Cancun and Riviera Maya on a Budget Part 1

 

In recent years, Riviera Maya has been a destination that my wife and I visit at least twice year.  Whether you are traveling to Cancun, Riviera Maya or Tulum, Cancun International Airport will be your destination.  However, Tulum International Airport is scheduled to open to international airlines in 2024.   Cancun International airport is one of the most busy and popular airports in the country of Mexico.  It is the airport that never sleeps because there are always flights from World Wide destinations arriving and departing around the clock.  Most US Airlines fly to Cancun which include budget airlines such as JetBlue, Spirit and Southwest Airlines.  My research and experience flying in these airlines indicates that Southwest Airlines as an Economical Airline is preferred by most based on cost, comfort and flight availability.  Additionally, I recommend applying for the Southwest Airlines Chase credit card if you like flying Southwest Airlines.  They seem to always have excellent miles incentive deals throughout the year. If you shop smart and reserve your flights in advance you can catch amazing deals and fly free using the miles you can get from the Southwest Airlines credit card.  Once you land in Cancun, be prepared to spend at least 30 min waiting for your luggage at luggage claim area.  The immigration area tends to go by quickly with very little wait time.  Once you get your luggage and get ready to head to transportation you will pass through an area where people will volunteer to show you where the Taxis and Shuttles are located.  Ignore these people, they are all timeshare sales people and you do not need them at all.  Once you step outside, all transportation options will be highly visible and available.  I recommend reserving your transportation ahead of time through Cancun Airport website so that you can get a better deal.  However, no problem if you did not do it.  There will be many Taxi and Shuttle companies competing for your business.  If you are traveling to Playa del Carmen, I recommend taking the ADO bus which is better air-conditioned than most shuttles and taxis at a fraction of the cost.  If you are traveling to a Cancun Hotel than a Taxi may be a better option because the cost savings to taking the bus or shuttle will be small but a Taxi can get you to your hotel much faster.  I will be posting on Cancun, Riviera Maya and Tulum on more granular topics in a near future post.  I hope this bit of info can help you on your future trip to Cancun or Riviera Maya.  Cheers!