Flying home after New Year's on a Sunday we arrived more than 3 hours early and barely made it through the lines - it was insane. That was in 2011 so pushing 2 years ago. I think our combination of holiday and weekend was part of the problem; hopefully others with more experience will pipe up. In general I'd trust the shuttle company to know.

thanks for the info, that's just the kind of experience I wanted to know. This would be the Monday after Thanksgiving weekend. The shuttle company said usually 2 or 2.5 would work, but they say 3 to be on the safe side, as you never know what can happen. Same thing as when I drive to the airport, I always leave a good margin.

Cancun airport can be absolutely crazy and it can take a VERY long time to get through security and to your gate.
I would listen to the transport company and leave three hours. That may just be me, but I'd rather spend time in the airport than miss my flight!

I have flown in and out of Cancun around 15 times in the last 2 yrs. (during which we shopped for and bought a property in Playa del Carmen). I am leaving Mon. for two weeks...and going again for Christmas.

On Saturdays and Sundays at high season, and right after any holidays (like your flight on Mon. of Thanksgiving weekend), Cancun airport can be a total zoo. The lines get very long at the ticket counters for international flights, and the lines move very SLOWLY. And then come the long, slow security lines.

I once gave myself two hrs at CUN airport on the way home after a holiday, and almost missed my flight. I stood in line for almost 1.5 hrs at the airline ticket counter, just to get up to the self service kiosk (I had NO bags to check) to get a boarding pass and get my passport checked. Then I barely made it thru security. I RAN to the plane and cam eu as they were closing the airline door.

IMO, on Mon. after Thanksgiving, give yourself at least 2.5 hrs, but 3 hrs is better. So if you are fortunate you might have 30-45 min to kill. That is a lot better than missing your flight.

3 hours is what I did last year, the lines were not long but there were some folks ahead of me at the United counter with lots of luggage. I like to stop at Margaritaville if I have time.

Good point re Maragaritville! The food options at CUN are not great, and they are very pricey. FYI, there is a TGIFridays hidden on the upper level near B gates, behind the escalator.

Did not know about TGIF, ate at the one in Terminal 2 but did not know they had one in Terminal 3. Yes, the Cheeseburger in Paradise is huge, removed the lettuce and tomato and still had a hard time getting it into my mouth LOL.

thanks everyone for the opinions, it is really useful and I agree I'd rather have too much time at the airport than miss a flight, I just didn't expect it at such a small airport but now I know.

I think that's precisely the issue: It is such a small airport that it can't handle the volume of pax Cancun gets as a tourist destination. That makes everything a slow-moving process.

However, getting in and out of the airport on arrival can be crazy quick. Today I deplaned, went through immigration, got luggage, and went through customs, and was walking outside the airport within 15 min. of the time the plane arrived at the gate!

just a followup, the transfer company I used ended up picking me up about 3.5 hrs before my flight time (and the trip can be close to an hour), even though that isn't what I requested. And then they spent a lot more time picking up a couple folks staying in some places way off the main road.

So I didn't get to the airport until about 1.75 to 2 hrs before flight time, but it ended up being fine and there were only a couple people in line at the Air Tran counter on Monday (yesterday) and security wasn't bad. So it worked out okay.

By contrast, my experience on arrival was the worst (Thursday 11/22 around 2 pm). It wasn't quick at all, there were very long lines waiting to get through security, it took forever, I don't understand emd3's comment as it doesn't even mention security which was the holdup on leaving. YOu don't really go through customs unless you declare something, but your bags are screened to leave the Cancun airport, just like most places to get it. And then some can be searched, mine were. It's just like security to get in, but to leave. Never had that an any other airport.

Next time, book a private transfer and you will not have to stop to pick up other folks. I use USA Transfers but there are other good ones like Cancun Valet and AGI Tours.

Christina, you go through Immigration (the first line, where your passport gets stamped), then you get your checked luggage if you checked any, and proceed to the Customs line. Customs is where they Xray scan your luggage and carry on items, and you press the red button to see if youritems are manualy searched, and they hand you an immigration notice to take with you.

It's not "security" that xrays your luggage, those are customs employees.

See here, from Cancun Airport's webpage, descrition of immigration and customs procedures.

http://www.cancun-airport.com/customs.htm

I said above that customs can go quickly, but it does depend on the volume of people, of course. And whether you get the red light and get searched or not.

i used Discovery Mundo and they drop me off at airport 2 hours before my flight and timing was perfect! But i supposed it depends on dates, if it's vacation season i supposed there will be more people waiting to check in.

In my experience 2 hrs before flight has been enough. However, in 2011, it took over an hour to get through customs upon arrival.

you people are ignoring the fact that this poster is traveling the Monday after thanksgiving. they may never get home and spend the rest of their days on earth standing in a line.

They are also ignoring the fact that the OP's trip has come and gone!!!!

yeah that too. guess I need to check the dates that those posting above me are too lazy to check.