Which Airlines Still Fly to Tulum After United Leaves in January?

The last United flights to Tulum operate in early January 2027, when the carrier closes its Newark route on January 2 and its Houston route on January 4.

In a statement, United said it adjusts its schedule based on "seasonality, demand, and other market factors." Once both routes end, Tulum International Airport Felipe Carrillo Puerto will maintain two nonstop links to the United States: American Airlines to Dallas-Fort Worth and Delta Air Lines to Atlanta.

This matters to anyone holding a United ticket to Tulum for dates after January 4, and to a destination whose largest source market is the United States. Most international seats into the airport this winter will come from Canada. Meanwhile, the federal government is preparing a three-year incentive program aimed at bringing airlines back.

Refund rights for travelers booked on canceled United flights to Tulum

Travelers with United reservations to Tulum after the final dates should check their bookings. Under U.S. Department of Transportation rules, a passenger whose flight is canceled by the airline can decline the alternative offered and receive a full refund. Mexican media report that United has started processing full refunds for affected passengers.

U.S. travelers who still want to land in Tulum can connect through Dallas-Fort Worth on American or through Atlanta on Delta. The other option is Cancún International Airport, the region's main gateway, about two hours north of Tulum by road. The Maya Train also runs from its Cancún Airport station to Tulum.

How United went from four Tulum routes to none

United started flying to Tulum in March 2024, a few months after the airport opened on December 1, 2023. It began with nonstop service from Houston, Newark, and Chicago. A Los Angeles route came next and ended on March 30, 2025.

Chicago and Newark were later suspended during the summer months, and Chicago eventually came off the schedule entirely. By this fall, Houston and Newark were the only routes left.

Industry analysts cited in regional reports say vacation demand fell short of airline expectations and lodging costs in the destination are high. According to the same reports, airlines are also moving aircraft to Cancún, which still handles most international arrivals to the Mexican Caribbean.

Canadian airlines and Mexicana carry the winter schedule

Air Canada, WestJet, and Air Transat are returning to Tulum for the 2026-2027 winter season. Air Canada flies weekly from Toronto and Montreal, WestJet serves Toronto and Calgary, and Air Transat flies from Montreal. All of these routes are seasonal and are scheduled to end by late April 2027.

Among domestic carriers, Mexicana de Aviación has added winter flights from Felipe Ángeles International Airport, outside Mexico City. Viva Aerobus continues to operate at the terminal.

Other airlines that have cut back at Tulum

Over the past two years, several other airlines have reduced or suspended service at the airport.

• Copa Airlines ended its Panama City route in January 2025.
• Avianca closed its Bogotá route in July 2025, seven months after it launched.
• JetBlue ended its New York JFK service in March 2026.
• Delta Air Lines dropped Detroit and Minneapolis, keeping Atlanta.
• Aeroméxico suspended all operations to Tulum on September 30, 2026, a move it described as temporary.
• Volaris will suspend its Tulum flights starting January 7, 2027, also described as temporary.
• American Airlines will end its Miami route on January 5, 2027, but will keep its Dallas-Fort Worth route.

Volaris told El Financiero that it had reviewed the profitability of its routes and cut those with lower load factors. The airline also pointed to higher airport use fees, fuel prices, and air navigation charges.

A three-year, 100% incentive plan for airlines

Federal Tourism Secretary Josefina Rodríguez Zamora announced that Tulum's airport will offer airlines 100% incentives for a new three-year period. The goal is to attract carriers, recover routes, and strengthen connectivity. She said the terminal will be a priority in the strategy and will offer differentiated conditions to encourage airlines to both arrive and stay.

The details are still pending. Grupo Mundo Maya, the state-owned company that runs the airport, has yet to publish the program's terms or the requirements airlines must meet to qualify. Rodríguez Zamora has said air connectivity could start to recover in the second half of 2027. The airport's administration said in October that the terminal is operating normally.

The Tulum Times has previously reported that the airport's recovery may depend on these incentives.

Airlines need those terms before they can decide whether a Tulum route makes financial sense. Until they are published, Canadian winter flights run through late April, and American and Delta are the only U.S. carriers operating nonstop service to the airport.

Will a 100% incentive plan be enough to bring U.S. airlines back to Tulum's airport? Join the conversation and share your perspective with us on Instagram and Facebook at @thetulumtimes.