Lois Larson
The Cyril E. King Airport (IATA: STT, ICAO: TIST, FAA LID: STT) is a public airport located on the island of St. Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands. It is one of the busiest airports in the eastern Caribbean, servicing over a million passengers every year. The airport is located about two miles west of the capital city, Charlotte Amalie, and is spread across 280 acres of land. It features an asphalt runway that is 7,000 ft by 150 ft, making it one of the deepest man-made runways in the world. The airport terminal, built in 1990, has two stories and 11 gates. It offers breathtaking views of Lindbergh Bay as planes approach the runway.
What You'll Learn
Cyril E. King Airport's history
The Cyril E. King Airport (IATA: STT, ICAO: TIST, FAA LID: STT) is a public airport located two miles west of Charlotte Amalie on the island of St. Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands. It is currently the busiest airport in the United States Virgin Islands and one of the busiest in the eastern Caribbean.
The airport's history dates back to the 1920s when it was a small airstrip known as Mosquito Bay, named after a nearby grassy swamp. In 1927, it was the only airstrip serving the island of St. Thomas. The following year, on January 22, 1928, the first passengers arrived on St. Thomas by air via the La Nina, a monoplane owned by the Aerial Express Co. of San Juan, carrying its pilot and four passengers.
In 1927, the bay was renamed Lindbergh Bay after Charles Lindbergh used it to land the Spirit of St. Louis. The US government purchased the airstrip on September 1, 1935, and renamed it Bourne Field, after the first person to fly non-stop from the United States to Nicaragua. The airstrip was expanded and used by the US Marine Corps and Navy for training and military operations during World War II.
After the war, the military ceased operations, and the airport was handed over to civilian authorities in 1946. The former hangar was converted into a civilian terminal and named after President Harry S. Truman. On October 3, 1984, the airport was renamed in honour of the late Governor Cyril Emmanuel King, the second elected governor of the US Virgin Islands.
The construction of the current terminal began in 1980 and was completed in November 1990. The runway was extended to its current length of 7,000 feet in 1992, making it one of the largest deep-water, dredged runways in the Caribbean. The airport covers an area of 280 acres and features a two-story terminal with 11 gates.
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Airlines that fly to the airport
The Cyril E. King Airport (IATA: STT, ICAO: TIST, FAA LID: STT) is located on the island of St. Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands. It is one of the busiest airports in the eastern Caribbean, servicing approximately 1.4 million passengers between July 2015 and June 2016. The airport operates one main runway that is 7,000 ft x 150 ft (2,134 m x 46 m) long. The two-story terminal has 11 gates and is open from 6 am to 11 pm.
Several airlines operate at the Cyril E. King Airport, offering direct flights to various destinations. Here are some of the airlines and their destinations:
American Airlines: Direct flights from New York (JFK), Boston (BOS), Miami (MIA), and San Juan (SJU).
Delta Air Lines: Direct flights from Atlanta (ATL) and New York (JFK).
Frontier Airlines: Flights from Orlando (MCO), Miami (MIA), and San Juan (SJU).
JetBlue Airways: Direct flights from Boston (BOS) and San Juan (SJU).
Spirit Airlines: Direct flights from Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Orlando (MCO).
Sun Country Airlines: Seasonal direct flights from Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP).
United Airlines: Direct flights from Dulles (IAD), Chicago (ORD), Houston (IAH), and Newark (EWR).
In addition to these, there are inter-island and cargo airlines that service St. Thomas, such as Air Cargo Carriers, Ameriflight, Cape Air, FedEx, and Seaborne Airlines.
The airport also accommodates charter and private flight options, with companies such as AirFlamenco, Executive Jet Management, Flexjet, and Jet Linx Aviation offering these services.
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The airport's busiest routes
The Cyril E. King Airport (IATA: STT, ICAO: TIST, FAA LID: STT) is located on St. Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands. It is one of the busiest airports in the eastern Caribbean, servicing 1,403,000 passengers from July 2015 to June 2016. The airport covers an area of 280 acres and contains one asphalt runway measuring 7,000 ft x 150 ft (2,134 m x 46 m). The two-story terminal has 11 gates across two departure areas. The main section serves flights to and from the United States and Puerto Rico, while three smaller departure lounges serve international and St. Croix departures.
