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mrfatboy
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Volaris - TIJ - CUN Questions
Hey everybody!
I need to get to Cancun for a wedding 5/24 thru 5/31 (Memorial Day Weekend). USair just jacked up the rates to $720/pp. I have been doing a lot of
reading about Volaris Airlines out of Tijuana here on nomads and thought I might try them out. Right now, the tickets are $422/pp.
I have not flown out of tijuana in over 15 years so I'm a little rusty. I see that people here recommend Delta parking at Otay and then crossing
border by foot, then taking cab to tij airport.
So my questions are:
I'm thinking about taking the redeye (00:30) out of TIJ. It would be a friday night of Memorial Day weekend. I would probably have to be at Delta
Parking by 10pm or so in time for flight, correct?
Any issues crossing the border at 10pm or so? Availability of cabs? etc?
I will be returning at 5pm at TIJ the friday after. Probably will be at Otay border by 5:30pm. How are border wait times on a friday at 5:30pm
crossing by foot?
Do I have to pay any airport fees/visas/etc at the tij airport for cancun or is everything included in ticket price?
Do I just have to fill out a simple immigration form at airport?
Any gotcha's like peso's only or cash only situations?
Any tips on when Volaris has sales? I saw that they just had 50% discount but you had to fly before 4-30 so it didn't work for me. Do they have sales
frequently? Should I wait a bit?
thanks in advance for any tips
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BajaLucy
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Hi there we use Volaris last year on a trip to Guadalajara
We actually park at the airport as we thought it would be a haslo to get a taxi from Delta or te shuttle from airport. I belive they have one in SD
they can pick u up and drop u at the boarder but then u have to get a taxi We peoabably pay $12-15 per day parking at TJ airpor.. And you do have to
pay for tourist car/visa something like that if ur are an American unles u can prove you have dual citizenship or Mex..
Good luck It's better some times flying fromTJ
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BajaLucy
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What I hear from other ppl some times if u get ur ticket like midnight time or really early in the morning they have specials like even $100 Also you
have to pay in pesos I belive either way only cash they have n immigration booth at the airport and if you decide to use their parking they have a
machine only pesos u can pay for parking.. Honestly because is a holiday weekend time you might expect some delays from either border TJ-SD let us
know how it goes good luck 
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mrfatboy
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Does anybody know how much the tourist card is for a US citizen to Cancun?
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vandenberg
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Years ago we used to fly out of TJ on Mexicana for a fraction of the price of flights out of the USA. We used to drive from Sacramento to TJ spend a
night coming and going at the Conquistador motel in TJ, leave the car there for 2 weeks for free, cabbed it to the airport, and came out way ahead.
Rooms were very reasonable and it's a nice place.
Maybe give that a shot? Longterm parking at airports is getting rediculously expensive.
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Gaucho
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mrfatboy
Does anybody know how much the tourist card is for a US citizen to Cancun? |
It's $26.00 US payable at the airport to the right as you walk in the main terminal. Park at Delta, $6.00 per day and they shuttle you to the border,
walk across, $12.00 for a cab to the airport. Piece a cake. Do the same on the return.
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mrfatboy
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thanks for the info. I'm just trying to figure out all the additional costs but it looks like I'm still way ahead going with volaris. Today a tij -
cun ticket is $395 compared to $720 on usair.
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danaeb
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Volaris also has a shuttle bus from the Amtrak station downtown San Diego to the TJ airport. The shuttle schedules and fares are posted on the Volaris
website:
http://extras.volaris.com/Shuttle-Tijuana-Aeropuerto
The last shuttle leaves at 21:30, which should allow enough time for your flight.
Experience enables you to recognize a mistake every time you repeat it.
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lizard lips
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I have flown Volaris alot to many destinations in Mexico as well as the TJ-Mexico City-Cancun flight and I have immigrado status so I don't need to
buy the visa any longer so I can't help you there.
If your flight leaves after midnight, as many Volaris flights do, I would get there early. The Volaris lines are LONG at this time beacuse of the
cheaper rate. Get to the airport by at least 9:30 p.m. to check in.
I always purchase my Volaris flights on-line. There are options you can pay for to speed the process at the check-in. One of these is the FAST line. I
use to purchase this but don't anymore because no one checks to see if you bought this option. Once you see the Volaris lines to check in just go to
the FAST line. It will save you time and there is nothing on the paperwork you need to check in that says you paid for this service. Another thing I
always do is get the isle seat on the very last row. Nobody wants to sit in the very last row so usually the other two seats are not occupied and you
can lie down especially on the red eye! By the time everyone gets off the plane and goes to the baggage area you will still have to wait for awhile. I
have never had a problem with bathroom smells even in the last row close to the bathroom plus you have the stewards there close by if you need
something. IT"S GREAT!
Once at the airport in Cancun they provide private cab or communal cabs. The price difference is a lot so take the communal cabs and save quite a lot.
It will take longer to get to your hotel in that others will be left off at their hotels first. You may also have to wait until the van is full. Still
not bad and you will save money.
Last time I flew from TJ I parked my car at their parking lot for four days and the cost was 675 pesos. Not bad but it was a lot cheaper a few years
ago. You pay for the parking once you have landed at a kiosk just outside the east exit door. You must pay in pesos and the machine does not accept
500 pesos bills. Once paid just get in your car and drive to the exit, put your paid ticket in the machine at the exit and off you go. You can also
pay at the exit area if you have US currancy. Good luck and have a great time!
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mrfatboy
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I just noticed that the flight I'm looking at is $15pp cheaper if I use the iphone volaris app. Strange.
