Cancun deals: It's not too late to get cheap flights in late summer

Conventional wisdom would suggest that we’re approaching the point where it’s a little late to get a good deal on summer airfare to a popular destination. But you never know when something might pop up, though, and that’s what we have here. If you book soon, you may be able to get airfare to Cancun at a much lower price than you might ordinarily find.

We found round-trip airfare to Cancun at or below the $300 mark (far below, in some cases) aboard legacy U.S. carriers from numerous cities in the East, Midwest and deep South beginning in August and lasting through the early part of fall.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

Are you willing to keep your packing to a bare minimum and fly with just a backpack for the weekend? You could probably snag a fare as low as $160 or so aboard a low-cost airline.

Cancun, of course, is an immensely popular destination for U.S. travelers that is easily accessible from the continental U.S. and full of resorts bookable on points. It’s a great place to visit when the weather back home is cold — but there’s nothing wrong with a late summer getaway, either.

Already taken your big summer excursion but looking for any opportunity to fill out the rest of your summer travel calendar? This could be a deal to jump on before prices go up.

Deal basics

Airlines: American, United, JetBlue, Frontier, Spirit, Viva Aerobus and Volaris.

Routes: Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Charlotte, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Miami, New York and Orlando to Cancun.

How to book: Directly through the airlines or through Google Flights.

Travel dates: August through October.

Related: 14 of TPG’s favorite hotels on the beach in Mexico

Sample flights

We took note of airfare that fell below $300, with an obvious preference for round-trip prices well below that mark.

As you search, there’s a good chance you’ll see round-trip airfare on some of the low-cost carriers like Spirit Airlines and Frontier which appear to be significantly cheaper than the legacy carriers. It may still be cheaper after all is said and done, but be sure to compare "add-on" fees like baggage and seat selection when doing cost comparisons.

There are two things we like about this deal in particular. For one, there’s availability from many U.S. cities. Even if your home city isn’t listed here, check prices to Cancun. There may be some good deals, especially if you can be flexible on what days you travel.

Additionally, there are plenty of late summer options at affordable prices. You may be able to find deals as early as the first or second week in August.

Here are a few of the itinerary options we found:

• New York City to Cancun for $298 on JetBlue.
• Miami to Cancun for $158 on Frontier.
• Miami to Cancun for $228 on American.
• Dallas/Fort Worth to Cancun for $228 on American.
• Austin to Cancun for $276 on American.
• Orlando to Cancun for $268 on JetBlue.
• Houston to Cancun for $194 on United.
• New Orleans to Cancun for $267 on American.
• Chicago to Cancun for $253 on a combination of United and Volaris.

Let’s start by looking at one of the shortest flights and best prices in this deal: trips out of Houston.

You can get a round trip out of George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) for $194 aboard United Airlines. Given Houston’s location, it’s a short hop – right around 2 1/2 hours – to Cancun. This itinerary falls right in the middle of August.

Travelers out of both the Dallas/Fort Worth area and Austin can get a round trip between $200 and $300, nonstop, aboard American Airlines.

This late August itinerary out of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) goes for $228, with flights between 2 1/2 and 3 hours.

It’s an even shorter flight of fewer than two hours from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Cancun. You can get a round trip aboard American Airlines for as low as $228 near the end of August.

Frontier also has nonstop flights around that time between the two cities, with a base fare as low as $158. However, you’ll have to pay at least $70 in fees to have even a full-sized carry-on bag.

New York travelers have a number of options aboard low-cost carriers.

There are also flights for under $300 on JetBlue. This $298 itinerary includes a Labor Day departure out of New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), and it’s a nonstop flight of just under four hours to Mexico.

Related: 9 family-friendly resorts in Cancun

Maximize your purchase

Pay with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card to earn 5 points per dollar on flights booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards. When you use The Platinum Card® from American Express, you’ll accrue 5 points per dollar on flights booked with the airline or through American Express Travel (up to $500,000 per calendar year). With the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, you’ll earn 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel.

Bottom line

Finding good prices on airfare for summer travel isn’t easy. It gets even more difficult when you’re talking about destinations as popular as Cancun.

Whether you’re looking to travel in August or take advantage of similar deals during the early months of fall, it may be worth checking prices from your home airport soon.