Did the race in '13. Flew non stop from Dallas. That's a nice option rather than puddle jump flight or ferry from mainland Mexico. Although I heard people say those were fine. Tri Bike transport worked great, both ways. Only downside to them, is you'll be without your race bike for about 3 weeks. We rented a condo about 1 1/2 miles north of the ferry terminal right on the ocean. It was really nice, with good snorkeling right off the dock. The other advantage was the run course went right by the condo on the out and back, so my family could relax and watch from there, only heading down to the finish after the last pass. We did not rent a car as taxis are ubiquitous and cheap. It's a bit of a drill going back and forth to the race HQ and expo, but not a deal killer. I'm not sure I'd rent a car down there except maybe for a day or two after to explore the island. Race morning there are tons of cabs going to the swim start.

American Airlines wants $150 each way, plus, I need to get a box. TriBike Transit wants $450 round trip from Davis, Ca. No problem except they need it by November 3rd, and the race is the 18th??? No riding for 2 weeks before the event? I can't imagine that's a good idea.
How did you locate a condo, and how far in advance?

Just keep checking prices and book when it feels comfortable. It will change throughout the year. Use hopper to keep track and gauge when to buy. From LA 400-500 is a good fare. Southwest also flies to CUN now so check that.

CZM is best but typically more $. CUN is not bad but will add 1.5-2 hours to the trip. It’s easy to figure out.

I used TBT in 2016 and would again. By the time I deal with airline fees and time packing / unpacking the $ was worth it to me. I have a road bike so don’t care about dropoff

Check el cantil condos. Super close and would be great for 4 or even 6 depending on the size

There’s also an unofficial race page on Facebook you can get good info there