How early do you get to the airport

[benb]

How early do you arrive at the cancun airport for your flight home?

[austxdan]

How early do you arrive at the cancun airport for your flight home?

Ummm - that depends on whether I read my airline ticket correctly or not:confused:

We attempted to arrive a good 2 hours early last May, as the lines can be quite long. So we dropped off our car in the parking lot with the Caribbean guy (you regulars know that story) and then proceeded inside. We got in the line, all relaxed, until I looked at my ticket and realized that I was off by an hour on our ticket. I panicked as the line seemed to move sooooo sloooooowww. (Does a line ever move fast?)

Luckily the flight was delayed for about 45 minutes, and I was able to have my last Sol in Mexico.

Dan

[minniemex]

I always arrive early for my flights. At least 2 hours before, just as Dan said. Fortunately, I have yet to read the ticket incorrectly!! It is really hard to gauge how long it will take to get to the airport, but I usually allow 2 hours for the drive from Tulum. That does not include any stops at all. Getting thru Playa can take some time, but that 2 hours allows for that.

Police are especially looking for rental cars heading north on 307 - they assume you are on your way to the airport. Just follow the speed limit signs and you will be fine.

[Margoinmexico]

I tell people to allow 3 hours to get there from Xamach, which is probably too much, but better than the alternative....then there's the rental car to deal with and you have to check in at least an hour before your flight or sometimes they won't let you on....one time that happened to me and she was NOT :eek:going to let me on until she found out I only had carry on...........:o

[AdGuy]

Part of our calculation is based on when (month, time and day) you're departing. Saturdays and Sundays can be a madhouse and, of course, Cancun has become a big Spring Break destination. If you're heading back home at midday on a Tuesday in May you'll smoke through rental car returns and security checkpoints. The same is true for arrivals as there just won't be as many folks heading through immigration. That said, we usually allow 75 minutes for the drive from Tulum, 30 minutes for rental car drop-off and drive to the airport, and another 30 minutes to get ticketed, through security and to the gate prior to boarding.

[beachreader]

I have spent an hour or more in the stupid ticketing line several times, and it's pure misery. Security never takes more than a few minutes, but that ticketing thing is such a drag. Unless, of course, you're flying first class, in which case no problemo!

They also do a security check before actually boarding the plane, where you'll have to give up your bottled water, even if it was just bought at a secure shop next to the gate.

So in general, I leave Tulum four hours before my flight. A little less than two hours to drive the speed limit back to the rental car place, 15 minutes to a half hour for having the car checked and get over to the terminal, that leaves 1.5 hours before the flight. OK, that could end up being tight if the line is horrendous, but if you're running tight, you can usually flag down someone working the line and tell them your flight and they'll pull you out if necessary.

And if you end up being really early, as I've often been, there are plenty of eating/shopping options at the airport for entertainment (I must say I actually miss the TGI Friday's in Terminal 2, now that my flights have been using T3, and the Margaritaville is pretty sucky. That TGIs had some excellent burgers!).