Immigration is followed by baggage claim and finally, customs.  Once you have worked your way through the Mexican customs station, you will enter a large, bright hall and turn right loaded down with luggage and carry-on bags.

Bathrooms are well marked.  Just follow the signs and leave one of your party to mind the luggage if you can’t fit it in the stall with you.  Now, let’s discuss the more challenging task of getting outside to the parking area where transportation awaits.    

It is here you’ll be presented with pitches for vacation clubs, alternate transportation options (usually far more expensive than anything you’ve already booked), tour companies, free offers, etc.  It is not necessarily that any of these are scams. 

Our motto has become “keep your head down, don’t make eye contact and head straight for the airport exit doors”.  Once you make it outside, there is a nice, if a little expensive, outdoor bar to the right.  It’s perfect for a drink or just a bottle of water (stay hydrated!) for the ride to your hotel.

Get Past the Marketers

Landing and deplaning at Cancun International Airport occurs out on a hot, humid runway.  Passengers then walk across the pavement to enter the terminal proper.  There are no bathrooms available until you pass thru the immigration lines. 

With the typical bewildered expressions of new airport arrivals everywhere, only two questions run through the minds of vacationers:

1) Where’s the bathroom?

2) How do I get to transportation?

You don’t need to speak with anyone inside the airport.  Nonetheless, a crowd of friendly, well-dressed, excellent English-speaking representatives will clamor for your attention.  Each person will know all about whatever it is you are seeking, be it XYZ Rent-A-Car, hotel vans, taxis, or a tour bus.  If you hesitate for even a moment to be polite, you’ll find yourself swept along to their information “station”.

Like most passengers having travelled for up to 20 hours, we only want to get to our hotel as quickly as possible and relax.  We can’t help viewing all this helpfulness as somewhat of an irritating delay.  

The folks outside the terminal are very helpful and will point you to the correct place to catch your transportation.