Flights to Cozumel, Mexico (CZM)

Cozumel International Airport is serviced by several commercial and charter airlines offering direct and connecting flights, including Delta Airlines. The airport has two runways and eight boarding gates, six for domestic flights and two for international flights.

Upon arrival, visitors pass through customs where they must present their passports and immigrations forms. Just a few steps past customs is baggage claim, where luggage is collected and submitted to customs for inspection via X-ray. 

After exiting customs, visitors may be approached by people wearing colorful matching uniforms offering free transportation or tours. They are likely sales people representing timeshare properties on the island.

The airport is located at Avenida 65 and Boulevard Aeropuerto, a five-minute drive from the town of San Miguel. There are no restaurants on site, but there is a duty-free shop where you can stock up on bottles of tequila to take home.

A van service provides transportation from Cozumel International Airport to hotels for a fee. Tickets can be purchased from a booth outside baggage claim. Taxis are not permitted to service the airport, but they can be hailed on the street about 500 feet outside the airport. Rental cars can be procured from several agencies, both local and international, that operate in the airport. 

Diving and snorkeling are the primary activities in Cozumel. More than a dozen operators offer boat tours daily. Popular dive spots include the famous Santa Rosa Wall, a massive drop ranging in depth from 50 feet to 120 feet and beyond, and Palancar Gardens, a 27-yard-long reef where stovepipe sponges and black coral thrive.

The island’s west coast is lined with sandy beaches, resorts, parks and beach clubs, such as Playa Mia Grand Beach Park and Mr. Sancho’s, that offer food service and cater to your sunbathing and watersport needs.

San Miguel is the only town on Cozumel. In the evenings, residents and tourists alike gather in Benito Juarez Park in the center of town for live music and dancing. 

Explore vestiges of Cozumel’s Mayan civilization at two archaeological sites:  San Gervasio is home to a couple small, pre-Columbian ruins, and Zona Arquelogica El Caracol boasts a shell-embedded temple.

Frosty margaritas, fresh-made salsas, and spicy, cheesy goodness are on the menu at Cozumel’s 100+ authentic Mexican restaurants. From lobster burritos at the Lobster Shack to grouper enchiladas at Condesa Restaurant to chicken mole at El Moro, the epicurean options are endless.

Cozumel boasts a variety of accommodations suitable for all tastes and budgets. 

Sprawling oceanside resorts, many of which are all-inclusive with restaurants, swimming pools, spas, and other luxury amenities line the west coast. They range from the massive, family-friendly Royal Park Cozumel and Cozumel Palace to the private, 56-room, boutique hotel, The Explorean. 

For a more intimate stay, there are dozens of B&Bs, inns, and guesthouses like Baldwin’s Guest House, where you can keep it casual and relax beneath a palapa by the pool. And Airbnb offers rooms, studios, apartments, and houses for rates starting as low $35 a night.

Think cool and casual when it comes to your attire for Cozumel. The island is hot and sunny year-round.  The average daily temperature is 80 degrees, dipping down to the 70s in December and January, and creeping up to the 90s in July and August. There are two rainy seasons. Expect sustained rains from October to January and occasional short showers in June and July. Hurricane season lasts from July to October.

Cotton shirts, shorts, sundresses, and sandals are best bets when it comes to packing, as well as a good pair of sneakers or hiking shoes if you plan to do a lot of walking. Be sure to bring some light rain gear in case of pop-up showers, and don’t forget sunscreen and bug spray.