Discover Airlines, the German subsidiary of Lufthansa, has announced it will cancel its direct route between Frankfurt International Airport (FRA) and Tulum International Airport (TQO) starting this winter.
The German carrier began operations to Tulum on Dec. 12, 2024, seeking to diversify its offerings in the Caribbean. However, after an initial season, it will redirect its operations to Cancún International Airport (CNC), a more traditional hub that continues to concentrate most international tourist traffic to the Riviera Maya.
“The airport [in Tulum] has great potential, but it is always a combination of many factors. For now, we will focus on Cancún,” a spokesperson from the airline said.
The route between Frankfurt and Cancún will operate during the 2025-2026 winter season on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. A fifth flight will be added on Thursdays during the Christmas period to meet increased demand.
More airlines cancel routes to Tulum
Less than two years after its opening, multiple international airlines have had to reevaluate their presence in Tulum, mainly due to infrastructure challenges. Ground transport options are limited and slow due to a lack of roads connecting to the Tulum hotel zone. Furthermore, airlines are facing low profitability as demand has been lower than expected.
Air Canada and United Airlines both cut back their operations in Tulum, eliminating connections from key cities. Air Canada suspended flights from Ottawa (YOW) and Quebec City (YQB), and will reduce frequencies from Montreal (YUL), dropping from five to three flights per week. Only the route from Toronto (YYZ) will remain unchanged, with four weekly flights to Tulum.
Meanwhile, United Airlines canceled a planned route from Denver (DEN) and eliminated service from Boston (BOS), shifting its focus to Cancún. Copa Airlines and Avianca have also withdrawn their connections from Panama City (PTY) and Colombia (BOG), respectively.
Along with the Maya Train and the Felipe Ángeles International Airport near Mexico City, the Tulum airport was one of former President Andrés López Obrador’s flagship projects. It opened as a modern and strategic alternative to relieve congestion in Cancún and bring international tourism closer to destinations such as Bacalar, Mahahual and the surrounding Maya region. But despite incentives announced by the government, including discounts on the Airport Use Fee (TUA) and platform services, airlines continue to withdraw.
New flights between Argentina and Cancún
Meanwhile, Cancún continues to add flights. Starting in January 2026, Aerolíneas Argentinas will increase its service to Cancún, one of the most in-demand international destinations for the Argentine market. The company will go from operating three flights per week to offering up to seven flights per week between Buenos Aires (EZE) and Cancún.
The new routes will operate on Mondays and Saturdays with two flights per day, and Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays with one daily flight. There’ll be no operations on Fridays and Sundays.
With reports from Diario Imagen, La Jornada Maya and A21
