Cancún Airport saw a sharp decline in international travelers this year, losing 649,000 foreign passengers between January and August, a 4.5% drop from 2024, according to the STARC Research Center at Anáhuac University.
The decline is the steepest among major tourist airports, contrasting with steady growth in the Dominican Republic and Los Cabos.
Data from airport operator ASUR shows Cancún handled 20.4 million passengers during the first eight months of 2025. International traffic fell to 13.7 million passengers, while the domestic market held steady at 6.6 million.
By comparison, the Dominican Republic welcomed 8 million visitors between January and August, a 2.8% increase from the previous year. That included 6.1 million air travelers (up 2%) and 1.9 million cruise passengers (up 5%), according to the Ministry of Tourism, led by David Collado.
Meanwhile, Los Cabos continued to post gains in international arrivals, further highlighting Cancún’s slowdown.
Cancún’s dip is also evident in daily operations. On September 3, the airport registered 341 arrivals and departures, marking the low season. That figure is less than half the 700 daily flights recorded during the post-pandemic tourism boom.