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mrfatboy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mrfatboy
I just noticed that the flight I'm looking at is $15pp cheaper if I use the iphone volaris app. Strange. |
I'm just going to be bringing carry ons. I will check in and print my ticket before I get there. Will I have still wait in long lines or just go
straight to gate?
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lizard lips
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Straight to the gate but watch what you carry on.
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paranewbi
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Flown out of TJ...very modern airport with plenty of good stuff to eat and bars through out the terminals close to gate seating area. As you walk to
your gate you will also see large flat screen tv's with movies playing in some of the shops along the walk. Wifi throughout the place, just ask one
of the bar workers or shops for their pass word.
Delta is my preferance, cheap parking rates, ride to from boarder included, they call cab ahead as they drop you off so the guy is waiting for you on
the other side of the boarder. Have taxi on ride back take you up to the walk line (not suppose to but they do it if you ask - tip good)...rather
chance a walk line (although never had much of a wait at Otay) then a long line for driving. Also the drive back from the airport can be intense at
sometimes with traffic.
When you come out of mex to US, call Delta on cellphone (enter in your phone on ride to border) and then wait in the culdesac for them, they're fast.
Immigrate at airport kiosk, bank is near kiosk but don't know if it's open all night if you need pesos. If your driving to Delta, and get in town
early enough or live here, stop in at Cosco off Polomar exit (I-5) in Chula Vista and walk in door for memberships (not main one -need to show card)
and walk past membership counter, on past eyeglass counter and on left across from cashier stations is the peso booth (glass window). No need to show
any membership card and only need ID if using credit card to get pesos.
When at immigration kiosk in airport, if there is a line, go up to right side of counter and ask for the form so you can fill it out while waiting in
line. Watch to right side of kiosk where people are going around a large glass wall through entrance area and go there after you get visa. Military
guys are on other side of wall and usually wave you through. Turn left and you will enter a large room with all the check in counters. Look for your
line that has your destination sign at the end of the line entrances within the Volaris counter segment. Walk up and check in and then there is
another line (you may have pushed through to get to the counters) that is the line to enter the security area. Have your passport ready and your
ticket for the guy to check for entrance into this area.
Go to the luggage xray conveyor and then your on your way down a long corridor with the luggage pickup areas barely visible on the other side of a
glass wall. The little open restaurant at the end of this corridor is one of my favorite breakfast places. At this point you have to make a hard
right turn and you've arrived at the nirvana that the TJ airport is as the first leg of your adventure.
They usually board last row first, but this is mexico and you will quickly learn that if you are in the bulkhead seats (row 1) where we like to sit,
the overhead compartments for carryon is crammed full with the luggage from the people in the last 30 rows and it seems to work that the first 30 rows
luggage ends up going to the last 30 overhead compartments! Just get in the boarding line and play stupid...no one is going to tell you to wait your
turn!
P.S. we usually get multiple "adult" beverages for free so don't be afraid to ask....oh, yea, last time they had a great film with kids on how to use
the oxygen masks...no stewart lecture.
Let us know if anything has changed when you get back.
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woody with a view
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flew to Cabo in Oct and never had to pay for an FMM and no one asked to see it. YMMV.
edit: from TJ.
[Edited on 1-11-2013 by woody with a view]
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danaeb
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Just my two cents. It's a small price to pay for being in Mexico legally. I have, on occasion, been asked for the FMM on my return thru the TJ
airport.
Experience enables you to recognize a mistake every time you repeat it.
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Gaucho
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I just came back from San Jose after New Years and they checked my FMM.
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mrfatboy
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There will be two of us travelling to cancun but while searching for flights I noticed they sometimes have better sales where there is only 1 ticket
available discount rate. So a good tip would be search for 1 ticket first and buy at cheaper price then buy 2nd ticket.
I have not tried it but maybe you can fool the system entirely and just buy one ticket at a time and get the cheaper sale price on both. Just make
they have all the available seats first for your group. You don't want to buy one ticket to find out that was the last 
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mrfatboy
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OK, another question.
I see it costs an additional $28 RT/pp to pick your seats. What if I don't? I want to check in online before I head to TJ airport to avoid long
lines at counter. Are the seats issued when you check in online? I will be having carry ons only and want to avoid the volaris front desk.
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danaeb
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I think you may have been looking at the price in pesos to pre-book your seats. Usually it's only $2.00 USD to pre-book seats. When you check in
online (72 hours before flight time) you can choose available seating then. As you enter the check-in area, you can ask a Volaris rep regarding
procedures for proceeding directly to security and your gate. Volaris now has weight limits for carry-ons, depending on fare class.
Experience enables you to recognize a mistake every time you repeat it.
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mrfatboy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by danaeb
I think you may have been looking at the price in pesos to pre-book your seats. Usually it's only $2.00 USD to pre-book seats. When you check in
online (72 hours before flight time) you can choose available seating then. As you enter the check-in area, you can ask a Volaris rep regarding
procedures for proceeding directly to security and your gate. Volaris now has weight limits for carry-ons, depending on fare class.
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I wish it was pesos. I just checked again and it clearly states $13.32 USD per seat per segment. So an extra $53.28 per couple RT.
The only other thing is that their website could be messed up. It's absolutely crazy. Some flights are not showing depending if I'm looking for 1 or
2 seats when clearly the plan e is empty. Also, currently the same seats are $80 cheaper now if I use the Volaris iphone app.
One of the other things I'm concerned about is flight cancellations. I have been reading a lot of bad reviews about Volaris on this subject.
I'm taking the 12:30am redeye. Does anybody know of a good website that tracks ontime/cancellation performance? I tried to track last nights
12:30am flight on the Volaris website and it said "no info available" 
I think I will just have to prepare for an adventure and take an extra "go with the flow" pill 
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