Government Reports Positive AIFA Results, Tulum Airport Outlook

The Tulum Airport transported 450,000 passengers in its first six months of operation, surpassing the number transported by the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) in the same period, according to data from the Ministry of National Defense (SEDENA). 

AIFA, inaugurated in 2022, has facilitated nearly 6 million passengers and over 57,000 flights, according to General Pastor Román, SEDENA. As of June 2024, it handles 16,279 passengers daily across 144 flights, with projections reaching 6 million passengers through 57,122 flights by year's end. Meanwhile, the Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport in Tulum aims to serve 1.4 million passengers annually by 2024, supporting sustainable tourism, according to its director, Javier Diego Campillo.

These developments have significantly boosted tourism across the country, contributing to economic growth, as reported by General Isidoro Pastor Román during a recent briefing on Jun. 14, 2024, attended by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

In the briefing, AIFA’s domestic connections to 34 destinations were highlighted, including major cities like Tijuana, Guadalajara, and Cancun, along with international routes to cities such as Houston, Havana, and Bogota. Economically, AIFA is a substantial contributor, generating 13,500 direct jobs and over 110,000 indirect jobs.

According to Javier Diego Campillo, General Director, Tulum International Airport, it operates with eight airlines offering extensive domestic connections to AIFA, Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Tijuana, alongside nine routes to major US cities, two to Canada, and a new route to Panama starting Jun. 26. With a daily average of 2,168 passengers across 21 operations, recently peaking at 4,120 daily users, Felipe Carrillo Puerto aims to double its traffic to 1.4 million passengers through 11,000 flights by the end of 2024.

Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa highlighted Discover Airlines' upcoming non-stop flights from Frankfurt to Tulum starting in winter 2024-2025, marking the airport's first direct European connection as well. Operating under the Lufthansa network, Discover Airlines aims to offer more travel options with two weekly flights, contributing to the region's economic growth through increased tourism and visitor expenditure.