A new direct flight from San Antonio to Cancun, Mexico, will open May 28, with initial fares starting at $129 for a one-way ticket.
The nonstop flight from Sun Country Airlines, connecting San Antonio International Airport to Cancun International Airport, will run twice a week on Monday and Friday.
The departing flight will leave San Antonio at noon and arrive at Cancun at 2:30 p.m. The return flight departs Cancun at 3:35 p.m. and lands in San Antonio at 6:06 p.m.
The initial $129 fare is a temporary offer, a press release from the City’s aviation department said.
“As travel picks up, we expect Cancun to resume being a popular destination for leisure travelers,” said Jesus Saenz, San Antonio’s aviation director.
Prior to the pandemic, more than 61,000 travelers flew between SAT and Cancun each year, the release said.
Seasonal nonstop service to Cancun is already provided by Southwest Airlines, whose flights there begin again on March 13.
Increasing nonstop service from San Antonio was a priority for the city when it hired Saenz as the airport’s aviation director in late 2019.
The new flight’s announcement comes at a time when many American tourists are taking pandemic vacations in Mexico.
While many countries in Europe and Asia, and even U.S. destinations like New York City, have clamped down on pandemic travel, Mexico is comparatively relaxed about its quarantine requirements and admitting tourists without proof of a negative COVID-19 test.
However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently warns against travel to Mexico, which this week saw an average of more than 17,000 coronavirus cases and more than 1,000 deaths per day.
Beginning Jan. 26, the U.S. will require all international passengers to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test before boarding flights to the U.S.
In time for Sun Country Airline’s new flight, some experts believe the pandemic will begin to lessen going into the summer, as the coronavirus vaccine rollout continues.
