CHICAGO- Major US carrier, United Airlines (UA) has made several cuts to its Tulum Felipe Carrillo Puerto Airport (TQO), Mexico as travel demands fall.
Exactly last year in December, all carriers rushed to Tulum, as it inaugurated a new airport. But now it looks like they are restricting some routes in 2025.
United Cuts Tulum Routes
United Airlines is significantly reducing its flight operations to and from Tulum International Airport (TQO), signaling potential challenges in the destination’s emerging air travel market.
The carrier has strategically adjusted its route network, eliminating and suspending multiple key connections, Ishrion Aviation reported.
The airline will completely cancel its Tulum to Los Angeles (LAX) route, removing direct access between these two major markets.
Additionally, United has suspended its Tulum to Chicago (ORD) route from March 30 to October 26, and its Tulum to Newark (EWR) route from May 20 to October 26, effectively limiting northeastern and midwestern connectivity.
Despite these reductions, United maintains a consistent presence in Tulum with twice-daily flights to Houston (IAH) throughout the summer season.
New Denver-Tulum Flight
United Airlines has filed a new schedule update as reported by Aeroroutes, with a targeted service launch on December 19, 2024.
The airline will gradually make reservations available through late January 2024, utilizing Boeing 737-900ER aircraft to serve the routes.
The Denver to Tulum route will operate daily with specific flight schedules:
- UA1698 departing Denver at 09:45 and arriving in Tulum at 15:43, and
- Return flight UA1699 departing Tulum at 16:50 and returning to Denver at 19:10.
The Los Angeles to Tulum service remains seasonal, scheduled only from May 23 to August 18, 2024.
Winter 2025-26 Route
United Airlines has disclosed key updates to its international route network for the Winter 2025/26 season, commencing October 25, 2025, highlighting strategic route reinstatements and aircraft allocation modifications.
The airline will reintroduce daytime service between Washington Dulles (IAD) and London Heathrow (LHR), strategically deploying Boeing 757-200 aircraft instead of the previously used 767-300ER. This route adjustment suggests potential optimization of operational efficiency and fleet utilization.
Simultaneously, United will resume its Newark (EWR) to Tenerife (TFS) route, offering three weekly flights using Boeing 757-200 aircraft. The route’s reinstatement follows a summer suspension, indicating the carrier’s responsiveness to evolving market dynamics.
While specific market demand data remains unavailable, preliminary flight metrics for the December 2024 to March 2025 period reveal by Enilria a consistent operational profile. The route demonstrates an average of 5.0 daily flights, with capacity ranging between 1,353 and 1,474 seats.
The December 2024 flight composition includes diverse carrier operations: British Airways (BA) operating A350 and 777 models, United Airlines (UA) utilizing 763 and 777 aircraft, and Virgin Atlantic (VS) deploying 330-300, 330-900, and 787-9 models with varying daily frequencies.
American Cuts Charlotte-Tulum Route
American Airlines (AA) is modifying its international route strategy for Tulum, Mexico, by discontinuing its Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) to Tulum International Airport (TQO) service.
The route, initially launched in March 2024 as part of an expansion to three U.S. destinations, will cease operations on February 13, 2025.
The airline introduced flights to Tulum from Charlotte (CLT), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), and Miami (MIA) earlier this year, positioning the destination as a key market in its network. Despite the initial plan for year-round service from Charlotte, American Airlines has strategically decided to suspend the route, reflecting potential challenges in route sustainability.
American will maintain its Tulum connectivity through continuing services from Miami and Dallas, ensuring ongoing access to the Mexican destination for travelers from those markets.
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