Cancun Airport - Customs Information (2024)

FAQs

How do I get through customs at Cancun Airport? ›

During the inbound flight, you will receive and need to fill out a customs form (Hacienda). After passing through immigration, you collect your bags and proceed to the exit. You will hand the form to the customs agent and press the button on what looks like a traffic light.

Since Cancun has smashed its arrivals records in 2021, customs and immigration are experiencing some serious backups. Depending on how many flights are landing at once, you might be through immigration in as little as 10 minutes, but we've seen lineups of over 3 hours. Be prepared for the worst and hope for the best.

To get through customs as quickly as possible ensure that you have filled out your customs form in advance. The form is one per family. You don't need to fill out one for each person. Ensure that you are not carrying any of the prohibited goods, listed above and travel light.

If you enter or leave Mexico, you must declare any sum of money equaling US$10,000 or more that you bring in cash, checks, money orders, other cashable documents or a combination of them. Failing to declare carries a fine ranging from 20% to 40% of the exceeding amount.

All your luggage including carry-ons will go through a scanner. Once you give your customs form (one per family) to the agent you'll be asked to press a button.

Travelers must have a valid and current passport or a passport card to enter the country. This passport will be stamped. You will need to show this stamp when you depart from the airport. “Passport Cards” can only be used for land border crossing and are not permitted for international air travel into the country.

Passengers must arrive at least 2 hours prior for any international flight. All carry-on bags are being subjected to security screenings. All passengers regardless of age (including minors and unaccompanied minors) may be subject to additional screening if selected at random or if circ*mstances warrant.

The amount of medication you carry during the trip should not exceed the amount needed for your stay in Mexico. The medical prescription must be translated into Spanish. Medications must be placed in hand luggage, with their respective boxes and in transparent bags.

How long does customs usually take? On average, it takes travelers 17 minutes and 53 seconds to get through Immigration and Customs. This number will vary based on the airport you're traveling through, the time of year you're traveling, and the time of day you're arriving at the airport.

While previously visitors could have waited up to 82 minutes until they got past security, now the new average is 57 minutes.

What are the busiest times at Cancun airport? ›

High season at Cancun airport

These are the peak season dates for Cancun Airport: Winter Vacation (December 20th to January 15th) Spring Break and Easter (March 11th to April 22th) Summer Vacation (end of July to end of August)

What's the Deal? Viajero Confiable is Mexico's version of Global Entry. It's currently available in 3 locations: Cancun, Los Cabos, and Mexico City. Members can skip the line at Immigration & Customs when entering Mexico and use kiosks to get through more efficiently.

Fill in the forms, print, sign and bring with you. Immigration form must be printed double sided.

Items Not Allowed in Mexico:

Pepper spray. Lethal knives and machetes (anything over 8” is not allowed) Live predator fish. Totoaba fish (fresh or frozen)

Items allowed in your personal luggage (excluded from duty) include: Goods for personal use, such as clothing, footwear and personal toiletries and beauty products, as long as they are appropriate for the duration of the trip, including wedding party items. Baby travel accesories, such as strollers and baby-walkers.

Prohibited/Permissible Items

Check with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) about importing any medications prior to crossing into Mexico. CBP has a zero-tolerance policy on illegal drugs. Any type, in any amount may result in serious fines, seizure of vehicle, federal record and/or imprisonment.

ALL airport personnel are searched and screened for items before they leave the airport's premises after a day's work. This is done to ensure that they do not take items that they might have found. The Security Office IS NOT responsible for luggage and items forgotten inside the airplane.

Speed your way through customs with e-gates and preclearance programs. At the Cancún International Airport in Mexico, clearing passport control can now take less time than ordering a frozen drink at the Margaritaville bar in Terminal 3.

Cancun Customs

During the inbound flight, you will receive and need to fill out a customs form (Hacienda). After passing through immigration, you collect your bags and proceed to the exit.

How do I get through customs faster? ›

Trusted Traveler Program Enrollment

Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States. Members enter the United States through automatic kiosks at select airports.

Can I use TSA PreCheck® when flying from a U.S. airport to a foreign country? Yes. TSA PreCheck® is available when you depart from a U.S. airport to a foreign country, and for domestic, connecting flights after you return to the United States.

Global Entry

All applicants undergo a rigorous background check and in-person interview before enrollment. Global Entry members will have TSA PreCheck applied automatically. Global Entry costs $100 and is valid for up to five (5) years.

Cancun Airport Departures

If your flight is national, we recommend arriving 2 hours before departure, if it's international, we suggest 3 hours.

Medication is usually screened by X-ray; however, if a passenger does not want a medication X-rayed, he or she may ask for a visual inspection instead. This request must be made before any items are sent through the X-ray tunnel.

As a U.S. citizen, you do not need to declare prescription medication, but the CBP requires you to have the medication in its original containers, or that you travel with a copy of the prescription or a doctor's note on hand.

As mentioned, you don't need to have your pills in their original bottles under TSA guidelines. However, when traveling out of the country, having those pills in their original prescription bottles may make the customs process smoother and simpler.

Allow enough time: Customs can be time-consuming, especially during peak travel periods. Make sure you allow enough time to clear customs and get to your connecting flight. As a general rule, it's best to allow at least two hours for international layovers.

If you know you'll be traveling during a peak time, it's probably still a good idea to plan on the standard two hours for domestic flights and three hours for international flights. If you're heading to the airport at a slower time of day, then you can consider arriving a little later.

Typically, customs clearance takes less than 24 hours, however, there are times where it can take several days or weeks for goods to be inspected. When is customs clearance needed? Customs clearance is necessary for all packages entering the U.S. from other countries.

