Roberta Aguirre
Bermuda, officially the Bermuda Islands, is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. It has one airport: the L.F. Wade International Airport, formerly known as Bermuda International Airport. The airport is located in the parish of St. George's and is about 11 kilometres northeast of Bermuda's capital, Hamilton.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | L.F. Wade International Airport |
| Former Name | Bermuda International Airport |
| Location | St. George's |
| Distance from Bermuda's Capital, Hamilton | 6 nautical miles (11 kilometres; 6.9 miles) |
| Area | 536 acres (217 ha) |
| Number of Terminals | 1 passenger terminal, 1 cargo terminal |
| Number of Aircraft Stands | 8 |
| Number of Runways | 1 |
| Management | Skyport |
| Website | bermudaairport.com |
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What You'll Learn
L.F. Wade International Airport
Bermuda does have an airport, and it is called the L.F. Wade International Airport. The airport is located on St. David's Island, in the parish of St. George's, and is about 6.9 miles from the capital, Hamilton. It is Bermuda's only airport, serving as the sole airport for the British overseas territory of Bermuda in the North Atlantic Ocean.
The airport covers 536 acres of land and has one runway, one passenger terminal, one cargo terminal, and eight aircraft stands. It can support all aircraft sizes, including the Airbus A380. L.F. Wade International Airport offers year-round routes to major hubs in the US, Canada, and Europe, including New York City, Boston, London, and Toronto. Airlines serving the airport include Air Canada, American Airlines, British Airways, United, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, and WestJet.
The history of the airfield dates back to World War II when it was constructed as Kindley Field, a joint US Army Air Forces (USAAF) and Royal Air Force (RAF) base. After the war, the RAF facilities were converted into a Civil Air Terminal by the Bermuda Government. The airfield was initially operated by the United States Air Force as Kindley Air Force Base before being transferred to the United States Navy in 1970, which operated it as US Naval Air Station, Bermuda until 1995.
In 2007, the airport was renamed L.F. Wade International Airport in honour of L. Frederick Wade, a former leader of the Progressive Labour Party. Since 2017, the airport has been managed and operated by Skyport, a Canadian company that was granted a 30-year concession. A new passenger terminal was completed in 2020, and the airport has received awards and high marks for passenger satisfaction.
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Airport history
Bermuda's airport, the L.F. Wade International Airport, is located in the parish of St. George's, 6 nautical miles (11 kilometres) northeast of Bermuda's capital, Hamilton. It is the sole airport serving the British overseas territory of Bermuda in the North Atlantic Ocean. The airport covers 536 acres (217 ha) of land and contains one runway.
The airport was constructed between 1941 and 1943 by amalgamating, creating dredging, and eliminating many small islands in Bermuda's Castle Harbour. This included levelling Long Bird Island and several smaller islands and filling in the waterways with reclaimed land to connect St. David's Island to the larger mass of West Bermuda. The airfield was constructed during World War II for use as Kindley Field, a joint US Army Air Forces (USAAF) and Royal Air Force (RAF) base. It was built at a cost of US$42 million, entirely at US taxpayers' expense.
Following World War II, the RAF forces in Bermuda were withdrawn, but the local RAF Commander stayed on loan to the Bermuda Government. He converted the RAF facilities into the Civil Air Terminal, operated by the local government. Bermuda's pre-war airport, a flying boat facility on Darrell's Island, closed in 1948, and its air routes were taken over by land planes operating through the airfield. By then, it was operated by the United States Air Force as Kindley Air Force Base.
In 1970, the field was transferred to the United States Navy, which operated it as the US Naval Air Station, Bermuda, until 1995. The US Navy terminated its 99-year lease and transferred the field to the Bermuda Government, which now operates the airport as part of the Ministry of Tourism and Transport.
On April 16, 2007, the airport was renamed L.F. Wade International Airport in honour of L. Frederick Wade, a former leader of the incumbent governing party (the Progressive Labour Party). The airport underwent a $400 million makeover, which was completed in December 2020, and included a new terminal.
