sector.
“Historic Saturday for the #MexicanCaribbean!” tweeted the Quintana Roo Governor.
“… We’re on the verge of beating the record of March 2018. … Welcome tourists, have fun, and look after your health!,” he added.
The lack of entry restrictions as well as the acceptable epidemiological performance reported over the last few months has made it an obvious choice for US passengers who must serve extensive quarantines in the pre-pandemic hot destinations.
Likewise, airlines throughout Europe are rushing to create direct routes to the city as a number of European and Southeast Asian destinations are withdrawing from reopening or reimposing curbs on foreign travelers.
What Cancun has accomplished is not insignificant. Exceeding 600 incoming and outgoing flights in a single day is something not seen in the city since 2019.
Cancun currently provides direct flights to Amsterdam, Calgary, Edmonton, Frankfurt, Houston, Istanbul, Lima, Lisbon, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Miami, Montreal, Moscow, New York, Panama City, Paris, and San Francisco among other international hubs.
If there is anything left to learn about Mexico, it is that it understands how to seize opportunities in the midst of tragedy.
While the Omicron strain is causing havoc in multiple countries, Mexico is gearing up for a field day over the next winter months.
Between January and February, the state of Quintana Roo, which is home to Cancun, expects 6.1 million visitors.
Similarly, hotels are expecting nearly full occupancy over the winter season.