Cancun Airport Reports One of its Busiest Days with Nearly 400 Flights

Cancun airport reports one of the busiest days with nearly 400 flights
Cancun airport on Feb. 14, 2021 – Credit: eluniversal.com.mx

Cancun International Airport reported almost 400 flights on Saturday, which has turned into one of the airport’s busiest days of this year so far.

The airport recorded 195 arrivals, of which 60 were domestic journeys and 135 were international flights. There were also 192 departures, including 58 domestic flights.

The majority of the reported international flights headed to or from the U.S., as the country celebrated the Presidents Day long weekend.

The rest of the international services carried passengers from Turkey, Venezuela, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Panama, Germany, England, France, and Switzerland.

Besides, the last Canadian flights returned from Cancun to Montreal, Toronto, and Calgary. Canadian government halted most international flights two weeks ago and imposed new travel restrictions.

Those include multiple COVID-19 tests as well as quarantining in government-approved hotels at passenger’s expenses.

Similarly, returning U.S. travelers must present a negative result of a coronavirus viral test or documentation of recovery upon arrival. They also have to self-isolate for at least seven days.

On the other hand, Mexico has much more relaxed entry restrictions. They require neither testing nor quarantining from incoming passengers. As a result, the country has become a popular winter holiday destination even during the pandemic.

Additionally, many Mexican resorts started to offer free COVID-19 testing for guests onsite. In case that they test positive, some of the resorts even offer a free extended quarantine stay for up to 14 days.

AMResorts
AMResorts – One of the resorts offering free 14-day quarantine for visitors testing positive for COVID-19

The Mexican State of Quintana Roo, home of Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum, has recently entered the ‘orange’ epidemiological light advisory due to a surge in COVID-19 cases. 

There are increased safety protocols, with hotels and restaurants limited to operate only to their 50% capacity. However, international visitors are still welcome.

Despite the growing fear of the new coronavirus variants and tight travel regulations, tourism in Cancun thrives.

Cancun International Airport screened around 769,000 visitors in December 2020 and 712,000 in January. 

Also, various U.S. airlines are setting up new flight routes to the destination. Frontier Airlines are launching a four-times-weekly service from Miami to Cancun in March, whereas Southwest Airlines will start operating daily flights from Phoenix.

Moreover, American Airlines has announced this week that they will be adding a new route from Los Angeles International Airport to Cancun for the summer season.