COZUMEL AIR TRAVEL 
Passport needed to re-enter the U.S.
PLUS
 What you may need if traveling with a minor

Be Flexible (Cozumel or Cancun)

For the best ticket price, we recommend you be flexible about both your departure airport (one within a couple of hours of home) and whether you fly directly to Cozumel or to Cancun. 

You can get from Cancun to Cozumel by traveling from the Cancun airport to Playa del Carmen (by  bus about $8.50 U.S. per person)  and then taking the passenger ferry from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel (about $12 U.S. per person).  

Comments from Cozumel vacationers - July 2008
"Our VivaAerobus experience was fine, no problems or delays, and very good value. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a cheap flight - if you book ahead it can be as little as $10!
We flew to Cancun and did the taxi/ferry/rental car route - which was fun!"
(NOTE:  taxes are additional and will add $80-$85 each way to the ticket price)

Airlines and Charters Flying to Cozumel or Cancun

US Airways (Daily flights from Charlotte, NC and connections from other US cities)
Continental (Daily from Houston and Newark)
Northwest Air - (connects with Continental in Houston)
American Airlines (direct from many US cities to Cancun plus now flies Dallas to Cozumel)
Mexicana Airlines (from major US cities to Cancun and Mexico City)
FunJet (from Dallas and other US cities depending on the season)
Apple Vacations  
MLT Vacations (from various cities depending on the season)
Adventure Tours (from Dallas, Phoenix and other US cities depending on the season)
VivaAerobus (discount fares from Austin, TX to Cancun, Mexico) 

"Air Only" Charters

Every charter that we've every dealt with has offered airfare only as well and airfare/hotel packages, but they don't always advertise it. Charter flights to Cozumel (or nearby Cancun) are normally scheduled once or twice a week or certain days of the week, but some fly direct to Cozumel daily during certain times of the year. Since there are a limited number of airfare only tickets on charters, some guests have found they could save money by purchasing an air/hotel charter package with the cheapest hotel possible, then not using the hotel. In some cases it can be cheaper than the rate on a scheduled, commercial airline.

http://www.funjet.com/  (flies from lots of cities in the U.S) 
http://www.applevacations.com 
http://www.skyserviceairlines.com  (mainly from Canada)
http://www.sunholidays.ca/  (from Canada)
http://www.atusa.com/  (from Dallas & Phoenix)
http://www.worryfreevacations.com/  (from Dallas/Ft. Worth, Denver, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, St. Louis)
http://www.tgvacations.com/ (from Minneapolis/St. Paul and North Dakota)

Scheduled Commercial Airlines

In addition to the charters, from time to time we find some good fares on some scheduled airlines too. Continental, US Airways, Mexicana,  Northwest, Delta and Atlantic SE Airlines book flights to Cozumel and some also fly to Cancun so they are airlines to check. I've included web sites for airlines that fly direct to Cozumel plus those that fly to Cancun

http://www.nwa.com/  
http://www.usairways.com/               
http://www.continental.com/ 
http://www.suncountry.com/
http://www.americanairlines.com/ 
http://www.frontierairlines.com 
http://www.delta.com/
http://www.united.com  
http://www.vivaaerobus.com 

Internet Sites to Check

Also, you may want to check with http://www.hotwire.com and http://www.expedia.com Both of these companies use "white label" fares. Once you log in, and they quote you a fare, you have one hour to book it.  We've been told that after that you are locked out for 48 hours before you can sign back on.  Both of these companies use major airlines. There may be some restrictions such as not knowing the exact itinerary, airline, or flight schedule until you purchase your ticket, but we understand the airlines these companies use are only major carriers. Rates fluctuate from day to day, but you may be able to come up with very good fares by checking the sites a couple of times. 

Beginning January 23, 2007, all persons including U.S. citizens traveling by air between the U.S. and Mexico (and other destinations such as Canada, the Caribbean, Bermuda and Central or South America) are required to present a valid U.S. passport when re-entering the United States. 

For details about passport or other citizenship documentation requirements for U.S. citizens, the U.S. State Department's travel web site www.travel.state.gov  or call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 

There is Passport Application information at http://www.usps.com/passport 

Travel Insurance

We urge guests to purchase travel insurance. You may be able to purchase travel insurance from a travel agent or an airline, but third party trip insurance is a very good option.  Check information about travel insurance in general at www.ustravelinsurance.org. Be sure to choose a policy that meets your specific needs.  A few good companies offering policies that cover lodging, airline tickets, medical expenses, lost baggage and other trip delays are www.Travelguard.com and www.insuremytrip.com.

For those Traveling with Children
(this information is from the US Consulate, Merida, Yucatan)

If you are traveling alone with a minor or have a minor traveling alone to visit you, the Mexican government requires that the child has a notarized letter with both parents signatures allowing the child to travel. This applies whether or not the child is traveling with one parent and regardless of what type of passport the child travels under.

Though enforcement of by the Mexican government is reportedly uneven, U.S. airlines are also obligated to respect this Mexican requirement for flights into Mexico and leaving Mexico (It is not a U.S. law).  There are known incidents of children not being allowed to board planes headed for Mexico and children being put on the next flight back after arrival in Mexico because of lack of proper documentation. Please keep this in mind for all of your international travel.

Remember, the document must be signed by both parents in the presence of a certified notary.

• The permission letter is needed for travel both into and out of Mexico.

• The permission letter is needed whenever the child is not traveling with both parents.