We are staying Dec 23rd thru Jan 2nd. I see the past discussions on VIP Arrival services at the airport have been mixed, some loved it others, though it was a waste as the airport wasn't busy. We are considering booking VIP as I think the airport might be crazy busy Dec 23rd at 4PM but it's expensive and don't want to start the trip off feeling screwed. Anyone with experience traveling to Cancun around Christmas know how the airport is?
Have not been there at Christmas, but I don't see them adding flights for that week or two, the flights are usually full year round. More important is the day of your arrival and the time. I don't know if you have been to Cancun before but here is my general experience: If you can land before noon then the lines are (usually) reasonably quick. Then it gets progressively bad for the next few of hours. And then starts getting reasonable again in the late afternoon. So 4 pm (Cancun time) is an hour later (it would be 3 pm central) than USA time (they don't do daylight savings). I am guessing it will be at the end of the peak, but still packed from the noon-2 pm arrivals. It's a Thursday that you are traveling, so that tends to be a busier day also (not like a Saturday, but busier than a Tuesday) . Don's know anything about the VIP service. Use the kiosks if they are available, often no one is using them while the lines for actual customs agents are horrendous. There is a chance that the Thursday, a couple days before Christmas might not be too busy, take a look at your flight and see if the seats are all full and that might give you an idea.
[QUOTE="There is a chance that the Thursday, a couple days before Christmas might not be too busy, take a look at your flight and see if the seats are all full and that might give you an idea.[/QUOTE] My flight is sold out, from the looks of it most / many flights are sold out or near sold out. VIP is nice as they meet you at the gate, sometimes with a golf cart, walk you up to a custom agent via a bypass line and then take you direct to your car after. I've used them in other countries and have found it to be worth every penny in both time and frustration savings, I've gotten off planes, through customs, luggage, and been to my car in under 15-20 minutes before....however it's about $400 for two people inn Cancun which is quite a bit higher than elsewhere.
So there is a chance (slim?) that you will move through the lines fairly quickly. It could be moderate (probable, less than an hour), or it could be bad (2 hours plus), or real bad (backed up the steps to the concourse). We' have experienced it all. Roll the dice or pay the $400. Maybe they will have all customs lines open, or maybe only half of them (no predicting that) Even with the VIP service and getting to the car by 4:30 , and at the resort around 5 pm, to the room by 5:30 (5 pm if everything goes perfect, i still can't figure out why check in takes so long) . You'll be arriving at TTR at the transition time when everyone is emptying from the pool, it's already dark or getting there, and then really nothing going on, besides supper, until Bash at 9 or 10. So the couple of hours saved would not be prime hours. Now if the plane was getting arriving at 2 pm, and you could get to your room by 300 or 330 pm, then there would be some daylight/pool time that may make the time saving worth it. I know standing in the line sucks, but as far as activates go at the resort, you won't be missing much either way. $400 can get you a nice couples massage. I'd hate to pay the $400 and see the customs lines short. We have made it to TTR, and into our room, from the airplane touchdown in about an hour before (flying on a Tuesday, plane arrival around noon and there was a room available). Id' say if we averaged all our trips, it's be about an hour and a half from touch down to our room and unpacking. We are doing a red-eye/overnight in March on a Saturday (spring break week, lines will be horrid) to touchdown at 7 a.m. and avoid all lines. Se should be at the resort, napping in a bed on the beach at 8 a.m.
I have been to Cancun about 20 times. Only once around Christmas then we arrived between Christmas and New Year. It has never taken me 2 hours to get out of the airport. I have been out in under 30 minutes. Two hours from touch down to lobby is more the norm. Our last trip we spent more time at the luggage carousel than in line. This was in November 2021 with a 3:50 PM arrival. I think it would be very unlikely that VIP could save you more than an hour. Is it worth $400 an hour? I guess that depends on how much money you have and how long it takes you to earn $400.
