Why go
- City in Quintana Roo, Mexico.
- Known for Senor Frogs, partying, nightclubs, EDM.
- 4 hand-picked places to stay.
- Served by Cancún International Airport (CUN).
History
Cancún is the most populous city in the state of Quintana Roo, located in southeast Mexico, on the northeast coast of the Yucatán Peninsula. It is a significant tourist destination in Mexico and the seat of the municipality of Benito Juárez. The city is situated on the Caribbean Sea and is one of Mexico's easternmost points. Cancún is located just north of Mexico's Caribbean coast resort area known as the Riviera Maya. It encompasses the Hotel Zone, which is the main area for tourism.
Where to stay
Airports
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 43 airlines, 78 direct destinations
- AeroMéxico AM (A320, 737-800, 757, 737, A330-300, 762…) · 14 routes: Atlanta*, Boston*, Detroit*, Havana, Indianapolis*, Los Angeles, Madrid, Mexico City, Minneapolis*, New York, Orlando*, Panama City*, Raleigh-durham*, Salt Lake City*
- Volaris Y4 (A320, A319) · 13 routes: Aguascalientes, Chihuahua, Del Bajio, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Mexico City, Monterrey, Puebla, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi, Tijuana, Toluca, Vera Cruz
- Delta Air Lines DL (A320, 757, MD-88, 737-800, 737-800) · 11 routes: Atlanta, Boston, Cincinnati, Detroit, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Orlando, Raleigh-durham, Salt Lake City
- Birmingham European VB (737-300) · 10 routes: Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey, Oaxaca, Reynosa, Tampico, Torreon, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Vera Cruz, Villahermosa
- United Airlines UA (737-900, 737-800, 757-200) · 9 routes: Austin, Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, Washington
- American Airlines AA (737-800, 757, A321, A319, A320, A330-200…) · 8 routes: Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix
- US Airways US (737-800, A321, A319, A320, 757-200, A330-200…) · 8 routes: Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix
- AirTran Airways FL (737-700) · 7 routes: Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Milwaukee, San Antonio
- Air Transat TS (310, 330) · 6 routes: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, Vancouver
- Frontier Airlines F9 (A320, A319) · 6 routes: Cleveland, Denver, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, St. Louis
- WestJet WS (737-700, 737-800) · 6 routes: Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver
- JetBlue Airways B6 (A320, Embraer 190) · 4 routes: Boston, Fort Lauderdale, New York, Orlando
- LAN Airlines LA (767-300, A320, 737) · 4 routes: Lima*, Mexico City*, Miami, Santiago
- Air Canada AC (A319) · 3 routes: Calgary, Montreal, Toronto
- Condor Flugdienst DE (330, 767) · 3 routes: Frankfurt, London*, Manchester*
- Interjet (ABC Aerolineas) 4O (A320) · 3 routes: Mexico City, Monterrey, Toluca
- Spirit Airlines NK (A320, A319) · 3 routes: Dallas-Fort Worth, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale
- Avianca - Aerovias Nacionales de Colombia AV (A320, A319, A321, Embraer 190) · 2 routes: Bogota, San Salvador
- Blue Panorama Airlines BV (767) · 2 routes: Milano, Rome
- Copa Airlines CM (737-800, Embraer 190, 737-700) · 2 routes: Bogota*, Panama City
- Cubana de Aviación CU (A319, A320, 767) · 2 routes: Havana, Rome*
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines KL (A320, 757, 767, MD-88) · 2 routes: Atlanta*, Mexico City*
- Mongolian International Air Lines 7M (D28, CNA) · 2 routes: Cozumel, Merida
- Sun Country Airlines SY (737-800) · 2 routes: Dallas-Fort Worth, Minneapolis
- Thomas Cook Airlines MT (A330-200) · 2 routes: London, Manchester
- Thomsonfly BY (787-8, 76W) · 2 routes: London, Manchester
- Transavia France TO (787-8, 76W) · 2 routes: London, Manchester
- Virgin America VX (A320) · 2 routes: Los Angeles, San Francisco
- Virgin Atlantic Airways VS (A320, 747-400, 757, MD-88) · 2 routes: Atlanta*, London
- Aerolineas Argentinas AR (340) · 1 route: Buenos Aires
- Air Berlin AB (A330-200) · 1 route: Duesseldorf
- Air China CA (737-900) · 1 route: Houston
- Air Europa UX (A330-300) · 1 route: Madrid
- Air France AF (A320, 757, MD-88) · 1 route: Atlanta*
- Alitalia AZ (757) · 1 route: Atlanta*
- Arkefly OR (767-300) · 1 route: Amsterdam
- British Airways BA (777) · 1 route: London
- Compagnie Africaine d\\'Aviation E9 (A330-300) · 1 route: Madrid
- Regional Air Iceland 9N (CNC) · 1 route: Belize City
- Southwest Airlines WN (737-700) · 1 route: Atlanta*
- Transaero Airlines UN (74E) · 1 route: Moscow
- Virgin Australia VA (A320, 757, MD-88) · 1 route: Atlanta*
- XL Airways France SE (A330-200) · 1 route: Paris
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Regional airports
Further out, but often the cheapest way in — the airports the low-cost carriers use. Each links to its own town's guide for getting from there into the city.
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 12 airlines, 9 direct destinations
- American Airlines AA (737-800, A319) · 3 routes: Charlotte, Dallas-Fort Worth, Miami
- US Airways US (737-800, A319) · 3 routes: Charlotte, Dallas-Fort Worth, Miami
- AeroMéxico AM (A319, MD-88) · 1 route: Atlanta*
- Air Canada AC (A319) · 1 route: Montreal
- Air France AF (A319, MD-88) · 1 route: Atlanta*
- Delta Air Lines DL (A319, MD-88) · 1 route: Atlanta
- Frontier Airlines F9 (A319) · 1 route: Denver
- Interjet (ABC Aerolineas) 4O (A320) · 1 route: Mexico City
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines KL (A319, MD-88) · 1 route: Atlanta*
- Mongolian International Air Lines 7M (CNA, D28) · 1 route: Cancun
- United Airlines UA (737-800, 737-900) · 1 route: Houston
- Virgin Australia VA (A319, MD-88) · 1 route: Atlanta*
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Getting there by ferry
Where things are
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.
Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.
Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Cancún International Airport (CUN); 3 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: CUN has direct flights to 78 destinations on 43 airlines (incl. Atlanta, London, Mexico City, Boston, New York…). By water: 6 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: El Embarcadero, 7.5 km); routes include Ultramar-Playa Tortugas-Playa Caracol, Xcaret - Cancún - Isla Mujeres, Ultramar-Puerto Juárez-Isla Mujeres.
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Cancun, México. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Coaches & shuttles
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.