San Juan's Airport Count: How Many Are There?

San Juan, Puerto Rico, is served by two airports: Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) and Fernando Ribas Dominicci Airport (SIG), also known as Isla Grande Airport. SJU is the largest and most accessible airport, located in the Carolina district, just minutes away from San Juan. It serves over 20 commercial airlines and offers a wide selection of flights from major cities across the United States and international destinations. The secondary commercial airport, SIG, is located near popular destinations such as Condado, Old San Juan, and the Puerto Rico Convention Center. It offers flights to the offshore islands of Vieques and Culebra.

Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, San Juan's largest airport

Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport is San Juan's largest airport. It is Puerto Rico's main international airport, located in the beach-front resort district of Isla Verde in the municipality of Carolina, about 4 to 7 miles from the business centre of Hato Rey, the resort area of Condado, and the historic quarter of Old San Juan. The airport is named after Luis Muñoz Marín, the first elected governor of the archipelago and island.

The airport opened on 22 May 1955 and took its current name in 1985. It has since grown to include three terminal buildings, a car park with 200 spaces, and a second runway, which was completed in 1972. Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport is owned by the Puerto Rico Ports Authority and is managed by Aerostar Airport Holdings, a public-private partnership that was awarded a 40-year lease by the government of Puerto Rico in 2013.

The airport serves as a hub for numerous airlines, including American Airlines, Air America, Air Canada, United Airlines, WestJet, JetBlue Airways, and Delta Air Lines. It is the busiest airport in the Caribbean by passenger traffic, with over four million passengers boarding planes there each year, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The airport is easily accessible from the San Juan district of Hato Rey via the Teodoro Moscoso Bridge.

The airport has undergone several renovations and expansions over the years to accommodate increasing passenger traffic and improve facilities. In 2012, Terminal A was opened and occupied solely by JetBlue Airways, adding to the existing terminals. The terminal originally had seven gates, but an additional gate was added during renovations to other terminals. As of 2022, JetBlue uses all gates at Terminal A, offering both domestic and international flights.

Isla Grande Airport, a secondary airport in San Juan

San Juan, Puerto Rico, is served by three airports: San Juan Luis Munoz Marin International Airport, Ponce Mercedita, and Isla Grande Airport. The latter, also known as Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport, is a secondary airport located in the district of Isla Grande, part of the municipality of San Juan. It is owned by the Puerto Rico Ports Authority and is adjacent to the Puerto Rico Convention Center, the San Juan Bay, and the Pan American Cruise Ship Terminal. The airport overlooks Cataño and is located just southeast of Old San Juan in the business district of Miramar.

Isla Grande Airport is a small, single-runway airport that accommodates over 100,000 passengers each year. It is often a less costly and more convenient option for travel to nearby destinations when compared to San Juan International Airport. The airport serves towns on the main island, the offshore islands of Puerto Rico, and a few other Caribbean destinations. Isla Grande Airport is also the base of operations for the Isla Grande Flying School, a certified Cessna Pilot Center offering various pilot training courses.

The airport covers an area of 102 acres at an elevation of 10 feet above mean sea level. It has one runway measuring 5,539 by 100 feet. For the 12-month period ending September 30, 2013, the airport recorded 116,447 aircraft operations, averaging 319 per day. The majority of these operations were general aviation (92%), followed by air taxi (6%), and military (2%).

Isla Grande Airport has a rich history, initially constructed by the U.S. Navy as Naval Air Station Isla Grande before World War II. It served as Puerto Rico's main international airport until 1954 when the San Juan Isla Verde International Airport (now Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport) was built. The airport was renamed in honour of United States Air Force Major Fernando Luis Ribas-Dominicci, an F-111 pilot killed in action during Operation El Dorado Canyon in 1986.

San Juan's airport code is SJU

San Juan is a popular name for airports, with several across the world bearing the name. However, San Juan Airport primarily refers to Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, serving San Juan, Puerto Rico. This airport's code is SJU.

Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU)

SJU is the largest and most accessible airport in Puerto Rico. It is located in Isla Verde, in the Carolina district, just minutes away from San Juan. It is served by more than 20 commercial airlines, with flights to and from major cities in the United States and international destinations. It is the leading gateway to the Eastern Caribbean, with over 100 daily flights to over 20 destinations in the region.

