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The Bahamas is an archipelago of over 700 islands, attracting tourists with its natural beauty and adventure sports. The country has four international airports, including Lynden Pindling International Airport, which is the largest airport in the Bahamas and the largest international gateway to the country. The airport, located in Nassau, is named after Lynden Pindling, the first prime minister of the Bahamas. It offers a range of amenities, including duty-free shopping, dining options, lounges, and easy access to flight information. Other airports in the Bahamas include the Grand Bahama International Airport, Marsh Harbour Airport, and Exuma International Airport, each providing access to this magnificent island nation.
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What You'll Learn
Lynden Pindling International Airport
The Bahamas has an international airport named after Lynden Pindling, the first prime minister of the Bahamas and recognized as the Father of the Nation. The airport is located in Nassau, a quick drive from the hotels and resorts of Nassau and Paradise Island. It is the first airport outside of the US to implement TSA PreCheck, and it is one of the select airports offering Global Entry.
The Lignum Lounge, nestled away in the International/Domestic terminal, offers a quiet and laid-back oasis for travellers to relax and unwind. The airport also boasts a variety of shopping and dining options, ensuring that passengers can enjoy their time at the airport and have a pleasant travel experience.
In 2006, the Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD) entered into a 10-year management agreement with YVR Airport Services Ltd to upgrade the airport's facilities and expand its terminal capacity. The redevelopment included the construction of a new 247,000 sq ft US Departures Terminal, significantly enhancing the airport's infrastructure.
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Grand Bahama International Airport
The Bahamas has several airports, including Grand Bahama International Airport (GBIA). This airport is located in Freeport, The Bahamas, and has the airport codes IATA: FPO, ICAO: MYGF. The facility includes 741 acres of land adjoining the Freeport Harbour Company Limited, with whom they operate as the Sea Air Business Centre (SABC). The runway at GBIA is 3,359 metres long and 46 metres wide, capable of handling the largest aircraft in service.
The airport has had a troubled history, with several crashes and incidents occurring over the years. In 1964, a Lockheed Lodestar stalled after take-off and crashed, killing all four people on board. In 1966, a de Havilland DH.125 crashed into the sea off Grand Bahamas during an illegal flight from Miami. In 1979, a Convair 440-86 suffered an engine fire after take-off and ended up in the sea, although all 46 people on board escaped. In 1980, a Douglas DC-3A of Florida Commuter Airlines suffered a similar fate.
More recently, in 2000, a Douglas C-47A cargo plane crashed while attempting to return to the airport after an engine failure, resulting in the deaths of both crew members. In 2014, a Lear 36 Executive Jet crashed on approach to the airport, killing all nine people on board, including evangelist Myles Munroe and his wife. In 2017, a Western Air Saab 340 passenger aircraft crash-landed at the airport after its landing gear failed, resulting in minor injuries to two of the 30 passengers on board.
In September 2019, Hurricane Dorian hit the airport, leaving it heavily damaged and under six feet of water. The Bahamian government purchased the airport from its previous owners, Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) and The Port Group, for one Bahamian dollar in April 2021, a decision likely influenced by the devastation caused by the hurricane.
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Marsh Harbour Airport
The Bahamas has several airports, including an international airport in its capital, Nassau, called the Lynden Pindling International Airport. However, this response will focus specifically on Marsh Harbour Airport.
The airport has a significant place in history. On 25 August 2001, American singer and actress Aaliyah and eight crew members were killed shortly after their Cessna 402 aircraft took off from Marsh Harbour Airport. An investigation revealed that the aircraft had attempted to take off while heavily overloaded and with improper weight distribution.
On 1 September 2019, the airport was closed as Hurricane Dorian approached, causing severe damage. The runway was underwater for several days, resulting in an estimated US$9.8 million in damages and an additional US$10.5 million in economic losses due to cancelled flights.
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Bahamas' airport history
The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an English-speaking country consisting of 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets. The country has several airports, with Lynden Pindling International Airport being the largest airport and the largest international gateway. The airport is located in western New Providence Island, near the capital city of Nassau, and is named after Lynden Pindling, the first prime minister of the Bahamas.
During World War II, the No. 111 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF was established at Nassau Airport in August 1942 to train general reconnaissance crews. On 30 December 1942, the airport was named Windsor Field and became an RAF station. Windsor Field was the second airport in the Bahamas and was used for delivery flights of US-built fighter and bomber aircraft.
After World War II, the RAF withdrew from Windsor Field in June 1946, and it reverted to civilian use. Oakes Field, now known as Thomas Robinson Stadium, served as the main airport in the Bahamas due to its proximity to downtown Nassau. In September 1946, Oakes Field was recommended for designation as a long-range regular airport at the Regional Caribbean Conference of the International Civil Aviation Organization. Oakes International Airport operated until 1 November 1957, when Nassau International Airport at Windsor Field was fully operational.
In 2006, the airport was renamed Lynden Pindling International Airport in honour of the first Prime Minister of the Bahamas, who led the country to majority rule in 1967 and full independence from the United Kingdom within the British Commonwealth in 1973. The airport has undergone significant expansion and redevelopment, with the first stage of a $409.5 million project completed in March 2011, increasing terminal space and passenger capacity. The final phase of the project was completed in October 2013, adding new gates capable of accommodating large aircraft, retail outlets, and lounges.
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Airports with US Border Preclearance Facilities
The Bahamas has multiple airports, two of which have US border preclearance facilities. These are Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau, which has had preclearance facilities since 1974, and Grand Bahama International Airport in Freeport, which gained the facilities in 1978.
US border preclearance is a process operated by the US Department of Homeland Security to screen individuals seeking entry to the US in eligible facilities located outside of the US. The process is carried out according to agreements between the US and host countries. All individuals, regardless of nationality or purpose of travel, are subject to immigration and customs inspections by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers before boarding their transportation to the US. Precleared passengers arrive in the US as domestic travellers, but may still be reinspected at the CBP's discretion. The process is intended to streamline border procedures, reduce congestion at ports of entry, and facilitate travel into US airports that otherwise lack immigration and customs processing facilities for commercial flights.
The benefits of preclearance include no security or waiting upon US arrival, easier domestic connections, cost savings, and increased US market access. Precleared passengers can skip CBP and TSA inspection lines and proceed directly to their connecting flight or final destination. They can also accept tighter connection windows at US airports and are less likely to miss a domestic connection. Preclearance also provides access to less expensive US domestic gates and more flexible arrival times at US airports.
The Bahamas signed a new preclearance agreement with the US in 2023, commemorating 50 years of preclearance operations in the country. The agreement was celebrated by US Chargé d’Affaires in The Bahamas, Usha Pitts, who congratulated the Bahamas on welcoming a record 9 million tourists, 80% of whom were US citizens.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, there are airports in the Bahamas.
There are four international airports in the Bahamas.
Lynden Pindling International Airport, formerly known as Nassau International Airport, is the largest airport in the Bahamas.
The airport offers a range of shops, including duty-free liquor, souvenirs, and gifts. It also has automated banking machines, a full-service bank, a post office, a nurse's station, restaurants, and lounges.
