I’m embarking on a new trip this week, this one just for three days to review three new airline products. The trip itself will start in Cancun and I’m reaching out to anyone who has transited in Cancun before due to a dearth of information on the internet.
Since I’m still recovering from my last trip, I want to make this trip as easy possible and avoid unnecessary connections. Thus, I’d prefer to fly nonstop from Los Angeles to Cancun instead of connecting in Houston, Chicago, or Newark. The problem, or at least potential problem, is that United’s one non-stop per day will give me 1hr45min to connect, assuming an on-time arrival.
While that may sound like a lot of time, especially to a seasoned traveler, I am a bit concerned for a few reasons. First, I am assuming that Cancun is like Mexico City, which requires even transit passengers to pass through immigration and customs. Second, I will need to change terminals, from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2. Finally, I am not able to complete online check-in for my connecting flight on a separate ticket.
Those three elements instinctively push me to taking a redeye to Houston and then connecting so that I arrive in Cancun a few hours earlier. But a 3hr redeye to Houston also means I am a zombie the next day, do not get to spend the night with wife, and face the added stress of a missed connection in IAH.
Since I cannot find any other information on the internet besides a Trip Advisor post from 2011, a horrible “official” airport website, and this unofficial guide, I plan to provide a detailed guide whether I end up risking the tight connection or not.
I welcome your thoughts on whether this connection is doable or too risky, especially if you’ve connected in Cancun before.
CUN is a nightmare but it all depends on when you land. Far better to arrive very early in the am if possible. Like most airports using a mid-week will make it a bit faster. Since it is currently hurricane season it should also be slower. All that said, given United and then immigration…
Took us almost 90 minutes just to clear…on a Wednesday(but in April)…with every line open. FYI.
It does look like rain in the forecast.
It would be tight and you’d be running. I connected in from interjet to AA last year. You have to pass through customs/immigration which was a zoo and then it’s maybe a 10-15 hike between terminals. While there is a sidewalk it’s not exactly a great path. there is a shuttle but it only runs something like every 15/30 minutes (i forget exactly). Think i had like just over an hour and I barely made it I had to beg AA to issue me a boarding pass, and still almost didn’t make it because i got stuck in security/immigration. The only issue here is getting checked in before the checkin time closes.
Thanks for your insight.
it’s such a short flight though, so it’ll hardly make a dent in terms of PQM PQD or Lifetime MM milestones. Why not explore airlines other than UA if it’ll enable a connection that’s at least 2hr 30 while avoiding the red-eye ?
or if you MUST fly UA, what about backtracking via SFO or circuitous routing via DEN ? either of those work out at all ?
I could not care less for this particular trip about PQD/PQM/Lifetime miles. I want to take the non-stop–I just don’t want to miss my flight or have to muscle my way like an “ugly American” to the front of the immigration line.
Your funny. Now you care about rules and your imagine unlike when you sat in an airport for 2 days berating an agent at the airport to put you on a floght on a tickets that was cancelled months earlier or abpther blooger that contributes to your site that feels entitled to have her sit together in first class because her kids are gold so they deserve the upgrade.
Trust me I’m sure you will find a way to make it about you and I’m sure once you get to the other terminal you will blame the counter agent for missing the cutoff time.
Probably…
I try and leave a day earlier (or at least early enough to have a fighting chance of an alternative) when connecting on separate tickets.
I guess what I’m saying is take the wife and kiddo for a week to Cancun before the connection. You’re not gonna miss either time with them or the flight.
Wish I could take them along. But we’ll do Cacun together another time.
I’ve connected in CUN a few times. It all depends on the time of day and day of week that the flight arrives because of customs and immigration. 1:45 should be okay if the flight arrives in the morning during the week. Midday on a weekend is tougher and impossible Dec-Apr. The walk between terminal 3 and 2 is only 5-10 minutes, but it’s not well marked. The bus from terminal 3 to terminal 2 is 20+ minutes plus wait time since it goes to the FBO and terminal 1 before terminal 2. Also, keep in mind that Aeromexico (except HAV flights) and a few other airlines are moving to terminal 4 in a couple months.
Thanks!
Hurricane Harvey (or what is left of it) may pose significant enough issues that there are flight cancellations and major delays. Good luck!
Great advice. Thank you!
I have done this before. The distance between terminals is not horrendous although would be too far to walk — you will either wait for a bus or be prepared to pay a taxi $20 for the two-minute trip.
You will only have one chance to get it right so double check to make sure you are going to the correct terminal. If you get everything right (and there are no delays) I don’t think you will have a problem.
No way will I take a taxi…
Not sure what your exact travel dates are, but if it’s late this week/this weekend, I would avoid the redeye to IAH. Tropical Storm Harvey is supposed to make landfall between Houston and Corpus, so the weather over SE TX is likely to be awful. There’s a better than average chance you could get significantly delayed or even stuck in Houston. The connection you describe sounds dicey, but is probably the best alternative in the situation at hand.
Great advice. Thanks.
I provided the same warning several comments above, by the way! Good luck!
I got stranded overnight in Cancun on a similar layover, and the local United people were completely unhelpful when the nightmare line at immigration combined with being randomly selected for unpacking all my stuff and having to change buildings conspired to make me miss my flight by about twenty minutes. I and a native Spanish speaker on his way to Peru (bless him) managed to get a hotel room near the airport, Skype with United’s US people, and get on business class for our connecting flight the next day. But the Cancun airport is a total disaster, with the change of terminal meaning a change of building most likely. You may need three hours to be safe.
Sounds horrible. Thanks for chiming in.
Don’t do it. Immigration is always required even for connections and is usually a zoo without pasajero confiable lane access. Global entry isn’t eligible. You have to apply separately in person in MX.
Without online checkin for the second fligh you’re 99% certain to miss the checkin window stuck in customs.
I have connected thru and also turned and burned at CUN many times. Never fun but some good J deals to be had.
Thanks for your advice.
also LAX is a Zoo and most flights are delayed….