Playa del Carmen: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Playa del Carmen is a city of 149,923 people in Mexico (Quintana Roo), 9 m (30 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Cozumel International Airport (CZM), 20 km (12 mi) from the centre.
Key facts
Open Playa del Carmen in Google Maps
Daylight in Playa del Carmen runs from about 10 h 55 min a day in late December to 13 h 25 min in late June (computed for 20.63° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Playa del Carmen is served by 3 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Cozumel International Airport (CZM), 20 km (12 mi) from the centre, whose 10,165-ft runway is long enough for long-haul wide-body aircraft. The alternatives are Cancún International Airport (CUN, 51 km), Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport Tulum (TQO, 79 km).
Flights to Playa del Carmen: every airport, routes and times
Buses to Playa del Carmen · Driving and car hire
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Mérida, 267 km — flights · buses · car rental · tours
- Cancún, 65 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Campeche, 369 km — buses · car rental
- Chetumal, 267 km — buses · car rental · tours
Common questions
Which airport serves Playa del Carmen?
Cozumel International Airport (CZM), 20 km (12 mi) from the centre, plus 2 other airports with scheduled flights within 100 km.
How big is Playa del Carmen?
About 149,923 people live in Playa del Carmen (GeoNames).
What time zone is Playa del Carmen in?
America/Cancun, currently UTC-5.
What currency is used in Playa del Carmen?
The Peso (MXN). Traffic drives on the right.
Which cities are near Playa del Carmen?
Mérida (267 km), Cancún (65 km), Campeche (369 km), Chetumal (267 km).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.