Roberta Aguirre
Puerto Rico's main airport, the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, is located in Isla Verde, Carolina, just a few minutes from San Juan. It is also known as San Juan Airport and Isla Verde International Airport. The airport is the Caribbean's busiest, handling 93% of passenger flow and 90% of air cargo into Puerto Rico. Other airports in Puerto Rico include Rafael Hernández Marín International Airport in Aguadilla, Mercedita International Airport, and Isla Grande Airport.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport |
| Other Names | San Juan Airport, Isla Verde International Airport |
| Location | Carolina, Puerto Rico |
| Distance from San Juan | A few miles |
| Passenger Traffic Ranking | 28th by international passenger traffic in the US and its territories |
| Cargo Ranking | 23rd by cargo throughput in the US and its territories |
| Passenger Enplanement Ranking | 39th busiest airport |
| Passenger Count | Over 8 million passengers annually |
| Cargo Count | 90% of air cargo into Puerto Rico |
| Passenger Count (2017) | 10 million |
| Owner | Puerto Rico Ports Authority |
| Manager | Aerostar Airport Holdings |
| Year Opened | 1955 |
| Year Privatized | 2013 |
| Runway Length | 7,800 feet (2,400 m) |
| Number of Airlines | Around 30 |
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What You'll Learn
Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport
The Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) is Puerto Rico's main airport hub. It is located in Isla Verde, Carolina, just a few minutes from San Juan. The airport is owned by the Puerto Rico Ports Authority and has been managed by Aerostar Airport Holdings since 2013. With more than 8 million passengers travelling through it annually, it is the Caribbean's busiest airport. It is also the 39th busiest airport by passenger enplanement, 28th by international passenger traffic, and 23rd by cargo throughput in the United States and its territories.
The airport was inaugurated on May 22, 1955, and is built on a 1,718.72-acre land lot. The facilities, which cost an estimated $22 million, included a six-story passenger terminal, a control tower, a 7,800-foot runway, a cargo building, fire and police stations, and a hotel. The airport's first year of operations saw 694,199 passengers and 28 million pounds of cargo handled.
The airport was named after Luis Muñoz Marín, who was the subject of the inaugural events and gave a speech. He said: "Impressive is this work in its structure and in its many facilities, but not as impressive as the fact that this centre of communications symbolizes the great technical processes that are transforming civilization".
In recent years, the airport has been working towards sustainability and has developed an Airport Sustainability Plan (ASP) and a Climate Vulnerability Assessment. It received Level 1 Verification under Airports Council International's Airport Carbon Accreditation program in 2023 and is part of the Puerto Rico Climate Change Council.
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San Juan Airport
The Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, also known as San Juan Airport, is located just a few minutes from San Juan in Isla Verde, Carolina. It is the main airport hub in Puerto Rico, receiving more than 8 million passengers annually. The airport is owned by the Puerto Rico Ports Authority and has been managed by Aerostar Airport Holdings since 2013.
The airport is named after Luis Muñoz Marín, who was the governor of Puerto Rico when the airport was inaugurated on May 22, 1955. The facilities, which cost an estimated $22 million, included a six-story passenger terminal, a control tower, a 7,800-foot runway, a cargo building, fire and police stations, and a hotel. In its first year of operations, the airport handled 694,199 passengers and 28 million pounds of cargo.
Today, the airport handles 93% of passenger flow and 90% of air cargo into Puerto Rico. It is the 39th busiest airport by passenger enplanement, 28th by international passenger traffic, and 23rd by cargo throughput in the United States and its territories. The airport serves as a gateway to the Caribbean island, with around 30 airlines offering services to domestic and international destinations.
In recent years, the airport has faced infrastructure challenges, particularly in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017. To address these challenges and prepare for the future, the airport has developed an Airport Sustainability Plan (ASP) and conducted a Climate Vulnerability Assessment. The airport has also received Level 1 Verification under the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) program and is working towards more sustainable operations.