- San Juan, Puerto Rico: Cape Air, JetBlue, and Silver are some of the airlines serving this route.
- New York City, New York
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Christiansted, St. Croix: Cape Air, Silver, and Sea Flight provide flights to this destination.
In addition to these domestic routes, the Cyril E. King Airport also serves international destinations such as Anguilla, Nevis, Saint Croix, Saint Kitts, and Tortola. The airport is currently undergoing modernisation and expansion projects to enhance its capacity and improve transportation.
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The airport's facilities
The Cyril E. King Airport (IATA: STT, ICAO: TIST, FAA LID: STT) is located on the southwestern side of St. Thomas, approximately two miles west of the capital city, Charlotte Amalie. The airport covers an area of 280 acres and features a 7,000 ft by 150 ft asphalt runway, making it one of the deepest man-made runways in the world. The two-story airport terminal, built in 1990, measures 190,000 square feet on the first floor, with 11 gates and 110,000 square feet on the top floor. The terminal operates between 6 am and 11 pm, with aircraft rescue and firefighting services available during that time.
The airport offers a variety of facilities and services for passengers. These include a restaurant and bar, a gift shop, and a duty-free store. Adult passengers arriving from Puerto Rico and the United States are greeted with complimentary samples of Cruzan Rum. The airport also provides parking, with the first 15 minutes free and a daily charge of USD 10.
Several major airlines operate at the airport, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, and United Airlines, offering direct flights to destinations such as New York, Boston, Miami, and San Juan. The airport has also recently undergone enhancements, with upgrades to terminals, lounges, and concession and shopping areas.
The Cyril E. King Airport is one of the busiest airports in the eastern Caribbean, serving over a million passengers annually. It is a gateway to the United States Virgin Islands and is easily accessible from major US cities. The airport also serves the island of St. John and is often used by travellers heading to the nearby British Virgin Islands.
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The airport's location
The Cyril E. King Airport (IATA: STT, ICAO: TIST, FAA LID: STT) is located on the southwestern side of St. Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands. The airport is situated about two miles west of the capital city, Charlotte Amalie, and its harbour area. The airport is accessible via Airport Rd, Charlotte Amalie West, St Thomas 00802, U.S. Virgin Islands.
The airport is nestled on 280 acres of land on the coast of Lindbergh Bay. It is one of the busiest airports in the eastern Caribbean, servicing over a million passengers every year. The Cyril E. King Airport is the gateway to the United States Virgin Islands and its economy, providing access to the different islands of the USVI and the nearby British Virgin Islands.
The airport features a 7,000-foot-long asphalt runway, one of the deepest man-made runways in the world. The two-story airport terminal, built in November 1990, measures 190,000 square feet on the first floor, with 11 gates and an upper floor of 60,000 square feet. The terminal operates between 6 am and 11 pm, while the runway is open 24 hours.
The Cyril E. King Airport offers breathtaking views of Lindbergh Bay as planes approach the runway. The airport has undergone significant enhancements, including upgrades to terminals, lounges, and concession and shopping areas. It is operated by the Virgin Islands Port Authority, which has embarked on modernisation projects for the airport, including a new departure lounge and the installation of jet bridges.
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Frequently asked questions
The airport in St. Thomas is called the Cyril E. King Airport.
The Cyril E. King Airport is located at No. 70 Lindbergh Bay on the southwestern side of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. It is approximately two miles west of the capital city, Charlotte Amalie.
The Cyril E. King Airport covers an area of 280 acres of land and contains one asphalt-paved runway. The two-story airport terminal, built in November 1990, measures 190,000 square feet on the first floor and 60,000 square feet on the top floor.
The minimum check-in time for the Cyril E. King Airport is 180 minutes (3 hours) prior to departure. For boarding passes or to check bags, passengers must arrive at least 90 minutes before departure.
