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CUN - How long do I need for check-in + security?

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Old Dec 11, 2013, 6:45 pm
  #1  
c2d
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CUN - How long do I need for check-in + security?

I will be taking the CUN-BWI flight on Dec 26th. How long in advance of flight time would I need to be there at the airport? Do they have a Elite check-in line? How about faster security line for elites? Anyone with experience at Cancun airport, please share your experience. This will be my first time at CUN, so your suggestions will be much appreciated.
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Old Dec 12, 2013, 4:19 pm
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Anyone, any thoughts on this? Do I need 3 hours or can I do the check-in + security in 2 hours? Thanks.
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Old Dec 12, 2013, 4:47 pm
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Was there last March. Not all that bad. 2 hours should be fine. Security worked fine. Check-in was slow but we used United and they had more flights at the time and 2 were weather delayed at the destination. If you do get there early there plenty of affordable drink and food options int he airport.
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Old Dec 12, 2013, 4:56 pm
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Originally Posted by Yoshi212
Was there last March. Not all that bad. 2 hours should be fine. Security worked fine. Check-in was slow but we used United and they had more flights at the time and 2 were weather delayed at the destination. If you do get there early there plenty of affordable drink and food options int he airport.
Thanks Yoshi212! I'm really looking forward to this trip and don't want to come back too soon if I can help it
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Old Dec 12, 2013, 5:11 pm
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Enjoy the trip. If you haven't planned your days yet or are open to suggestions I highly endorse Tulum. It's about 90 minutes south of Cancun and really beautiful. Great beaches, hotels (small kinds) and awesome food.
After my trip there last year I sent a few groups of friends who either spent their entire time down there or just a night to get to see the beach, ruins and sinkholes.
We stayed a Be Tulum. The hotel was great, service beyond expectations, nice beach and damn the hotel had a good bar and restaurant.
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Old Dec 12, 2013, 5:25 pm
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Originally Posted by Yoshi212
Enjoy the trip. If you haven't planned your days yet or are open to suggestions I highly endorse Tulum. It's about 90 minutes south of Cancun and really beautiful. Great beaches, hotels (small kinds) and awesome food.
After my trip there last year I sent a few groups of friends who either spent their entire time down there or just a night to get to see the beach, ruins and sinkholes.
We stayed a Be Tulum. The hotel was great, service beyond expectations, nice beach and damn the hotel had a good bar and restaurant.
We haven't planned our days too much. Tulum sounds like a great suggestion for a day trip. We'll be staying at the JW Marriott and it looks like a 90-minute drive to Tulum as you said. Thanks!
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Old Dec 13, 2013, 8:03 pm
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Depending on what time your flight is, the day may be a wash anyway. I don't know if you are renting a car or using one of the transportation services to get to the Marriott? If you are using transportation, they will likely want to be picking you up about 3 hours in advance of your flights. The drive to the airport isn't very log, but they don't want to be responsible for your missed flights.

We had a great day trip to Tulum also. We took the ADO Bus to the Tulum ruins and then a cab to a beach club on the Tulum coast. The beach clubs there are fantastic. Take a look at this post over in the TUG forums where I documented our day there.
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Old Dec 13, 2013, 11:51 pm
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I flew out of CUN and the process wasn't bad. However the area was setup for maybe 10x the number of people so timing may be an issue.

IMO Arrive early like we did. Enjoyed a relaxed meal at Margaritaville at the Airport.
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Old Dec 15, 2013, 4:22 pm
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Originally Posted by dioxide45
Depending on what time your flight is, the day may be a wash anyway. I don't know if you are renting a car or using one of the transportation services to get to the Marriott? If you are using transportation, they will likely want to be picking you up about 3 hours in advance of your flights. The drive to the airport isn't very log, but they don't want to be responsible for your missed flights.

We had a great day trip to Tulum also. We took the ADO Bus to the Tulum ruins and then a cab to a beach club on the Tulum coast. The beach clubs there are fantastic. Take a look at this post over in the TUG forums where I documented our day there.
Thanks dioxide45! That's a nicely detailed trip report to Tulum.

I am using Marriott transportation (Prestige), and they did inform me about their 3-hr recommendation, but gave me the option to cut it shorter if I wish. Based on suggestions here, I have booked to arrive at the airport 2 hrs before our flight.
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Old Dec 15, 2013, 4:24 pm
  #10  
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Originally Posted by traveller001
I flew out of CUN and the process wasn't bad. However the area was setup for maybe 10x the number of people so timing may be an issue.

IMO Arrive early like we did. Enjoyed a relaxed meal at Margaritaville at the Airport.
Thanks traveller001. I've booked transport to leave hotel at 9:30, arrive airport at 10am for our 1pm flight. Hopefully 2 hrs is enough time at the airport.
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Old Dec 15, 2013, 4:33 pm
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Something about that math doesn't add up.
Originally Posted by c2d
Thanks traveller001. I've booked transport to leave hotel at 9:30, arrive airport at 10am for our 1pm flight. Hopefully 2 hrs is enough time at the airport.
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Old Dec 15, 2013, 4:36 pm
  #12  
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Originally Posted by c2d
Thanks traveller001. I've booked transport to leave hotel at 9:30, arrive airport at 10am for our 1pm flight. Hopefully 2 hrs is enough time at the airport.
Originally Posted by Yoshi212
Something about that math doesn't add up.
Good catch Yoshi212! Our flight is at 12pm
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Old Dec 21, 2013, 7:28 am
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Delete

Last edited by mfinn; Jan 1, 2014 at 4:21 pm Reason: Delete
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Old Jan 5, 2014, 3:28 pm
  #14  
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Highly recommended!

I wanted to report back on our wonderful first Cancun experience, surely won't be our last. We had such a relaxing time there with perfect weather throughout our trip. JW Marriott is an excellent hotel with good service and food options. The beach was perfect and water was warm

Back to this topic -- the CUN airport check-in and security were super easy. We left hotel at 10:10am (a little late) and reached the airport in ~20 minutes. AirTran has a separate line for elites and even the regular check-in line wasn't too long. The security was also quite quick (~10 mins), so we were all set by 10:50 or so.

I've posted some pictures from the trip here if you care to take a look. Wish I could be there right now
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Old Jan 5, 2014, 5:39 pm
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Thanks for the post report... Nice pictures and nice property... Not a calm beach but looks like fun.

I guess my biggest worry about CUN is the traffic and potential for a total block caused by an accident. There are after all hotels just five minutes to the airport but some thirty minutes or so during good times.

RIU also has two nice adjacent properties that I'd happily book but the newer RIU Peninsula was IMO too far out of the way. The other two properties are closer to the airport and shopping.

Last edited by traveller001; Jan 5, 2014 at 5:52 pm
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