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Isla Verde International Airport
The Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, often referred to as the Isla Verde International Airport, is located in Isla Verde, Carolina, Puerto Rico. The airport is just a few miles from downtown San Juan, the capital municipality of Puerto Rico. It is technically in Carolina, but locals tend to downplay this as Isla Verde shares a coastline with Ocean Park and Condado, which are part of Santurce, one of the capital's historic districts.
The airport is named after Luis Muñoz Marín, who was the Governor of Puerto Rico when the airport was inaugurated on 22 May 1955. The airport was built on a 1,718.72-acre land lot at an estimated cost of $22 million. The facilities included a six-story passenger terminal, a control tower, a 7,800-foot-long runway, a cargo building, fire and police stations, and a hotel.
The Isla Verde area, where the airport is located, is an urbanized, beachfront resort and residential district with various upscale hotels and condominiums. It is one of the main tourist areas in the metropolitan area of Puerto Rico, along with the Condado resort and residential district. Isla Verde is home to a large Cuban exile community and has a popular nightlife scene, with many restaurants, hotels, casinos, and resorts.
The airport is the main hub for Puerto Rico, receiving more than eight million passengers annually and serving as the main airport for the island. It handles 93% of passenger flow and 90% of air cargo into Puerto Rico, making it the 39th busiest airport by passenger enplanement, 28th by international passenger traffic, and 23rd by cargo throughput in the United States and its territories.
The airport has been featured in several films, including the 1984 movie "Conexión Caribe" and the 2007 action film "Illegal Tender." It has also served as a backdrop for music videos, such as the song "Claridad" by Menudo, filmed at the nearby Isla Verde Beach in 1981.
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Rafael Hernández Marín International Airport
The Rafael Hernández Marín International Airport, also known as Aeropuerto Internacional Rafael Hernández in Spanish, is a key transport link between Puerto Rico and the United States mainland. The airport is located in the municipality of Aguadilla in northwestern Puerto Rico and is named after the famous Puerto Rican composer, Rafael Hernández Marín.
Covering an area of 1600 acres, the airport features a single runway, 8/26, which is 11,702 ft long and 200 ft wide. The north side of the airport consists of a passenger terminal with an international side capable of handling flights of over 200 passengers. It also houses the Main Cargo Terminal, the FedEx Terminal, the General Aviation Terminal, the Copeca Jet Center Executive Terminal, and five service hangars. The military side of the airport is located on the north side as well, accommodating the Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen and the 141st Air Control Squadron, among other federal agencies.
The airport has undergone several expansions and renovations over the years. In 2004, the Puerto Rico Ports Authority announced plans to remodel and expand the airport, including the terminal building and the addition of a new parking lot. In 2010, a master plan was approved by the Federal Aviation Administration for a $1 billion redevelopment project over 20 years, aiming to increase the number of commercial passenger gates and enhance airport access. More recently, in 2021, an official expansion plan was announced to build a new runway to replace the current one, constructed in the 1930s.
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Mercedita International Airport
The second-largest airport in Puerto Rico is the Rafael Hernández Marín International Airport, located in Aguadilla. It is a civil-military airport named after a famous Puerto Rican composer.
The Isla Grande Airport, now known as the Major Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport, is another airport in Puerto Rico. It was the main airport until airlines transitioned from propeller aircraft to jets, which required longer runways.
Puerto Rico has multiple airports catering to travellers from around the world, with Mercedita International Airport being a convenient option for those heading to Ponce and the nearby islands of Vieques and Culebra.
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Frequently asked questions
The main airport in Puerto Rico is called the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, also known as San Juan Airport or Isla Verde International Airport.
The airport is located in Isla Verde, Carolina, just outside of San Juan.
The airport is the busiest in the Caribbean, handling 93% of passenger flow and 90% of air cargo into Puerto Rico. It is also the 39th busiest airport by passenger enplanement in the United States and its territories.
