Ruth Haines
The airport code for St. Maarten is SXM, which refers to Princess Juliana International Airport. 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 serves as a hub for Winair and provides access to the smaller Leeward Islands, including Anguilla, Saba, Saint Barthélemy, and Sint Eustatius.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Princess Juliana International Airport |
| Airport Code | SXM |
| Location | Simpson Bay area of the island |
| Distance from Philipsburg | 15 kilometers |
| Year of Opening | 1943 |
| Number of Passengers (2015) | 1,829,543 |
| Aircraft Movements (2015) | 60,000 |
| Hub for | Winair |
| Gateway for | Anguilla, Saba, Saint Barthélemy, and Sint Eustatius |
| Named after | Queen Juliana of the Netherlands |
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What You'll Learn
- The airport code for St. Maarten Airport is SXM
- St. Maarten Airport is also known as Princess Juliana International Airport
- The airport is located on the Dutch side of the island
- It is one of the oldest and busiest airports in the region
- The airport has won multiple awards, including Best Caribbean Airport in 2016
The airport code for St. Maarten Airport is SXM
The airport code for St. Maarten Airport, also known as Princess Juliana International Airport, is SXM. Located in the Simpson Bay area of the island, St. Maarten Airport is one of the oldest and busiest airports in the region. It is the second busiest airport in the North Eastern Caribbean, serving around 1.8 million passengers annually. The airport is situated 15 kilometres northwest of Philipsburg, the capital of St. Maarten.
St. Maarten Airport is the primary aviation gateway to the island, with another smaller public-use airport located on the French side, in the French Collectivity of Saint Martin. This smaller airport is called Grand Case-Espéra, and it does not cater to international flights.
St. Maarten Airport has been voted the best stunning airport approach by PrivateFly in 2013. It has also won awards for Best Caribbean Airport in 2016 and the Bizz Award in 2017. The airport is named after Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, who landed there in 1944 when she was heir presumptive, the year after the airport opened.
The airport's runway is extremely close to the shore and Maho Beach, resulting in very low-altitude flyover landing approaches. This proximity to the beach makes the airport a popular spot for plane-spotters, who gather at Maho Beach to witness the dramatic landings and take-offs.
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St. Maarten Airport is also known as Princess Juliana International Airport
St. Maarten Airport, also known as Princess Juliana International Airport, is located in the Simpson Bay area of the island. 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 it opened and while she was heir presumptive.
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 the main airport on the Caribbean island of Saint Martin and serves as a hub for Winair and smaller islands in the region. The airport is equipped with two radar systems with ranges of 50 and 250 nautical miles, and its air traffic controllers manage 4,000 square NM of airspace, known as the Juliana TCA.
St. Maarten Airport has the IATA code SXM, which has become a popular local nickname for the destination as a whole. The airport has won multiple awards, including Best Caribbean Airport in 2016 and the Bizz Award in 2017. It is also known for its low-altitude flyover landing approaches, as one end of its runway is extremely close to the shore and Maho Beach.
The airport has a fixed-base operator building, offering office space and private lounges with dedicated customs to accommodate international and local private aircraft traffic. Taxis are readily available outside the airport exit, and buses frequently depart from the nearby parking area towards Philipsburg and Maho/Cupecoy.
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The airport is located on the Dutch side of the island
Princess Juliana International Airport (IATA: SXM) is located on the Dutch side of the island of Saint Martin, in the country of Sint Maarten. The airport is named after Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, who landed there in 1944, the year after it opened, when she was heir presumptive. It is one of the oldest and busiest airports in the region, handling around 1.8 million passengers per year, and is considered one of the best airports in aviation, having won multiple awards.
The airport is situated in the Simpson Bay area of the island, close to the shore of Simpson Bay Lagoon. It is known for its very low-altitude flyover landing approaches, as one end of its runway is extremely close to the shore and Maho Beach. In fact, planes landing at the airport have become a tourist attraction at Maho Beach, with plane spotters gathering to witness aircraft landing just over the beachgoers' heads.
