Playa Del Carmen Airport (PCM): Everything You Need to Know
Many travelers visiting the Riviera Maya ask the same question: Is there an airport in Playa Del Carmen? The answer is yes, but it is not an airport international flights arrive to.
The Playa Del Carmen Airport (PCM), officially called Playa del Carmen National Airport, is a small regional airport located just on the south end of the downtown of Playa Del Carmen. While it does exist, it operates very differently from major airports like Cancun.
In this guide, we will cover everything you need to know about the airport and what this airport is used for. We also have information on what airports are best to use for coming to Playa Del Carmen. There are three international airports near Playa el Carmen, and we rank them in order for what is the best one to use when you come to Playa.
What Is the Playa Del Carmen Airport (PCM)?
The Playa Del Carmen Airport is a small national airport located within the city. It has the airport code PCM and primarily serves private and regional flights rather than large commercial airlines.
The airport has a short runway of about 855 meters, which limits it to smaller aircraft such as private planes, charters, and light regional flights. Because of this, it does not function like a typical airport.
Can You Fly into Playa Del Carmen Airport?
You cannot fly into Playa del Carmen on a regular commercial flight. The airport mainly handles, private jets, charter flights, and skydiving planes.
There are no international commercial flights operating into this airport. This means that most travelers visiting will fly into Cancun, Cozumel or Tulum Airports instead. See our Guie on How to Get from the Cancun Airport to Playa Del Carmen.
Why Most People Fly into Cancun Instead
Even though Playa Del Carmen has an airport, almost all tourists arrive via Cancun International Airport. The Cancun handles large international flights and is only about 50 minutes away.
The airport in Paya Del Carmen simply does not have the infrastructure to support large passenger planes or high flight volume.
What Flights Operate at PCM?
Flights are limited and often not scheduled like traditional commercial routes. These flights are often operated by small regional or private aviation companies rather than major airlines.
Typical flights include:
- Playa Del Carmen to Cozumel
- Playa Del Carmen to Holbox
- Occasional domestic charter flights
- Airplanes carrying banners for advertising
If you have gone skydiving, then you took off from the airport. Planes take off and circle upward and then kick out the skydivers which land on the beach in front of Playacar. The airport had been used for Helicopter tours, but this has been currently suspended. Aerosaab Airlines still runs flight between Cozumel and Playa Del Carmen and Holbox Island where it does air tours to the island from Playa.
Airport Size and Facilities
The airport is very small compared to international or even regional airports. The facilities at the airport include a small terminal building, aircraft hangars, limited passenger services, and basic waiting areas for travelers.
When using this airport, you should not expect large terminals, duty free shopping, multiple restaurants, or extensive airline services, as the facilities are quite limited compared to major international airports.
The airport sits on about 16.5 hectares of land and is designed for light aviation use.
How Many People Use the Airport?
The airport has very low passenger traffic. Recent data shows that the airport handles around 6,900 passengers per year, with limited daily flight activity. In some months, there may even be little to no commercial flight activity at all, which makes it one of the quieter airports in Mexico.
Should You Use Playa Del Carmen Airport?
For most travelers, the answer is no. You should consider using this airport only if you have booked a charter flight or booking a skydiving excursion.
Alternative Airports Near Playa Del Carmen
If you are traveling to Playa del Carmen, here are your main airport options:
Cancun International Airport
- Main airport for the region
- Best prices and flight options
- About 45 minutes away
Cozumel International Airport
- Closer distance
- Requires ferry transfer
- Often more expensive
Tulum International Airport
- New airport about one hour south of Playa Del Carmen
- Growing number of flights
Playa Del Carmen’s airport is tucked in the south end of town. It is too bad it cannot serve larger planes so we can all fly directly to Playa Del Carmen and skip Cancun Airport and the transfers. It does however serve some purposes for Playa Del Carmen and maybe you will be visiting there soon.
The Future of the Playa Del Carmen Airport
It may seem off that the airport is now in the middle of the city and stuck between Playacar and the downtown. This has been a weird end of town for a while as it interrupts the flow of streets. It has been evident for a while that this is not sustainable, and something should be done. Plans were unveiled to move the airport further south and out of the developing downtown of Playa Del Carmen. Having an airport so close to buildings creates a safety risk and also there is the economic boom that can follow with this large piece of land that can be developed.
The airport was going to be moving south toward Puerto Aventuras. This was a 5.7-million-dollar project that was going to be five miles to the west of Puerto Aventuras. This location would have afford it to be a little larger and allow slightly larger planes to land. The project was first scheduled to be done in 2016. When we talked to businesses back in 2014 that used the Playa Del Carmen Airport, they felt it was imminent. But the project fizzled and was rescheduled to open in 2026. You can see the project on google maps. It sits only carved in the landscape, but nothing has been built yet.
So, what is the new future of the airport? Even if no other airport is built in the Riviera Maya, this airport remains boxed in and limited in space. Once we hear something official again, we will update this article.
About The Author
I wish Playa Del Carmen had an airport for direct flying from the United States.
From Playa del Carmen to Holbox. Do you land in Holbox,or just an air tour. Want to spend a few days there ?
You can check out FlyCozumel or FlyPlaya this company does charter flights for people that want to stay there.