When plans for a new airport in Tulum were first announced by then-Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador in 2021, what was once a sleepy beach town on the tip of Quintana Roo was experiencing a peak of popularity fueled by a combination of travel-influencer hype and government investment.
But as with any trending phenomenon, the initial wave appears to be wearing off fast. Following a peak of more than two million domestic and international visitors in 2022, both arrival and hotel occupancy rates released by the Mexican government show a decline of between 33% and 40% in the first half of 2026.
And while multiple American airlines initially announced flashy new routes to Tulum International Airport (TXO) from different U.S. cities, many have started pulling out after traffic numbers failed to live up to initial expectations.
United Airlines ending all flights to Tulum International by January 2027
United Airlines, as reported by aviation website Simple Flying, is discontinuing its two flights to Tulum by the early days of 2027.
The flight from Newark Liberty (EWR) will end on Jan. 2, while the flight to George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) will run for the last time on Jan. 4. At just 831 miles (1,337 kilometers) and two hours and 10 minutes, the flight from Houston was the shortest flight that United offered to Mexico.
Related: Air Canada cancels all flights to U.S. state due to low demand
United called these route cuts “regular adjustments” that it makes “based on seasonality, demand, and other market factors.” United launched its Tulum service with three routes from Newark, Houston, and Chicago.
The O’Hare route was cut in October 2025, and a seasonal flight from LAX was tested briefly but not restarted. For travelers who booked travel on the Tulum flights from Newark or Houston after the market exit date, the United refund policy offers a full refund to the original method of payment if they choose not to accept rebooking alternatives.
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What went wrong with Tulum: why airlines are canceling flights
Tulum Airport is located just 78 miles, or approximately 125 kilometers, south of the significantly larger Cancun International (CUN).
As such, heavy network investment in a nearby airport in a temporarily-viral destination was always a risk for larger U.S.-based airlines.
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JetBlue, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines have all also cut routes or scaled back frequencies to Tulum over the last year. The latter carrier’s route to Miami International (MIA) will also be axed after a final flight on Jan. 5, 2027, although American will continue to run flights from Dallas and Charlotte into next year.
Mexican national airline Aeromexico also eliminated all flights to Tulum by the start of October, according to Mexico News Daily.
The airline framed the suspension as temporary, hoping to restart if market demand improves. As more airlines pull out, the regional airport will be served primarily by smaller low-cost carriers.
“The suspension is due to market conditions and to maximize our route network,” Aeromexico said in a statement on its decision.
Related: Air France exits entire market again
