10 Tips to Find Cheap Flights from New York to Cancun
Follow these 10 tips from Hopper to find cheap flights from New York to Cancun and you could save up to $335 per round-trip ticket!
Hopper Editors - Thu Oct 26 2017
There’s no question about it, New York has travelers of all shapes and sizes, dispositions and desires; from the free and spirited spring breakers, to the tan-hungry sun seekers eager to escape the shade of Central Park. Then there are the swimmers and surfers, the history lovers, the culture-vulture city slickers, the unapologetic hedonists, the culinary explorers and the intrepid types looking to escape the beaten track.
Well, between Cancun’s coral-white beaches and its pumping shoreline cocktail bars, between its luxury five-star lounges and long coral-laden coastlands, among its misty jungles and looming Mayan temple terraces, there’s plenty of action, adventure, relaxation and enjoyment to suite the appetite of every traveler. Here are some tips on how to find cheap flights from New York to Cancun, courtesy of the Hopper research team.
Photo by nan palmero/Flickr.
1. The cheapest time to book a flight from New York to Cancun is 30 days in advance, saving up to $145
You know how the saying goes, the early bird who catches the worm. Well, unfortunately things aren’t so simple when it comes to booking flights from New York to Cancun, because we’ve found that flight prices are actually at their lowest just 30 days before the desired departure date. That should give you plenty of time to pack the sunnies, dust of the sandals and find a suitable hotel somewhere on the sands of the Riviera Maya, don’t you think?
2. The cheapest time to fly from New York to Cancun is in November, saving up to $100
While the trees of Central Park are taking on their autumn hues and the branches of Joyce Kilmer are beginning to bare, then why not consider a jaunt down the spine of the Eastern Seaboard to Cancun, where November brings the promise of 84-degree highs and the Mexican sun continues to arch steadily through the sky. Oh and by the way, it’s the cheapest month to fly, with our stats showing a possible saving of up to $100 on departures!
3. The cheapest day to fly from New York to Cancun is on a Sunday, saving up to $24
Any New Yorkers looking to save a few extra bucks for their rum punches or mojitos on the rocks should be sure to check out Sunday departures on flights from New York to Cancun, because our research is showing a possible saving of $24 on the route. With just under 15,000 searches on average, it’s also one of the least popular arrival days for visitors hitting the Yucatan, meaning there’s a chance you’ll avoid the heaving crowds at customs too.
4. Save up to $34 by returning on a Thursday
If you’re looking to save as much as possible on flights then midweek is unquestionably the best time to return from your jaunt in the south, with Thursday departures back to New York coming in almost $34 lower on average. Just think, you could sun yourself on the shimmering sands of Playa del Carmen one day, roam Chichen Itza’s mysterious ancient temples the next, and still make it back in time for Friday’s Midtown parties!
5. The cheapest day to buy a flight from New York to Cancun is on a Tuesday, saving up to $32
If work is proving too much on a Tuesday, then why not spend it searching for your flights into Cancun? You may just be in for a pleasant surprise. Our findings show that would-be travelers can save up to $32 by booking their flights on a Tuesday, which also has the highest amount of average searches during the week. Thursday and Monday are also cheap options, while you’ll want to avoid buying your tickets on Wednesdays and the weekend, when fares peak at just under $450 return.
6. Fly out of JFK for the best deals on non-stop flights
Three of the four airlines offering nonstop flights on the route from New York to Cancun depart out of the city’s John F Kennedy International, making it unquestionably the best option for any fliers trying to save some pesos on the journey. Travelers who prefer to fly out of EWR can expect to pay about $80, on average, more for their direct flights.
7. JetBlue has the cheapest direct flights from New York to Cancun
It may not come as a surprise that it’s budget carrier, JetBlue, who comes up trumps as the cheapest airline flying nonstop out of New York’s JFK, with bargain seats on their route to Cancun priced at just $401 on average. That said, passengers should always consider any extra charges or fees that may apply when flying on low-cost airlines, with JetBlue tagging on an additional $40 for a checked bag and even more for things like extra legroom and in-flight meals.
Airlines offering direct flights from New York to Cancun:- JetBlue makes the journey in 4 hours for $400 round trip, on average.- American makes the journey in 4 hours for $449 round trip, on average.- United makes the journey in 4.5 hours for $481 round trip, on average.- Aeromexico makes the journey in 4 hours for $499 round trip, on average.
Airlines offering connecting flights from New York to Cancun:- Spirit makes the journey in 6 hours via Fort Lauderdale for $407 round trip, on average.- Delta makes the journey in 7.5 hours via Atlanta for $418 round trip, on average.- United makes the journey in 6.5 hours via Washington DC for $462 round trip, on average.
8. Check out Hopper’s When to Fly and Buy Reports for up-to-date information
If you’re eager to bank as many bucks as you can for the classy joints of Cancun’s hotel zone, or perhaps some adventurous jaunts to the eye-popping historical ruins that linger in the jungles around the town, then be sure to take a look at Hopper’s When to Fly and Buy Report. It provides would-be fliers with a comprehensive breakdown of stats sourced from right across the web, collating more than 4.5 million searches for departures out of JFK, and just over 2 million for flights leaving the city’s LaGuardia international.
9. Take a look at Hopper’s Airline Fees Calculator to get the real cost of your ticket
If, like many a New Yorker, you’re a stickler for knowing precisely what it is you’re paying for, then when it comes to flights to Cancun, there can be no substitute for Hopper’s Airline Fees Calculator. Simple, easy-to-use and up-to-date, it’s a free online application that offers would-be fliers a visual breakdown of all the costs associated with their ticket, from the price of checked in baggage, to the charge for seat selection and more.
10. Keep in mind that a cheap flight from New York’s JFK to Cancun is about $427 round trip
After sifting through more than 6.5 million pieces of data related to flight departures from New York’s international airports to Cancun, our team has agreed that any tickets at or under $427 are a great deal for passengers on the route. Granted some of the luckiest buyers do manage to transport themselves to the tropical Yucatan for less (with the cheapest flight we found priced at just $326), but more than 50% of passengers pay full-price for tickets, with totals ballooning to between $600 and $700!