Other Airports Named San Juan

There are several other airports named San Juan around the world. These include Domingo Faustino Sarmiento Airport, serving San Juan, Argentina; Ohkay Owingeh Airport, formerly known as the San Juan Pueblo Airport; and Fernando Ribas Dominicci Airport, a secondary commercial airport also serving San Juan, Puerto Rico (also known as Isla Grande Airport). Additionally, there is an airport called San Juan Airport in San Juan, Beni Department, Bolivia.

San Juan Airport in San Juan, Beni Department, Bolivia

San Juan Airport (ICAO: SLJN) is a public-use airport located near San Juan, Beni, Bolivia. The airport is also referred to as San Juan Estancias Airport and is situated in the El Beni Department of the country. It is positioned at 820 feet MSL (250 m MSL) and has a UTC of -4.0 for both standard and daylight savings time.

The airport is in proximity to the town of San Juan, which is the capital of the Beni Department and is located in the northern Amazon rainforest of Bolivia. San Juan is a small town, with a population of approximately 20,000 people, and is known for its tropical climate and natural surroundings. The area surrounding the airport is characterised by dense rainforest and a network of rivers, including the Mamoré and Iténez rivers.

Bolivia is a landlocked country in South America, and the presence of airports plays a crucial role in its transportation system. While land and river transportation are important, air travel provides vital connectivity, especially in a country with diverse geographical features, such as the Andes mountains and vast expanses of rainforest.

San Juan Airport serves the local population and contributes to the economic and tourism activities of the region. It facilitates travel to and from San Juan, connecting it to other parts of Bolivia and potentially neighbouring countries. The airport's infrastructure and facilities are designed to accommodate the specific needs of the region, ensuring safe and efficient operations.

Rafael Hernández Airport, another airport in Puerto Rico

Rafael Hernández Airport is located in the municipality of Aguadilla in northwestern Puerto Rico. It is named after the composer Rafael Hernández Marín and is the second-largest airport in the archipelago in terms of passenger traffic. The airport is a key link between Puerto Rico's Porta del Sol and the United States mainland, with almost half a million passengers passing through its modern facilities each year.

The airport has a long history, dating back to 1939 when the US Army sent Major George C. Kenney to Puerto Rico to survey potential air base sites. Major Kenney examined 42 sites and determined that Punta Borinquen was the best location for a major air base. The government purchased the land, which was mostly sugarcane farms, for $1,215,000. The air base was initially called Borinquen Army Air Field, but in 1948, it was renamed Ramey Air Force Base. The base was home to a Strategic Air Command bombardment wing and various types of military aircraft, including B-36 Peacemaker intercontinental bombers and KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling planes. Due to the size of the B-36 bombers, the runway at Ramey Air Force Base had to be built to a length of 11,702 feet and a width of 200 feet, making it the longest runway in the Caribbean.

In 1971, the closure of Ramey Air Force Base began, and it was converted into a civilian airport. Over the years, the airport has been served by several passenger air carriers, including American Airlines, Arrow Air, Continental Airlines, and Pan Am. The airport has also been used for commercial operations by companies such as Wrangler Jeans, which operated its own airline, Wrangler Aviation, to transport company-related cargo.

In 2004, the Puerto Rico Ports Authority announced plans to remodel and expand the airport to accommodate more flights and passengers. The expansion included projects such as the expansion of the terminal building and the construction of a new parking lot. On February 20, 2012, it was designated a "free trade zone" by the mayor of Aguadilla and the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, a move expected to enhance the airport's development.

Rafael Hernández Airport has a significant military presence, housing Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen and various reserve components of the Armed Forces. Additionally, several federal law enforcement agencies, such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the CBP Air and Marine Operations Caribbean Branch, operate at the airport.

The airport has a north side and a south side. The north side consists of a passenger terminal capable of handling flights of over 200 passengers, the Main Cargo Terminal, the FedEx Terminal, and the General Aviation Terminal. The military side is also located on the north side. The south side, which is the largest portion of the airport, remains undeveloped despite various plans and political promises over the years.

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