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Princess Juliana International Airport (IATA: SXM, ICAO: TNCM) is the main airport on the Caribbean island of Saint Martin. The airport is located on the Dutch side of the island, in the country of Sint Maarten, close to the shore of Simpson Bay Lagoon. It is one of the oldest and busiest airports in the region, handling around 1.8 million passengers annually. The airport is named after Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, who landed there in 1944, the year after the airport opened and while she was heir presumptive.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Princess Juliana International Airport |
| Airport Code | SXM |
| Location | 15 kilometres northwest of Philipsburg, the capital of St. Maarten |
| Region | Caribbean |
| Country | Sint Maarten, Kingdom of the Netherlands |
| Year Opened | 1944 |
| Year Current Terminal Opened | 2006 |
| Hub For | Winair, Anguilla, Saba, Saint Barthélemy, Sint Eustatius, Dominica, Nevis and Tortola |
| Annual Passenger Traffic | 1.8 million |
| Aircraft Handled | Boeing 747s, Airbus A330, Bombardier CRJ-700, Cessnas, Shorts SD-360, De Havilland Canada Twin Otter |
| Features | 40 shops and food & beverage outlets, fixed-base operator building, private lounges, two radar systems |
| Nearby Attractions | Maho Beach, Simpson Bay, Great Bay Beach, Philipsburg |
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What You'll Learn
- Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) is the main airport on the island
- It is located on the Dutch side of the island, in the country of Sint Maarten
- The airport is 15 kilometres northwest of Philipsburg, the capital of St. Maarten
- It is one of the oldest and busiest airports in the region, handling 1.8 million passengers annually
- The airport is known for its picturesque landings at Maho Beach, with low-altitude flyover landing approaches
Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) is the main airport on the island
SXM is one of the oldest and busiest airports in the region, serving as a hub for surrounding islands including Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Barths, Anguilla, Dominica, Nevis and Tortola. The airport handles a variety of aircraft each year, ranging in size from Cessnas to Boeing 747s, and caters to around 1.8 million passengers annually, primarily from the Americas, Europe and the Caribbean. The airport is a crucial hub in the Caribbean and a gateway to the island, with regular jet services from most major cities on the US East Coast and jumbo jets arriving from Paris and Amsterdam.
The airport has very low-altitude flyover landing approaches because one end of its runway is extremely close to the shore and Maho Beach. Many people flock to the beach to view the landings or withstand the jet blast from aircraft engines. The airport building features 40 shops and food and beverage outlets, some unique to St. Maarten, promoted under the retail theme "So Much More". The airport also has a fixed-base operator building, offering office space and private lounges with dedicated customs for private aircraft.
The airport has a long history, with the airbase originally opening as a civilian airport in 1944 with a runway of 650 metres. The current site of the airport was officially opened in 1964, and the current terminal building was inaugurated in 2006 by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.
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It is located on the Dutch side of the island, in the country of Sint Maarten
Princess Juliana International Airport (IATA: SXM, ICAO: TNCM) is located on the Dutch side of the island of Saint Martin, in the country of Sint Maarten. It is one of the oldest and busiest airports in the region, serving as a crucial hub in the Caribbean. The airport is situated close to the shore of Simpson Bay Lagoon and is known for its picturesque landings at Maho Beach.
The airport is named after Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, who landed there in 1944 when she was the heir presumptive. The following year, in 1945, the airport was officially opened as a civilian airport by Princess Juliana of Orange of the Netherlands. The current terminal building was inaugurated in 2006 by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.
Being located on the Dutch side of the island, the airport uses the international airport code SXM, which has become a popular local nickname for Sint Maarten as a whole. The airport is a 10-minute ride to nearby beaches, restaurants, hotels, and nightlife. It is also a short distance from Philipsburg, the capital of Sint Maarten, which offers shopping and dining options for travellers.
Princess Juliana International Airport serves as a hub for Winair and is the major gateway to the smaller Leeward Islands, including Anguilla, Saba, Saint Barthélemy, and Sint Eustatius. The airport handles a variety of aircraft, ranging from Cessnas to Boeing 747s, and caters to around 1.8 million passengers annually, mostly from the Americas, Europe, and the Caribbean.
