So I'm wondering if CUN is served from Asia. CUN is the most visited destination from overseas. If they were flights to CUN from Asia, probably JL, KE, and NH would serve those routes.

Low-yield vacation traffic isn't enough to justify two widebody frames for even the shortest plausible CUN-Asia flight, NRT-CUN:



MEX-NRT is currently the only nonstop Asia-Latin/South America (outside of the Middle East) flight

Routes of this distance need premium seating to be profitable. Tourists, which is the primary Cancun market, don't pay for premium seating generally speaking. The aircraft deployed on this route are much better deployed on higher-yielding routes such as NYC, ORD, LAX, etc.
Also (this is beaten to death in the Europe-Hawaii threads but it applies here) there are closer beach destinations for Asian tourists. I'm not as familiar with the leisure destinations in the far east but Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, and the Pacific islands are all closer and quite honestly better vacation destinations than Cancun is.
If a Japanese family still really wants to go to Cancun, they have plenty of options:
NRT-DEN-CUN on UA
HND-SEA-CUN on AS/DL
TYO-LAX-CUN on an NH/UA codeshare, JL/AA codeshare
NRT-EWR-CUN on UA
I understand ICN-EWR is a touchy subject but hopefully a Korean family would be ok with ICN-JFK-CUN on KE/DL codeshare, or ICN-ATL-CUN.

Endless existing one-stop options, and the passenger base isn't going to pay enough for a direct flight to justify it.

0hAerqplane wrote:

So I'm wondering if CUN is served from Asia. CUN is the most visited destination from overseas. If they were flights to CUN from Asia, probably JL, KE, and NH would serve those routes.

Same reason why all those overseas flights to CUN are operated by leisure airlines and not mainline airlines, CUN is a cheap, tropical getaway and Asia traffic would be no different. At 7500nm plus, the high operating costs for a low yield market is not a compelling argument to serve a such a route.

Is there even a market for Asians and Cancun? Don't recall seeing many down there or any where in Mexico or the Caribbean for that matter.

Perhaps Korean Airlines could establish a hub there. It is only an hour flight to the Alamo.

BWIAirport wrote:

If a Japanese family still really wants to go to Cancun, they have plenty of options:
NRT-DEN-CUN on UA
HND-SEA-CUN on AS/DL
TYO-LAX-CUN on an NH/UA codeshare, JL/AA codeshare
NRT-EWR-CUN on UA

Endless existing one-stop options, and the passenger base isn't going to pay enough for a direct flight to justify it.

In addition to the connecting options that are there to CUN from TYO through AA/DL/UA/AS hubs, there is also 1-stop connectivity on AM to CUN from NRT through MEX.

0hAerqplane wrote:

CUN is the most visited destination from overseas.

I guess you mean from the US? Because that changes depending on the origin country. From Australia it would be NZ or Bali. From Sth Korea it would be San Antonio, etc.

bfitzflyer wrote:

Perhaps Korean Airlines could establish a hub there. It is only an hour flight to the Alamo.

What? Are you suggesting that KE fly ICN-SAT-CUN? I’m pretty sure San Antonio isn’t at the top of travel destinations for South Koreans.

mesasurf wrote:

bfitzflyer wrote:

Perhaps Korean Airlines could establish a hub there. It is only an hour flight to the Alamo.

What? Are you suggesting that KE fly ICN-SAT-CUN? I’m pretty sure San Antonio isn’t at the top of travel destinations for South Koreans.

You're missing the joke. Look at some of the OP's previous threads.

