Cancun Airport Traffic Edges Up in February on International Growth

By: - March 13th, 2026
riu cancun ventura
The new Riu Ventura in Cancun.

Passenger traffic at Cancun International Airport posted a slight increase in February, driven by continued growth in international arrivals even as domestic traffic declined.

It still represented a month of positive growth after a very up and down year in 2025.

According to the latest figures from ASUR, Cancun handled 2,498,811 passengers in February 2026, compared to 2,489,687 passengers in February 2025, representing a 0.4 percent increase year over year.

The modest gain came as the airport’s strong international market offset a noticeable drop in domestic travel.

International Travel Drives February Increase

International traffic at Cancun rose to 1,868,343 passengers in February, up from 1,809,498 passengers during the same month last year, a 3.3 percent increase.

The international segment continues to represent the vast majority of Cancun’s airlift, reinforcing the destination’s position as one of the most important global gateways for leisure travel in the Caribbean Basin and Mexico’s tourism sector.

International passengers accounted for roughly three-quarters of Cancun’s total traffic in February.

The increase helped push overall international traffic across the airport operator’s Mexican network to 2,019,046 passengers, a 3.4 percent year-over-year increase.

Domestic Traffic Declines

Domestic travel to Cancun declined in February, falling 7.3 percent year over year.

The airport handled 630,468 domestic passengers in February 2026, compared to 680,189 passengers during the same month last year.

Domestic traffic weakness has been visible across several Mexican airports in recent months, reflecting adjustments in airline capacity and shifting travel demand.

Despite the drop in domestic passengers, Cancun’s international growth was strong enough to keep the airport’s overall monthly performance slightly positive.

Year-to-Date Traffic Slightly Lower

Looking at the first two months of the year, Cancun’s passenger traffic remains slightly below last year’s pace.

The airport recorded 5,231,306 total passengers year to date, compared to 5,248,746 passengers during the same period in 2025, representing a 0.3 percent decline.

International travel continued to grow during the period, reaching 3,857,232 passengers, a 2.7 percent increasecompared to the same timeframe last year.

Domestic traffic, however, fell more sharply, totaling 1,374,074 passengers, an 8 percent decline year over year.

Mexico Network Shows Modest Growth

Across the broader Mexican airport network included in the report, total passenger traffic reached 3,380,228 travelers in February, a 1.6 percent increase compared to February 2025.

Year-to-date traffic across those airports reached 7,128,665 passengers, up 1.2 percent year over year.

Within that network, Cancun remains by far the largest gateway and the primary driver of international tourism arrivals to Mexico’s Caribbean coast.

The February numbers reinforce the airport’s continued resilience in international markets, even as domestic travel remains uneven in the early months of 2026.

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