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The airport is 15 kilometres northwest of Philipsburg, the capital of St. Maarten
Princess Juliana International Airport (IATA: SXM, ICAO: TNCM) is the main airport on the Caribbean island of Saint Martin. The airport is located on the Dutch side of the island, in the country of Sint Maarten, 15 kilometres northwest of Philipsburg, the capital of St. Maarten. It is one of the oldest and busiest airports in the region, serving as a crucial hub in the Caribbean. The airport is named after Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, who landed there in 1944, the year after the airport opened and while she was heir presumptive.
The airport is located close to the shore of Simpson Bay Lagoon and is known for its picturesque landings at Maho Beach, which is extremely close to the end of the runway. Many people flock to witness these landings, which can be thrilling due to the low altitude of the planes. The airport has a fixed-base operator building, offering private lounges and dedicated customs for private aircraft. It also has a variety of shops and food and beverage outlets, some unique to St. Maarten.
Philipsburg, the capital of St. Maarten, is a short distance from the airport and offers a range of shopping and dining options. The town has access to the Boardwalk, which leads to Great Bay Beach, where visitors can lounge under the sun. Simpson Bay, which is also close to the airport, offers a selection of hotels, including Azure Hotel, Mary's Boon, and the Hilton Grand Vacations Royal Palm Beach Resort.
The town of Grand Case on the French side of the island is home to a second, smaller airport. This airport offers regular international flights to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. However, the Princess Juliana International Airport serves as the primary aviation gateway to the island, accommodating jumbo jets from Europe and regular jet services from most metropolitan centres in the United States.
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It is one of the oldest and busiest airports in the region, handling 1.8 million passengers annually
Princess Juliana International Airport (IATA: SXM, ICAO: TNCM) is the main airport on the Caribbean island of Saint Martin. It is one of the oldest and busiest airports in the region, handling 1.8 million passengers annually. The airport is located on the Dutch side of the island, in the country of Sint Maarten, 15 kilometres northwest of the island's capital, Philipsburg. It is named after Princess, later Queen, Juliana of the Netherlands, who landed there in 1944, the year after the airport opened and three years before she became queen.
The airport is the second busiest in the North Eastern Caribbean, serving as a hub for Winair and as a major gateway for the smaller Leeward Islands, including Anguilla, Saba, Saint Barthélemy and Sint Eustatius. It handles a variety of aircraft each year, ranging in size from Cessnas to Boeing 747s. The airport is known for its picturesque landings at Maho Beach, where planes pass extremely close to the shore and to the beachgoers below.
The airport has a fixed-base operator building, offering office space and private lounges with dedicated customs facilities for private aircraft. The new control tower has two radar systems, with ranges of 50 and 250 nautical miles, and PJIA controllers manage 4,000 square NM of airspace around the airport. The airport building features 40 shops and food and beverage outlets, some unique to St. Maarten.
The town of Grand Case on the French side of the island is home to a smaller, second airport, L'Espérance Airport, from which there are regular international flights to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
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The airport is known for its picturesque landings at Maho Beach, with low-altitude flyover landing approaches
Princess Juliana International Airport is the main airport on the Caribbean island of Saint Martin. The airport is located on the Dutch side of the island, in the country of Sint Maarten, close to the shore of Simpson Bay Lagoon.
The proximity of Maho Beach to the runway has made the airport one of the world’s favourite places among plane spotters, despite the dangers. In fact, in 2017, a New Zealand woman died from injuries sustained by jet blast from a departing aircraft. Tourists have often been criticised for their dangerous behaviour on the beach.
The daily schedule of flights landing at the airport is written on a surfboard on the beach, and the landing schedule is also posted near one of the bars. This allows visitors to plan their day and get a good spot to watch the planes. Maho Beach is easily accessible by land or boat, and there is a half-day tour that combines a visit to Maho Beach with a trip to Orient Beach.
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Frequently asked questions
Princess Juliana International Airport (IATA: SXM, ICAO: TNCM) is the main airport on the Caribbean island of Saint Martin.
There is a smaller public-use airport on the French side of the island, in the French Collectivity of Saint Martin, called Grand Case-Espéra.
Princess Juliana International Airport is one of the oldest and busiest airports in the region. It is known for its picturesque landings at Maho Beach, where planes fly at very low altitudes due to the runway's proximity to the shore.
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