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Passenger facilities
Bermuda L. F. Wade International Airport, formerly named Bermuda International Airport, is the only airport serving Bermuda. It is located in the parish of St. George's, 6.9 miles northeast of the capital, Hamilton. The airport has one passenger terminal, one cargo terminal, and eight aircraft stands. It covers 536 acres of land and contains one runway.
The airport has received high marks for passenger satisfaction, ranking first among North American airports in the "Under 15 Million Passengers" category in 2003. The courtesy of staff, security, and check-in facilities were specifically cited. The airport offers US Customs and Immigration preclearance, which means US-bound passengers can clear customs in Bermuda, and flights arriving in the US from Bermuda are treated as domestic flights.
The airport provides a range of shops and restaurants, as well as parking and transportation services. Bermuda Skyport Corporation Limited, the operator of the airport, also offers residents free health and fitness demonstrations and meal preparation advice. The airport recently won two awards at the 2024 ACI World Summit in Atlanta.
A new terminal was completed in 2020, replacing the previous one. The former NATO hangar, built in the early 1990s, is now used for the airport's growing corporate jet traffic. The airport's use by General Aviation aircraft is limited to jets and long-range turboprops due to Bermuda's distance from the nearest land mass. Only jet fuel is available.
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Skyport management
Bermuda L.F. Wade International Airport, formerly named Bermuda International Airport, is the only airport in Bermuda. It is located in the parish of St. George's and is about 6.9 miles northeast of Bermuda's capital, Hamilton. The Bermuda Skyport Corporation Limited, also known as Skyport, is responsible for the operations, maintenance, and commercial functions of the airport.
In addition to the leadership team, Skyport has a dedicated team of professionals who handle various aspects of airport management. This includes Warren, a certified engineering technologist responsible for delivering facilities management services for the airfield and airport facility infrastructure. The airport also has Airport Duty Officers, Information Desk Assistants, and Airport Traffic Officers who manage lost and found items in the airport terminal and ensure the safety and security of passengers.
Skyport is committed to providing the best possible airport facilities and services. They encourage everyone to report any safety concerns through their confidential and anonymous online reporting system. Skyport also works closely with the Bermuda Government and tourism partners to enhance Bermuda's air travel experience and promote the country on the world stage.
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US Customs and Immigration preclearance
Bermuda does have an airport: the L.F. Wade International Airport, located in the parish of St. George's, 11 kilometres (6.9 miles) northeast of Bermuda's capital, Hamilton. The airport is operated by Skyport, under the Bermuda Government's Ministry of Tourism & Transport.
US-bound passengers at the L.F. Wade International Airport can take advantage of US Customs and Immigration preclearance. This means that travellers can complete customs, immigration, and agriculture inspections in Bermuda before boarding direct flights to the United States. As a result, flights arriving in the US from Bermuda are treated as domestic flights, allowing passengers to skip Customs and TSA inspection lines upon arrival in the US and proceed directly to their connecting flight or final destination. This also means that travellers can accept tighter connection windows at US airports and are less likely to miss a domestic connection.
The preclearance process involves Simplified Arrival, an enhanced international arrival process that uses facial biometrics to automate the manual document checks that are already required for admission into the United States. Simplified Arrival provides travellers with a touchless experience that further secures and streamlines international arrivals while fulfilling a Congressional mandate to biometrically record the entry and exit of non-US citizens.
The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency has been offering preclearance services since 1952, and there are currently 15 preclearance sites worldwide. The preclearance facility at the L.F. Wade International Airport opened in 2017 as part of a $250 million upgrade to the airport.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Bermuda has an airport.
The name of the airport in Bermuda is L.F. Wade International Airport.
The airport is located in the parish of St. George's, in the East End of the archipelago, 6 nautical miles (11 kilometres; 6.9 miles) northeast of Bermuda's capital, Hamilton.
The airport has one passenger terminal and one cargo terminal.