What happens when you arrive at Cancun Airport? ›

Upon arrival at the Cancun Airport, you will pass through immigration and present the Mexican immigration agent with your passport. You will then claim your luggage and proceed through customs to declare any goods. You will press a button on a light resembling a traffic signal.

To this day, there are no entry restrictions in Mexico and no obligation to carry a COVID test or to do quarantine. Check the current status of the pandemic in Mexico and follow the sanitary rules to prevent contagion (information only in Spanish).

Cancun International Airport is among the busiest in the world, handling some 30 million passengers last year. The airport currently has 4 terminals, with terminals 2 and 3 being the largest.

The best time to visit Cancun is March and April when temperatures are in the 80s Fahrenheit and high 20s Celsius. Rainfall is the lowest of the year. The worst time is September and October during hurricane season. Although March and April are usually ideal, travel planners have some other options.

Low season in Cancun

The low season is from June to October, with September and October being the least crowded. Tourists won't surround you, and you'll get the best prices.

Cancun's low season runs from June through October as it's the main rainy season in Mexico. Days are super hot, heavy and sticky, with frequent downpours and pretty unpredictable weather.

How Long Will Customs Clearance Take When Shipping to Mexico? All in all, once your shipment arrives at custom broker's facilities, it should take between 48 and 72 hours for it to successfully navigate customs.

Citizens entry into Mexico's new trusted traveler program, which expedites security screening into the country. Viajero Confiable is a trusted traveler program that allows fast and safe entry into Mexico by allowing members to process themselves at automated kiosks located at designated airports.

If you arrive by land you'll either enter as a pedestrian or with your vehicle. See information about taking your foreign-plated vehicle to Mexico. If you arrive by air, you will need to clear Immigration and Customs at your first port of entry to Mexico.

Tourists flying into several airports in Mexico no longer need to fill out tourist cards. The affected airports are Mexico City: Benito Juarez, Jalisco: Puerto Vallarta, Quintana Roo: Cancun, Baja California Sur: Los Cabos, and Baja California Sur: La Paz.

What documents do I need to get through customs? ›

Filling Out Customs Forms Online

You can print just a customs form or use Click-N-Ship^® service to pay for postage and print an international shipping label and a customs form.

All your luggage including carry-ons will go through a scanner. Once you give your customs form (one per family) to the agent you'll be asked to press a button. A green light means go on ahead and if you get the red light the agents give your bags a more thorough inspection which usually take a couple minutes.

If you enter or leave Mexico, you must declare any sum of money equaling US$10,000 or more that you bring in cash, checks, money orders, other cashable documents or a combination of them. Failing to declare carries a fine ranging from 20% to 40% of the exceeding amount.

During the inbound flight, you will receive and need to fill out a customs form (Hacienda). After passing through immigration, you collect your bags and proceed to the exit. You will hand the form to the customs agent and press the button on what looks like a traffic light.

When entering the United States from overseas, you must obtain your luggage and bring them through Customs and Border Protection (CBP). You will need to check them back into the airlines to make your next flight. Baggage not obtained after your international flight will not get to your final destination.

A valid passport book is required to enter Mexico by air, and those attempting to enter at an airport with a U.S. passport card only may be denied admission.

Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States. Members enter the United States through automatic kiosks at select airports.

If your international layover is within the Schengen Zone, you will not have to go through customs and immigration for your layover. For example, if you are flying from France to Spain and then onto Mexico, you will only have to go through customs and immigration upon arrival in Mexico.

Do I Need to Go Through Customs for a Connecting Flight in Mexico City? Upon arrival at the airport, passengers disembark the aircraft and hand their travel documents to National Immigration Service staff, who will direct them to the transit hall. Travelers will remain here until boarding their onward flight.

At what point do you go through customs at the airport? ›

Usually, you go through customs when you exit the airport at your final destination. However, if you have a layover in a different city in your destination country, you may need to go through customs before your connecting flight.

Is 1 hour enough for customs? Based on historic clearance times, 1 hour should be enough time to get through Immigration and Customs. Most airports in the U.S. will get passengers through in less than 30 minutes, while others (such as Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport) will take longer.

You have the right to remain silent and do not have to discuss your immigration or citizenship status with police, immigration agents or any other officials. You do not have to answer questions about where you were born, whether you are a U.S. citizen, or how you entered the country.

When does a traveler clear U.S. Customs and Border Protection? If a connection to another U.S. city is involved, the traveler will not be required to go through another clearance when they arrive at that final U.S. destination.

Cancun Customs

During the inbound flight, you will receive and need to fill out a customs form (Hacienda). After passing through immigration, you collect your bags and proceed to the exit. You will hand the form to the customs agent and press the button on what looks like a traffic light.

You'll need to pick-up your luggage, then check it in again for the next flight. Top Tip: A wait at the airport between two connecting flights is called a layover. For more travel advice, check out our guide to dealing with a short layover.

You'll need to clear customs and immigration. Next, you'll recheck your luggage for the domestic flight. Finally, you'll need to go through Transportation Security Administration screening.

If you are a U.S. citizen, you need only answer questions establishing your identity and citizenship, although refusing to answer routine questions about the nature and purpose of your travel could result in delay and/or further inspection.

Everyone arriving at a port of entry to the U.S. is subject to inspection by Customs and Border Protection officers for compliance with immigration, customs and agriculture regulations. The more international travelers know about what to expect, the easier and quicker the process becomes.

Now, finally, the answer to, “when do you go through customs?” After passport control, you'll claim your luggage and make your way to customs. If you have nothing to declare, you can get in a line with a green arrow. If you have goods to declare, get in a line with a red arrow.