Looking at the thread, title … It took me all of the one guess to figure out the thread starter

BWIAirport wrote:

Routes of this distance need premium seating to be profitable. Tourists, which is the primary Cancun market, don't pay for premium seating generally speaking. The aircraft deployed on this route are much better deployed on higher-yielding routes such as NYC, ORD, LAX, etc.
Also (this is beaten to death in the Europe-Hawaii threads but it applies here) there are closer beach destinations for Asian tourists. I'm not as familiar with the leisure destinations in the far east but Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, and the Pacific islands are all closer and quite honestly better vacation destinations than Cancun is.
If a Japanese family still really wants to go to Cancun, they have plenty of options:
NRT-DEN-CUN on UA
HND-SEA-CUN on AS/DL
TYO-LAX-CUN on an NH/UA codeshare, JL/AA codeshare
NRT-EWR-CUN on UA
I understand ICN-EWR is a touchy subject but hopefully a Korean family would be ok with ICN-JFK-CUN on KE/DL codeshare, or ICN-ATL-CUN.

Endless existing one-stop options, and the passenger base isn't going to pay enough for a direct flight to justify it.

Probably for a Japanese family, NRT-DEN-CUN on UA would be the best option, if they wanted to go to Cancun. For a Korean family, ICN-LAX-CUN on KE/DL would be the best option, if they wanted to go to Cancun. If KE or NH/JL were to start ICN/NRT-CUN flights, it would be operated with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

bfitzflyer wrote:

Perhaps Korean Airlines could establish a hub there. It is only an hour flight to the Alamo.

You forgot about United's ICN hub. Surely they could run that route.

0hAerqplane wrote:

If KE or NH/JL were to start ICN/NRT-CUN flights, it would be operated with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

I mean, that's a given.

BWIAirport wrote:

0hAerqplane wrote:

If KE or NH/JL were to start ICN/NRT-CUN flights, it would be operated with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

I mean, that's a given.

Their B787 fleets would be better suited to SZG or VIE. CUN is the most popular destination overseas though, so perhaps KE or NH could use their A380, or JL could get some cheap B747-8F and convert them to pax aircraft. I understand their aren't many business class passengers though, so they should be fitted with all economy seating.

BWIAirport wrote:

NRT-DEN-CUN on UA
HND-SEA-CUN on AS/DL
TYO-LAX-CUN on an NH/UA codeshare, JL/AA codeshare
NRT-EWR-CUN on UA

Which all got the disadvantage of having to clear immigration upon arrival in the US, only to leave the US immediately after. But it would require a visa for the US. The US is not the most friendly country when it comes to international-to-international transfers. In most countries you don't have to clear immigration for such transfers, you can just remain airside which is a sterile international zone.

I'm not too familiar with Canada's international-to-international transfer policy so I don't know if it's any better than the American policy. But there are options through Canada, you can make NRT-YVR-CUN on Air Canada for example. Otherwise NRT-MEX-CUN on Aeromexico would be the best option I think.

0hAerqplane wrote:

So I'm wondering if CUN is served from Asia. CUN is the most visited destination from overseas. If they were flights to CUN from Asia, probably JL, KE, and NH would serve those routes.

Why would anyone want to travel to Cancun ? It is the most Americanized place in Mexico. Not a place for peope that actually want to experience real Mexican culture

Mortyman wrote:

0hAerqplane wrote:

So I'm wondering if CUN is served from Asia. CUN is the most visited destination from overseas. If they were flights to CUN from Asia, probably JL, KE, and NH would serve those routes.

Why would anyone want to travel to Cancun ? It is the most Americanized place in Mexico. Not a place for peope that actually want to experience real Mexican culture

It has a murder rate much higher than Detroit.- if that's what you meant by "Americanized".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c ... icide_rate

I'm wondering if DPS is served from North America. DPS is one of the most visited destinations from overseas. If there were flights to HKT from North America, probably AM, HA, WS would serve those routes.

johns624 wrote:

Mortyman wrote:

0hAerqplane wrote:

So I'm wondering if CUN is served from Asia. CUN is the most visited destination from overseas. If they were flights to CUN from Asia, probably JL, KE, and NH would serve those routes.

