Cancún
International Airport
Mexico’s second busiest airport and the Riviera Maya gateway. Two parallel runways, Category 9 cover, a dedicated general aviation terminal with its own customs, and the busiest private traffic in Mexico outside the capital.
Reviewed by Kevin Singh, Founder · Fact-checked against Icarus Jet fleet and airport operations data · Last updated 2 September 2026
The Airport
Cancún at a glance
Cancún carries the ICAO code MMUN and the identifier CUN. An 11,483 foot main runway with a second parallel runway, at 37 feet elevation about 16 kilometres south west of the hotel zone, with ICAO Category 9 fire cover.
It has a dedicated general aviation terminal with its own customs and immigration, operates 24 hours, and handles more private traffic than any Mexican airport outside Mexico City.
Why here
The Riviera Maya, through its own terminal
Cancún is the gateway to the whole mainland coast from the hotel zone through Playa del Carmen to Tulum. The hotel zone is 20 to 30 minutes from the airport, Playa about 45 and Tulum about an hour and a half, which is why a helicopter transfer is common for the southern Riviera.
A private arrival clears through the general aviation terminal, separately from the airline halls, with customs and immigration meeting the aircraft. Mexican customs has its own procedures, and our Cancún customs guide walks through what to expect. For the island itself, Cozumel has its own airport.
Operating
Runways, permit and time zone
12R/30L is 3,500 metres, about 11,483 feet, and 12L/30R is 2,800 metres, about 9,186 feet, at 37 feet elevation with Category 9 fire cover. The airport operates 24 hours.
Mexico requires foreign operators to hold a permit from AFAC. Charter operators use a Blanket Permit with the operator’s AOC validated by AFAC, which we plan at ten business days; since 1 January 2024 private operations file six-month single-entry authorisations. General aviation is restricted to the public-use airports AFAC lists, and every airport on this page is one of them.
Cancún is on Eastern Standard Time, UTC-5, all year. Quintana Roo left Central Time in 2015 and does not observe daylight saving, so it is one hour ahead of Mexico City throughout the year.
History
A resort built from a sandbar
The airport opened in 1974 as part of the Mexican government’s planned development of Cancún from an almost uninhabited sandbar into a resort city.
It grew with the resort into Mexico’s second busiest airport and its busiest for international passengers, with a second runway added in 2009.
Nearby
Cancún and the Mexico and Central America fields
Mexico is a permits market. Choose the airport by destination once the AFAC permit is in hand.
Cozumel for the island. Los Cabos and Cabo San Lucas for Baja California Sur. Acapulco for the Pacific coast. Tijuana for the border and San Diego. Querétaro for the Bajío industrial corridor. San José, Guanacaste and Limón for Costa Rica.
Airport guides & index
Questions
Cancún, answered
Can private jets use Cancún?
Yes. Cancún is Mexico's second busiest airport and the principal gateway to the Riviera Maya, with an 11,483 foot main runway, a second parallel runway, ICAO Category 9 fire cover and a dedicated general aviation terminal with its own customs. It handles more private traffic than any other airport in Mexico outside the capital.
How long are the runways at Cancún?
12R/30L is 3,500 metres, about 11,483 feet. 12L/30R is 2,800 metres, about 9,186 feet. Field elevation is 37 feet. Both runways take the whole of business aviation.
What permit does Mexico require?
Mexico requires foreign operators to hold a permit from AFAC. Charter operators use a Blanket Permit with the operator's AOC validated by AFAC, which we plan at ten business days; since 1 January 2024 private operations file six-month single-entry authorisations. General aviation is restricted to the public-use airports AFAC lists, and every airport on this page is one of them.
How does customs work for a private arrival at Cancún?
Through the general aviation terminal, separately from the airline halls, with customs and immigration officers meeting the aircraft. Mexican customs has its own procedures for baggage declaration and the red-light-green-light inspection, and our Cancún customs guide walks through what to expect.
Is ground handling mandatory at Cancún?
In practice every private arrival uses the general aviation terminal's FBO for customs coordination, so handling is arranged on every flight. Fuel is Jet A-1.
How far is the airport from the hotels?
About 16 kilometres south west of Cancún's hotel zone, around 20 to 30 minutes. Playa del Carmen is about 45 minutes and Tulum about an hour and a half by road, which is why a helicopter transfer is common for the southern Riviera.
Cancún or Cozumel?
Cancún for the mainland coast from the hotel zone to Tulum. Cozumel for the island itself, which has its own international airport and avoids the ferry. Our Cozumel guide covers that airport.
What time zone is Cancún in?
Eastern Standard Time, UTC-5, all year. Quintana Roo left Central Time in 2015 and does not observe daylight saving, so it is one hour ahead of Mexico City throughout the year.
When is the season at Cancún?
December to April for the dry season and the peak private traffic, with a second peak at Christmas and New Year. Hurricane season runs June to November and September to October is the quiet period.
What is the history of Cancún airport?
The airport opened in 1974 as part of the Mexican government's planned development of Cancún from an almost uninhabited sandbar into a resort city. It grew with the resort into the country's second busiest airport and its busiest for international passengers, with a second runway added in 2009.
Is there a night curfew at Cancún?
No. Cancún operates 24 hours. Late-night arrivals from the United States and Canada are routine.
Get Your Number
Request a Cancún charter
Tell us where on the Riviera you are staying and the aircraft. We file the AFAC permit inside the ten day window, arrange the general aviation terminal and customs, and plan the helicopter onward if Tulum is the destination.
Prefer to talk? Call +1 888 277 7203 or email charter@icarusjet.com. The desk is staffed 24/7.