First Class to Cancun can often be had for about the price of a coach fare, and a one-bedroom suite for less than the price of a standard room.
It’s time for a new destination faceoff, this time between two tourist heavyweights. In one corner of the ring, we have tried-and-true Hawaii, a perennial favorite for Americans. In the other, we have Cancun, a worthy contender ready to deliver a knockout punch.
SPECIAL REPORT AT A GLANCE:
- Why you should consider Cancun for a vacation
- Fare comparisons between Hawaii and Cancun
- Cost-on-the-ground comparisons between Hawaii and Cancun
BEEN THERE, DONE THAT?
Let’s say you’ve been to Hawaii, maybe even more than once. Isn’t its time to consider another tropical beach getaway, one that’s even closer and less pricey? Enter Cancun.
It’s not only a beautiful vacation destination, it also offers great value for your travel dollar: I’m talking Business Class for the price of coach. And remember, in Business Class your vacation starts long before a coach class one.
I LOVE HAWAII. WHAT’S SO GREAT ABOUT CANCUN?
Admittedly, Cancun offers many of the same tropical vacation attributes of Hawaii. But it also boasts a number of world-class attractions that are unique to the destination:
- Vibrant Mayan culture and food
- Astonishing natural wonders, such as cenotes (natural sinkholes), caverns, underground rivers, and the Western Hemisphere’s largest barrier reef
- Day trips to Mayan ruins such as Chichen Itza, Uxmal, and Tulum
It’s hard to beat such a rich and diverse destination. Let’s give Round 1 to Cancun.
CANCUN IS MUCH CLOSER THAN HAWAII
How far away is Cancun?
New York to Cancun: 1,555 miles, about 4:15 flight time
Los Angeles to Cancun: 2,119 miles, 4:30 flight time
Dallas to Cancun: 1,028 miles, 2:30 flight time
How far away is Hawaii?
New York to Honolulu: 4,957 miles, 9:30 flight time
Los Angeles to Honolulu: 2,555 miles, 5:50 flight time
Dallas to Honolulu: 3,787 miles, 8:10 flight time
With less time spent flying, you’ll have more time to spend playing and relaxing. You can even hit the beach on the same day you arrive in Cancun.
Round 2: Cancun.
CANCUN: NOTTA LOTTA
The cost to fly to Hawaii is almost double that to Cancun. For example, fares range from $1,859 to $2,581 for New York-Maui in Business Class with American, Delta, or United. (In coach the range is typically $600 to $800 most of the time.)
Fares from New York to Cancun in Business Class with American, Delta, or United can range from $656 to $950.
With those kinds of savings, we have to give Round 3 to Cancun.
SAVE ON CANCUN HOTELS, TOO
Sure, you can save plenty of money on flights, but Cancun has another benefit: resort prices. You can stay at five-star resorts, such as The Ritz-Carlton Cancun, and pay much less per night than you would for a similar hotel in Hawaii.
The Ritz-Carlton Cancun, for example, starts at $313 per night, while The Ritz-Carlton Maui can easily run $500+ per night or more if staying for any length.
Stay at a one-bedroom ocean-view suite at The Ritz-Carlton Cancun for as low as $539 per/night, while at The Ritz-Carlton Maui a one-bedroom ocean-view suite starts at $1,078 per night or more.
Cancun can almost give you two nights for the price of one in Hawaii — or a suite for the price of a standard room — a knockout punch.
Round 4 delivers the match-ending blow.
AND THE WINNER IS …
The verdict is in. After 4 rounds between Hawaii and Cancun, the clear winner of this vacation smackdown is… Cancun. So next time you’re ready for a tropical getaway, rather than sticking with your default destination of Hawaii, consider Cancun — and other low-First-Class-cost destinations — instead.