Caribbean Airports: The Busiest Hubs And Their Secrets

The Caribbean is home to some of the world's most famous airports, including Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) in St. Maarten, Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU), and Cyril E. King Airport in the US Virgin Islands, St. Thomas (STT). These airports are known for their stunning locations, with beautiful beaches and thrilling low-flying aircraft approaches, attracting aviation enthusiasts and luxury travellers alike. With over 5.8 million combined passengers annually across four major Caribbean airports, these hubs cater to frequent flyers, vacationers, and business professionals. The region's airports offer a unique combination of captivating settings, convenient connections, and exclusive travel experiences, making them popular destinations for travellers from North and Central America, Europe, and within the Caribbean itself.

Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, is the busiest airport in the Caribbean for airline flights and private jet charter activity. In 2016, it accommodated 1,799 flights. It is a popular gateway between the Caribbean and the United States. Tourists visiting Puerto Rico can enjoy more than 434 km of beaches.

The airport is named after Luis Muñoz Marín, Puerto Rico's first democratically-elected governor. He was a strong supporter of the aviation industry and is considered the "father of modern Puerto Rico". The airport is located in the Carolina municipality, which is adjacent to the capital city of San Juan.

There are several other busy airports in the Caribbean. The Cyril E. King Airport in the US Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, is one of the busiest in the region, accommodating aircraft of all sizes. The Princess Juliana International Airport in St. Maarten is another important hub, offering a stunning landing experience as planes come in very low over the water.

Other notable airports in the Caribbean include the L. F. Wade International Airport in Bermuda, the Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport (also in San Juan, Puerto Rico), and the Marsh Harbour Airport in the Abaco Islands, Bahamas. These airports cater to both private jets and regional airline services, serving tourists seeking luxury and natural beauty.

Princess Juliana International Airport, St Maarten

Princess Juliana International Airport, located on the Dutch side of the island of Saint Martin, is one of the busiest airports in the Caribbean. The airport is named after Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, who landed there in 1944, a year after it opened, when she was heir presumptive. In 2015, the airport handled 1,829,543 passengers and around 60,000 aircraft movements.

The 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. It is known for its low-altitude flyover landing approaches, as one end of its runway is extremely close to the shore and Maho Beach. This unique landing approach has been voted one of the world's most stunning, winning the PrivateFly Airport Approaches Poll in 2013.

To accommodate the growing number of passengers, Princess Juliana International Airport has undergone significant modernisation. The first phase, completed in 2001, focused on upgrading existing facilities and improving services. This included widening and strengthening the runway, increasing the bearing capacity of the taxiways, and constructing a new apron. Phase II included the construction of a new radar facility, a new air traffic control tower, and a modern terminal capable of handling 2.5 million passengers annually.

The airport is also known for its economic significance to St. Maarten, contributing to 60% of the island's GDP. It has won multiple awards, including Best Caribbean Airport in 2016 and the Bizz Award in 2017.

Cyril E King Airport, US Virgin Islands, St Thomas

The Cyril E. King Airport (STT) is located at No. 70 Lindbergh Bay on the southwestern side of St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. It is approximately two miles west of the capital city, Charlotte Amalie. The airport is named after the second elected governor of the US Virgin Islands, Cyril Emmanuel King. It is considered one of the busiest airports in the eastern Caribbean.

The airport sits on about 280 acres of land, with an asphalt runway measuring 7,000 feet long and 150 feet wide (2,134 x 46 meters). It is one of the deepest man-made runways in the world and can accommodate aircraft of all sizes. The two-story airport terminal was built in November 1990 and measures 190,000 square feet on the first floor, with 11 gates, and 60,000 square feet on the top floor. The terminal is open from 6 am to 11 pm, with aircraft rescue and firefighting services available during that time.

The airport has a long history, originally known as Mosquito Bay in 1927 when it was an airstrip serving the island of St. Thomas. It was renamed to Lindbergh Bay after Charles Lindbergh, who used it to land the Spirit of St. Louis. The first passengers landed in 1928, and the airstrip remained in civilian use until the US government purchased it in 1935. It was then renamed Bourne Field, after the first person to fly non-stop from the United States to Nicaragua. The field served as a training ground for aviators of the US Marine Corps.

In 1940, the US Navy ordered a major expansion of the base, extending and paving the runways to accommodate a VMS-3 observation squadron. During World War II, VMS-3 patrolled the surrounding areas for enemy submarines. The airport has experienced several incidents, including a hard landing by Trans Caribbean Airways Flight 505 in 1970, which resulted in a fire that destroyed the aircraft and sadly killed two of the 48 passengers. In 1976, an American Airlines Flight 625 ran off the end of the runway, claiming the lives of 37 out of 88 passengers.

L F Wade International Airport, Bermuda

L F Wade International Airport, formerly known as Bermuda International Airport, is the only airport in Bermuda. It is located in the parish of St. George's, 6 nautical miles (11 kilometres) northeast of Bermuda's capital, Hamilton. The airport serves the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda in the North Atlantic Ocean. It caters to both private jets and airliners of all sizes, including the Airbus A380.

The airport has a rich history, initially constructed during World War II as Kindley Field, a joint US Army Air Forces (USAAF) and Royal Air Force (RAF) base. It was later operated by the United States Air Force as Kindley Air Force Base before being transferred to the United States Navy in 1970. The US Navy terminated its lease in 1995, handing over control to the Bermuda Government, which now operates the airport under the Ministry of Tourism & Transport.

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. The airport has undergone recent developments, including the completion of a new passenger terminal in 2020. In 2016, the airport handled 402,925 passengers, a 5.6% increase from 2006. It has consistently received high marks in passenger satisfaction surveys, ranking first among North American airports in the "Under 15 Million Passengers" category in 2003.

L F Wade International Airport is actively involved with the Airports Council International (ACI), having hosted the organisation's Legal Affairs Committee annual meeting in 2005 and the World Assembly in 2010. The airport covers 536 acres of land, featuring one runway, one passenger terminal, one cargo terminal, and eight aircraft stands. It is currently managed and operated by Bermuda Skyport Corporation Limited under a 30-year concession granted in 2017.

Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport, also known as Isla Grande Airport, is a commercial airport located in Miramar, San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is named after United States Air Force Major Fernando Luis Ribas-Dominicci, an F-111 pilot who was killed in action during the 1986 airstrike of Libya, Operation El Dorado Canyon. Covering an area of 102 acres at an elevation of 10 feet above mean sea level, the airport is known for being a popular choice for private charter flights to and from Puerto Rico. It is also one of the most important airports for general aviation on the island, handling around 300 daily operations.

The airport is conveniently located next to San Juan's Convention District, Old San Juan, and the neighbourhood of Condado. It is especially useful for travellers interested in booking direct flights to Puerto Rico's two island municipalities, Vieques and Culebra. These islands are accessible by short flights or ferries and offer a unique experience close to the Puerto Rico mainland.

Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport has a history of aircraft crashes, with several incidents occurring over the years. In 1942, a Douglas C-39 (DC-2) crashed into a hill in Coamo, resulting in the deaths of all 22 people on board. In 1952, a Pan Am Flight experienced engine failure shortly after takeoff, killing 52 out of 69 passengers and crew. More recently, in 2015, a Robinson R22 collided with the ocean near San Juan Bay, killing one person.

The San Juan Army Aviation Support Facility, operated by the Puerto Rico Army National Guard, is the only military site at Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport. Its mission is to provide aviation maintenance and repair support to the Puerto Rico Army National Guard and various units. The military aircraft at this facility include UH-72 Lakota and UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, as well as the Beechcraft C-12 Huron.

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