Cancun’s airport is showing its first clear signs of international recovery in months, with overseas passenger traffic rising in January even as total traffic dipped slightly.
According to newly released figures, international passenger traffic at Cancun increased by 2.2 percent in January, reaching 1,988,889 passengers, up from 1,945,595 during the same period last year. The growth marks a notable turnaround after several months of softer international performance at Mexico’s busiest leisure gateway.
Overall passenger traffic at Cancun declined by 1 percent year over year, totaling 2,732,495 passengers compared with 2,759,059 a year earlier. The modest drop was driven primarily by domestic travel softness, while international demand showed renewed strength.
The rise in international traffic is an encouraging signal for Cancun, which relies heavily on travelers from the United States, Canada, and Europe. January is traditionally a strong month for the destination, anchored by winter sun demand, and the international uptick suggests continued resilience among long-haul leisure travelers despite broader capacity adjustments across the region.
Cancun remains one of the most important tourism hubs in the Caribbean Basin and Latin America, serving as a gateway not only to the Riviera Maya but also to a wide range of resort destinations across the Mexican Caribbean. Even small shifts in international passenger volumes at Cancun tend to ripple across hotel performance, tour operations, and airlift planning throughout the region.
Industry observers will be watching closely to see whether the January rebound in international traffic continues through the late winter and spring travel seasons, particularly as airlines fine-tune schedules and demand patterns normalize after a period of uneven recovery.
The return to international growth — even as total numbers flatten — points to a market still firmly anchored by global demand.
Caribbean Journal Staff
2026-02-09 23:20:00