It serves both domestic and international air traffic for Tulum, functioning as a secondary gateway for tourists visiting the Mexican Caribbean, the Riviera Maya, and the Yucatán Peninsula.

After commencing construction in 2022, the airport began commercial services on December 1, 2023 operated by Grupo Olmeca-Maya-Mexica, a holding company owned by the Mexican military.

Efforts have been ongoing to reduce Cancun's dominance and establish alternative entry points to this tourist zone, with Cozumel Airport emerging as a successful secondary option.

In the 2000s, Chichen Itza International Airport was constructed to facilitate access to the central Yucatan region, but financial viability concerns led to its closure shortly after its establishment.

Following Andrés Manuel López Obrador's inauguration as Mexican president in 2018, political backing for the Tulum Airport further diminished due to an increased emphasis on the Tren Maya project.

Tulum Airport, constructed and operated by the Mexican army, is part of the broader strategy of the López Obrador administration to engage the armed forces in significant infrastructure projects.