Why would anyone want to travel to Cancun ? It is the most Americanized place in Mexico. Not a place for peope that actually want to experience real Mexican culture

It has a murder rate much higher than Detroit.- if that's what you meant by "Americanized".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c ... icide_rate

No I'm talking about the fact that it's young Americans favourite party town and is basically besieges with US party tourists with all that comes with that in terms of American culture etc

PatrickZ80 wrote:

BWIAirport wrote:

NRT-DEN-CUN on UA
HND-SEA-CUN on AS/DL
TYO-LAX-CUN on an NH/UA codeshare, JL/AA codeshare
NRT-EWR-CUN on UA

Which all got the disadvantage of having to clear immigration upon arrival in the US, only to leave the US immediately after. But it would require a visa for the US. The US is not the most friendly country when it comes to international-to-international transfers. In most countries you don't have to clear immigration for such transfers, you can just remain airside which is a sterile international zone.

I'm not too familiar with Canada's international-to-international transfer policy so I don't know if it's any better than the American policy. But there are options through Canada, you can make NRT-YVR-CUN on Air Canada for example. Otherwise NRT-MEX-CUN on Aeromexico would be the best option I think.

You do actually bring up a good point that I hadn't considered, how difficult it is to connect in the US between two international destinations. That limits a lot of options for sure, making transiting through MEX, YVR, YYZ more likely. Or the traveler could go westbound and connect through Europe.
The point does still stand, however, that the direct customer base is too low-yielding to support such a flight on their own.

Because the Alamo is not in Cancun

Mortyman wrote:

0hAerqplane wrote:

So I'm wondering if CUN is served from Asia. CUN is the most visited destination from overseas. If they were flights to CUN from Asia, probably JL, KE, and NH would serve those routes.

Why would anyone want to travel to Cancun ? It is the most Americanized place in Mexico. Not a place for peope that actually want to experience real Mexican culture

The beaches are pretty, for one (not that there aren't others elsewhere). Plenty of activities available in the area as well, if not going down South to visit "Tulum" or Xcaret.

johns624 wrote:

It has a murder rate much higher than Detroit.- if that's what you meant by "Americanized".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c ... icide_rate

As our hotel host put it translated to English, "it's relatively safe here in the hotel zone, but in Cancun proper: it's Mexico".

The highest yielding Asia market from Mexico is already served by NH on NRT-MEX daily. AM used to fly NRT/ICN-MEX pre-pandemic and will resume NRT soon.

What is there in CUN that you can't get closer to home in Asia, like Phuket or Bali?

TheFlyingDisk wrote:

What is there in CUN that you can't get closer to home in Asia, like Phuket or Bali?

Chichen Itza and the Alamo is a short flight away. Actually lots of amazing Mayan ruins relatively close.

bfitzflyer wrote:

TheFlyingDisk wrote:

What is there in CUN that you can't get closer to home in Asia, like Phuket or Bali?

Chichen Itza and the Alamo is a short flight away. Actually lots of amazing Mayan ruins relatively close.

Southeast Asia has Angkor Wat, Borobudur, and many others stone structure sites.

eta unknown wrote:

I'm wondering if DPS is served from North America. DPS is one of the most visited destinations from overseas. If there were flights to HKT from North America, probably AM, HA, WS would serve those routes.

Its not, easy connection through SIN though.

jetwet1 wrote:

eta unknown wrote:

I'm wondering if DPS is served from North America. DPS is one of the most visited destinations from overseas. If there were flights to HKT from North America, probably AM, HA, WS would serve those routes.

Its not, easy connection through SIN though.

I think what eta unknown wrote was just a sarcasm. He knows Southeast Asia very well. Btw, DPS and HKT are more conveniently connected to North America through Japan, Korea, Hongkong, and Taiwan instead of Singapore.

afterburner wrote:

jetwet1 wrote:

eta unknown wrote:

I'm wondering if DPS is served from North America. DPS is one of the most visited destinations from overseas. If there were flights to HKT from North America, probably AM, HA, WS would serve those routes.

Its not, easy connection through SIN though.

