Cost Savings to Cozumel from Houston - Is it worth it?

[Charles2]

For the last few weeks, I have been planning a trip for two to the Playa del Carmen for a few weeks of diving and relaxation. I always try to find the lowest cost travel, but tend to prefer major airlines. On all these scenarios, I am assuming that the leg from the airport to the resort will cost about the same, whether it is cab from Cancun or cab-ferry-cab from Cozumel; therefore, I am not including this cost in the analysis.

Round Trip airfare from Houston to Cancun - $846. Total cost for two $1,692.

Round Trip airfare from Houston to Cozumel - $650 - Total cost for two $1,300.

This next option might be a little risky, but it does save some money. The plan is to fly to Dallas (Love Field) and catch a round trip flight (with one stop in Houston) to Cancun or Cozumel - Then, upon the return flight, abandon the trip in Houston.

One Way Ticket to Dallas (Love Field) - $82 - Round Trip airfare to Cancun - $518. Total cost for two $1,200.

One Way Ticket to Dallas (Love Field) - $82 - Round Trip airfare to Cozumel - $326. Total cost for two $816.

The cheapest is probably the most difficult, but hey, we're on an adventure vacation.

Have any of you tried this? If so, what were your experiences? Would you do it again?

 

[paulw]

Southwest is going to Cancun cheap, take a look:
Select Departing Flight:



DOLLARS$207 - $431POINTS10,710 - 45,240

Depart	Arrive	Flight #(% ontime)	Routing	Travel Time(hh:mm)	Business Select$431	Anytime$403	Wanna Get Away$207 - $301

6:05 AM	12:40 PM	4372/​1134	1 stop Change Planes ATL	6:35	$ 431	$ 403	$ 207
7:15 AM	2:25 PM	3305/​220	1 stop Change Planes MDW	7:10	$ 431	$ 403	$ 301
8:35 AM	2:45 PM	3300/​1836	1 stop Change Planes SAT	6:10	$ 431	$ 403	$ 207
10:05 AM	2:45 PM	981/​1836	1 stop Change Planes SAT	4:40	$ 431	$ 403	$ 207

Select Returning Flight:

 

[diversteve]

Let me understand this correctly - optimally you want to fly from Houston to Cancun for two weeks right? When?

Maybe it's different there but from here Cancun is always substantially cheaper than Cozumel. Did you switch the first two?

United has about 6 Non-stop flights from IAH to Cancun on Saturday morning. For $476 R/T. PP. Seems a lot less adventurous to me...



If you abandon the flight in Dallas what about your luggage?

Try this with your dates. They won't show Southwest. http://matrix.itasoftware.com/

 

[Stoo]

I generally try to avoid "adventures" when flying. I'll save the adventure part for diving and stuff.

Take the most direct route if you can, even if you pay a small premium. Fewer changes means less chance of gear going on vacation without you!

(And all of this assumes you put no value on your time!)

 

[lamarpaulski]

Agree with diversteve..usually Cancun is significantly cheaper than Cozumel ? At least every time I have researched it. I would put up with the hassle to save $800...if your scenario is accurate. Why not dive out of Cozumel ?

 

[DandyDon]

I saw a family get on the sardine van in Cozumel only to get off at the ferry to PDC once. I figured someone just booked a mistake? :silly:

The plan is to fly to Dallas (Love Field) and catch a round trip flight (with one stop in Houston) to Cancun or Cozumel - Then, upon the return flight, abandon the trip in Houston.

I think he is thinking that they have to clear I&C at the first stop in the US, and once he does that - he can take his bags out the door instead of rechecking bags and boarding the next plane. It could work, if your checked bags don't get lost - which is rare. As a back up, one of you could become very ill at the airport as your excuse for not boarding, then play that in filing your bag claim. Flying from Houston to catch a plane to Mexico that stops in your original city is a bother still. I'd have to save a fortune to mess with it, risk weather problems, etc.

I just think you have your fares mixed up as Cancun is virtually always cheaper than Cozumel for planet tickets.

Southwest is going to Cancun cheap, take a look:
Select Departing Flight:

DOLLARS$207 - $431POINTS10,710 - 45,240:

I remember when SWA was a fun & cheap airline in the 1980s, with all cute girls, etc. Time have changed. Now the only thing great about them is their free bag checking.

Your $207 fare is one-way, right - on some flights? $414 at best. I hate discussing fares without knowing city pairs and date pairs/range as it varies so much - but as difficult as their site is to shop (and they don't supply info to other sites), I can find Houston to Cancun as low as $193 one day in a target week, on Feb 17. Two weeks later, looking at return flights every day that week (what a pain!), the best I see is $215, only on one flight on March 5. Hard to find the best fares, but at best: $408

Looking at regular airlines which also cooperate with each other to help passengers when things are going bad, I'll ignore Spirit's $376, and find many flights with AeroMexico at $429. So SWA is not really so cheap on fares.

 

[Doc]

....I remember when SWA was a fun & cheap airline in the 1980s, with all cute girls, etc. Time have changed. Now the only thing great about them is their free bag checking....

Spit morning coffee on my IMac as well as my favorite Tabby cat who was sitting in my lap.

 

[kmurray719]

Let me understand this correctly - optimally you want to fly from Houston to Cancun for two weeks right? When?

Maybe it's different there but from here Cancun is always substantially cheaper than Cozumel. Did you switch the first two?

United has about 6 Non-stop flights from IAH to Cancun on Saturday morning. For $476 R/T. PP. Seems a lot less adventurous to me...

View attachment 201352

If you abandon the flight in Dallas what about your luggage?

Try this with your dates. They won't show Southwest. Matrix - ITA Software by Google

I've recently found that flights to Cozumel have been cheaper than flights to Cancun. And that's comparing flights from BOS to CUN with a layover somewhere, not direct flights to Cancun. It's been really weird! Flights to Cancun right now in March are almost $600 (and that's on Spirit airlines) Southwest is over $900. Flights those same dates to CZM are $530, $600 with the best flight times. The dates don't particularly matter as I've seen this happening for multiple time frames. It seems the days of $300 airfare to Cancun are gone, at least for those of us in New England.

 

[jake11]

Wow!! this is great to know!!

Southwest is going to Cancun cheap, take a look:
Select Departing Flight:



DOLLARS$207 - $431POINTS10,710 - 45,240

Depart	Arrive	Flight #(% ontime)	Routing	Travel Time(hh:mm)	Business Select$431	Anytime$403	Wanna Get Away$207 - $301

6:05 AM	12:40 PM	4372/​1134	1 stop Change Planes ATL	6:35	$ 431	$ 403	$ 207
7:15 AM	2:25 PM	3305/​220	1 stop Change Planes MDW	7:10	$ 431	$ 403	$ 301
8:35 AM	2:45 PM	3300/​1836	1 stop Change Planes SAT	6:10	$ 431	$ 403	$ 207
10:05 AM	2:45 PM	981/​1836	1 stop Change Planes SAT	4:40	$ 431	$ 403	$ 207

Select Returning Flight:

---------- Post added January 17th, 2015 at 09:34 AM ----------

I agree with Stoo!! " The Adventure Flying" could very well ruin your entire trip!! I would opt to pay the extra bucks !

I generally try to avoid "adventures" when flying. I'll save the adventure part for diving and stuff.

Take the most direct route if you can, even if you pay a small premium. Fewer changes means less chance of gear going on vacation without you!

(And all of this assumes you put no value on your time!)

 

[kmurray719]

Wow!! this is great to know!!

---------- Post added January 17th, 2015 at 09:34 AM ----------

Double check but I'm pretty sure those prices are one-way, not round trip......