Top Three Tips When Arriving at the Cancun Airport For Vacation

There are several international flights arriving into Cancun daily. On average over 500 flights arrive into Cancun (both international and domestic). Cancun International Airport is the second busiest airport in Mexico.

When you touch down in Cancun, you are ready to relax. Before you can, you want to be as prepared as possible for the experience. As of 2023, the Cancun arrival process has been simplified, and you no longer need to fill out an immigration form prior to or on arrival. Once you deplane, you will be directed to (or choose) one of 2 options for going through immigration (option 2 available in some terminals only).

Option 1) The normal immigration lines where you will speak to an agent, and have your passport stamped. Please keep your physical or digital boarding pass until you clear immigration in case it is needed.

Option 2) The electronic passport control machines (only available for 18 years old and up). If you go through these machines, please enter and scan your passport. Wait for your photo to be taken and collect your receipt with the QR code. Make sure to retain your receipt as you may be asked for this upon departure from Mexico. After immigration, you will pick up your bags at the carousel, and you may be selected to have your bags checked.

Now for our Top 3 Cancun airport tips:

1- When you land and go through immigration (passport control), you will exit the airport to find the transportation companies that will take you to your resort. That information is listed on your E TRAVEL DOCUMENT. Be sure to locate who you should be looking for prior to exiting the airport. After you retrieve your luggage, DO NOT STOP before you get outside the building. There will be TONS of timeshare reps trying to tell you they are your transfer driver and they will LIE and intimidate to get your attention so DO NOT make eye contact and keep walking! (It sounds scarier than it is… they are not dangerous but you don’t want to stop and talk to them, trust us!) Never accept a ride from anyone who is not your transportation company that we have prearranged for you.

2- A little know fact about traveling to this area is that there is a mandatory, but sometimes unenforced tax. It is called the VISITAX and it is about $15 per person. When you are going home, there could be officials at the airport asking if you paid it and will ask for a QR code for proof. MOST of my clients have not been asked. I have only been stopped once out of the last 10 visits but it is a thing, so I do tell people about it. This is the only official website to pay it.

3- Be sure to only have one device each (besides a phone). If you have more than one laptop/iPad, etc, they could charge you a TAX. (Sounds crazy but it’s a thing!) It also should go without saying but do not bring any illegal substances into Mexico. Even if they are legal in your state.

Of course there is so much more to know when traveling to this area but these are the most important things to know about navigating the Cancun airport!