During my recent trip to Cancun to speak at Love Mexico and The Real Travel Experience, a dual tourism conference that focuses on travel, honeymoons and destination weddings (watch the video of my presentation about how to tap your passion to create killer content).
THE ROUTE: Cancun International Airport (CUN) in Mexico to New York/John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK); Boeing 737; economy class; 3 hours, 15 minutes
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DON’T MISS: Top 10 On-Time Airlines & Airports in Latin America: OAG Names the Best
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THE DEPARTURE: Check in and security was quick at Terminal 3 at the Cancun airport. American Airlines charges $25 for the first checked bag for flights between Mexico and the United States (unless you travel in certain classes of service or have the right credit card), so I had to pay that fee upon checkin. Unfortunately the Cancun airport suffers from a common affliction in the world of airport retail: Severely overpriced stores (I paid nearly $5 for a small bottle of water). But the food court offers a decent-if-predictable array of fast-food outlets. The most interesting retail establishment I found in this terminal is a small shop called Prison Art, which features tattoo-inspired artwork, created by incarcerated people, on purses, clothing and art. Curiously, our flight was scheduled to leave early, and the aircraft doors closed at 1:59pm for a 2:20pm departure.
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DON’T MISS: LatinFlyer’s airline reviews show what’s REALLY on board!
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THE AIRCRAFT: The American Airlines Boeing 737 featured two main classes of service, and (as usual) I was in the back of the plane. The economy-class airplane seating had headrests with wings, and there were AC outlets between each seat. Inflight entertainment was shown on overhead video screens.
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MEXICO TRAVEL TIPS: Cancun Offers Vacation Surprises for Spring Break — For All Ages
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AIRLINE FOOD: Non-alcoholic beverages were served for free; snacks were available for a fee. Flight attendants offered a second round of free beverages later in the flight.
THE ARRIVAL: We arrived on time at JFK. I waited about 15 minutes for baggage delivery, but customs and immigration were fast (I belong to Global Entry, which always helps).