Arriving Early At Cancun Airport: How Early Is Too Early?

It's recommended that you arrive at Cancun airport at least three hours before your flight. This gives you enough time to get through security and check-in, and even grab a bite to eat. Some travellers prefer to arrive even earlier to avoid any unexpected delays.

How early to arrive at CUN Airport for departure

It is recommended that you arrive at Cancun Airport (CUN) three hours before your flight is due to depart. This will give you enough time to get through security and check-in, and even grab a bite to eat.

If you are travelling with children, it is worth allowing a little extra time to get through the airport. One traveller with two young children left their hotel three hours before their flight and still only had an hour to spare by the time they had been through all the checkpoints.

If you are taking a shuttle bus to the airport, it is worth allowing for traffic. One traveller reported that it took them 30 minutes to get from their hotel to the airport, but they had very few bags to check in. If you have a lot of luggage, or are travelling with a large group, it will take longer to get through the airport, so it is worth allowing extra time.

Cancun airport transfers

One traveller, who was taking a shuttle with seven other people, arrived at the airport three hours before their flight and said they had plenty of time to spare. Another traveller, who was travelling with three children, also arrived three hours before their flight and said they had about an hour to spare after getting through TSA and security checks.

If you are travelling with children, it's a good idea to allow extra time to get through the airport. One traveller with two young children said they left their hotel three hours before their flight time and had enough time for a quick bite to eat in the food court before their flight.

Another traveller, who was taking a transfer from their hotel to the airport, requested to be picked up three hours before their flight. The transfer company arrived 10 minutes early, and they arrived at the airport with about an hour to spare.

Cancun airport check-in times

One traveller, who was travelling with three children, requested to be picked up from their hotel three hours before their flight and arrived at the airport with an hour to spare. Another traveller, who was also travelling with children, allowed two and a half hours between leaving their hotel and their flight time. They ended up with two hours to spare, as check-in took less than 30 minutes.

If you are travelling without children, you may find that you have plenty of time even if you arrive at the airport with less than three hours to spare. One traveller, who was travelling without children, left their hotel one hour and thirty minutes before their flight and arrived at the airport with thirty minutes to spare.

It is always better to arrive at the airport with plenty of time to spare, rather than risk missing your flight.

Cancun airport security

One traveller recommends arriving 2.5 hours before departure, as check-in usually takes less than 30 minutes. However, they prefer to have extra time in case of any unexpected delays. Another traveller almost missed their flight, so they now always follow the three-hour rule.

If you are taking a shuttle to the airport, make sure to give yourself enough time to get to the airport and through security. For example, if you are leaving your hotel at 1 pm, you should request a pick-up time of 12:50 pm to allow for any potential delays.

It is always better to arrive early and have time to spare than to risk missing your flight. So, if you are travelling to Cancun, be sure to give yourself plenty of time to get to the airport and through security.

Cancun airport food options

It is recommended that you arrive at Cancun Airport around three hours before your flight. This gives you enough time to get through security and enjoy some food before your flight.

Cancun Airport offers a wide variety of restaurants, including fast food, Mexican food, Japanese food and more. You can find restaurants in the main area open to the public, as well as in the duty-free area after passing through security. Most restaurants are open from 6 am until midnight.

For Mexican food, you can try Guacamole Grill or Berry Hill, which offers tacos, drinks and Mexican food. For seafood and drinks, there's Bubba Gump. If you're after something more American, there's TGIF, which offers burgers, shakes and fries, and Johnny Rockets. You can also find ice cream, cakes and milkshakes at Häagen Dazs. Sushi Tequila serves Japanese food and great drinks, while Hacienda Montejo offers authentic Yucatan-style food.

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