I think what eta unknown wrote was just a sarcasm. He knows Southeast Asia very well. Btw, DPS and HKT are more conveniently connected to North America through Japan, Korea, Hongkong, and Taiwan instead of Singapore.

Sarcasm or not it also shows how stupid the transit visa thing in US can be. Going to DPS or HKT and connect at any of the above? You just leave your plane, go to a transit area, (depends on airport) go through security check one more time, then back to the gate you go.

BTW it depends on where you start in North America. Flying to HKT from, let say, JFK, it's actually shorter to connect at DXB compare to NRT.

afterburner wrote:

bfitzflyer wrote:

TheFlyingDisk wrote:

What is there in CUN that you can't get closer to home in Asia, like Phuket or Bali?

Chichen Itza and the Alamo is a short flight away. Actually lots of amazing Mayan ruins relatively close.

Southeast Asia has Angkor Wat, Borobudur, and many others stone structure sites.

Time to start SAT-REP or SAT-JOG!

zakuivcustom wrote:

You just leave your plane, go to a transit area, (depends on airport) go through security check one more time, then back to the gate you go.

In many of these countries you don't even go to a transit area and then through security check again, you just go straight to your gate of departure. They have a sterile international area, meaning the only way to get landside is through immigration. But only people who have that airport as their final destination or who are connecting to a domestic flight go through immigration, international-to-international passengers don't. It's mixed arrivals and departures.

PatrickZ80 wrote:

zakuivcustom wrote:

You just leave your plane, go to a transit area, (depends on airport) go through security check one more time, then back to the gate you go.

In many of these countries you don't even go to a transit area and then through security check again, you just go straight to your gate of departure. They have a sterile international area, meaning the only way to get landside is through immigration. But only people who have that airport as their final destination or who are connecting to a domestic flight go through immigration, international-to-international passengers don't. It's mixed arrivals and departures.

Was thinking mainly NRT. It has been awhile since I transfer at any East Asian airports, though...(i.e. TPE or ICN).

Definitely hassle-free either way compare to USA and that archaic system.

0hAerqplane wrote:

So I'm wondering if CUN is served from Asia. CUN is the most visited destination from overseas. If they were flights to CUN from Asia, probably JL, KE, and NH would serve those routes.

Asians seeking a tropical vacation can travel to places like Phuket, Hawaii, and a myriad of South Pacific islands, all of which are much closer. Travellers to CUN from overseas are mainly from Europe.

I know that it seems fun to think a link to any 2 cities in the world has to have some kind of value, but expecting a route of that length on a very thin market with next to no premium demand is not going to fly.

CUN will just have to focus on the Americas and Europe for its route growth.

TheFlyingDisk wrote:

What is there in CUN that you can't get closer to home in Asia, like Phuket or Bali?

Nachos and chimichanga
Oh wait thats American food

mesasurf wrote:

bfitzflyer wrote:

Perhaps Korean Airlines could establish a hub there. It is only an hour flight to the Alamo.

What? Are you suggesting that KE fly ICN-SAT-CUN? I’m pretty sure San Antonio isn’t at the top of travel destinations for South Koreans.

Also, SAT-CUN isn't one hour..is it?

trex8 wrote:

TheFlyingDisk wrote:

What is there in CUN that you can't get closer to home in Asia, like Phuket or Bali?

Nachos and chimichanga
Oh wait thats American food

Tequila and pozole then!

I mean, half of Istanbul is in Asia, so...

AntonioMartin wrote:

trex8 wrote:

TheFlyingDisk wrote:

What is there in CUN that you can't get closer to home in Asia, like Phuket or Bali?

Nachos and chimichanga
Oh wait thats American food

Tequila and pozole then!

GDL is closer to the US, physically and culturally (with Mexican Americans anyway), than CUN. So much for tequila .

Because you have one-stop options from East Asia to Mexico like AC via YVR, AA via DFW, UA via SFO/IAH, etc.