
Less than two years after its grand debut, Tulum’s Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport is already seeing airlines scale back both routes and seat capacity—demolishing much of the optimism that followed its launch. Major carriers such as Delta, American, United, Spirit, and JetBlue have cut or dropped service entirely, with Delta canceling flights out of Minneapolis–St. Paul and Detroit—and others trimming back non‑stop links from places like Charlotte, New York‑JFK, and Chicago‑O’Hare.Scheduled seat capacity is expected to fall by roughly 25% heading into the winter season, while international flights in June saw more than a 50% drop compared to the same month in 2024. The pullbacks reflect struggles to lure a steady stream of travelers away from better‑established hubs like Cancún, along with transportation‑logistics shortcomings (such as long drives from the airport to resort areas and under‑developed infrastructure) that continue to weigh on Tulum’s promise as a high‑volume gateway.