Compare Cancun flights

Cancún has something of a double life: on the one hand, it's an upscale coastal resort on Mexico's Yucatán peninsula; on the other, it's a magnet for hard-partying US (and sometimes British) college kids. That wide appeal might explain why flights to Cancún are so easy to find, and why you can pick up some pretty cheap direct ones.

In fact, you can sometimes fly to Cancún for only a little more than it would cost you to reach some of Europe's big beach destinations. With white sand beaches, turquoise waters, great scuba diving and – yes – plenty of lively bars awaiting you, that's a pretty appealing prospect.

The cheapest flights to Cancún tend to come between September and November, when temperatures are high but the weather can be rainy. If you're looking for the best value, that comes in spring – flights are slightly more expensive, but not much, and the weather is better.

That said, bear in mind US college spring breaks fall in February, March and April, and that brings the party crowds into town. If that's not your thing, May and June flights are good buys. Unfortunately, you'll pay much more if you want to fly during the UK school summer holidays. For the best Cancún flight prices, the times to avoid are Christmas, mid-July and August.

In some cases, you can save money by choosing an indirect flight over a direct one – for instance, flying out of Manchester on a direct flight, and back with Eurowings via Dusseldorf. From London, direct flights are often cheaper, but options like Air Canada via Montreal or Swiss via Zurich can be worth a look.

The exact length of your flight to Cancún depends on your departure airport. As a general rule, you can expect direct flights to take between 10 and 11 hours. Note that there are no direct flights from London Heathrow, only from London Gatwick.

Unusually for a long-haul route, adding a stopover to your Cancún journey is rarely worth it. As mentioned above, the cheapest flights to this destination are usually the direct ones. Where there are savings to be made with a stopover, they will rarely be more than a few pounds.

Your time in Cancún is likely to be divided between activities like lounging on the beach, going snorkelling or diving amid swirls of brightly coloured fish, sipping on margaritas and hitting the local bars and clubs. But there’s a lot to explore outside the city, too, and if you hire a car you’ll be well placed to explore the wildlife-filled jungles and the ancient Mayan ruins of the wider Yucatán peninsula.

It's particularly worth taking a cenote tour – these natural swimming holes are one of the Yucatán's most distinctive features, and many of them are absolutely stunning. The most famous and easiest to reach get very crowded, so if you've got your own wheels you'll be able to hit some of the lesser-known cenotes.

As for accommodation, Cancún is renowned for its luxury resorts, and you can get some good deals when you buy accommodation and flights together. But beyond the upscale options, there are plenty of less extravagant hotels and resorts to choose from too. Visit our Cancún holidays page for more ideas and to search for package deals.