As the main airport on the island, Princess Juliana International Airport serves as a hub for the smaller Leeward Islands, including Anguilla, Saba, Saint Barthélemy, and Sint Eustatius. It is also a fixed-base operator, offering office space and private lounges with dedicated customs for private aircraft. The airport's air traffic controllers manage 4,000 square NM of airspace, known as the Juliana TCA, and provide approach control for several other airports in the region.
The town of Grand Case on the French side of the island is home to the second airport, Grand Case Airport L'Esperance (SFG). This airport is not an international airport but serves several regional French destinations, including St Barths, Guadeloupe, and Martinique.
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It is one of the oldest and busiest airports in the region
Princess Juliana International Airport (IATA: SXM, ICAO: TNCM) is one of the oldest and busiest airports in the region. Located in the Simpson Bay area on the Dutch side of the Caribbean island of Saint Martin, it is the primary airport on the island. The airport is named after Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, who landed there in 1944, the year after it opened.
The airport is considered one of the best in aviation, having won multiple awards, including Best Caribbean Airport in 2016. It is also known as the economic engine of St. Maarten, contributing to 60% of the island's GDP. Princess Juliana International Airport is the second busiest airport in the North Eastern Caribbean, handling around 1.8 million passengers annually, with aircraft ranging in size from Cessnas to Boeing 747s. 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.
The airport's low-altitude flyover landing approaches are a unique feature, as one end of its runway is extremely close to the shore of Simpson Bay Lagoon and Maho Beach. This makes it a popular destination for plane spotters, who can witness the dramatic landings and takeoffs from the beach. The airport has two radar systems with ranges of 50 and 250 nautical miles, and its air traffic controllers manage 4,000 square NM of airspace, known as the Juliana TCA.
In addition to its economic significance, the airport has also faced some challenges. In 2016, KLM discontinued its triangle route via Curaçao, which was previously served by a Boeing 747. The airport also suffered significant damage from Hurricane Irma in 2017, with the terminal roof blown off, jetways damaged, and flooding on the runway. However, the airport continues to be a vital gateway to the island, with direct flights from major cities in Europe and the United States, making it a popular and accessible destination for travellers.
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The airport has won multiple awards, including Best Caribbean Airport in 2016
Princess Juliana International Airport (IATA: SXM, ICAO: TNCM) is located on the Dutch side of the Caribbean island of Saint Martin, in the country of Sint Maarten. The airport is named after Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, who landed there in 1944, the year after it opened, when she was heir presumptive.
SXM Airport is considered one of the best in aviation, having won multiple awards, including Best Caribbean Airport in 2016 and the Bizz Award in 2017. It was also voted #1 Stunning Airport Approaches by PrivateFly in 2013. The airport is the second busiest in the North Eastern Caribbean, handling around 1.8 million passengers annually, mostly from the Americas, Europe, and the Caribbean. It serves as a hub for Winair and is the primary gateway to the smaller Leeward Islands, including Anguilla, Saba, Saint Barthélemy, and Sint Eustatius.
The airport's runway is located extremely close to the shore of Simpson Bay Lagoon and Maho Beach, resulting in very low-altitude flyover landing approaches. This proximity to the beach makes the airport a popular spot for plane-spotters, who gather at Maho Beach to witness the dramatic landings and take-offs.
Princess Juliana International Airport has a fixed-base operator building, offering office space and private lounges with dedicated customs to accommodate the growing traffic of private aircraft. The airport's air traffic controllers manage 4,000 square NM of airspace, known as the Juliana TCA, and provide approach control for several nearby airports in addition to PJIA.
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Frequently asked questions
The airport code for St. Maarten is SXM.
The airport is called Princess Juliana International Airport.
Princess Juliana International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the region, serving as a hub for Winair and the smaller Leeward Islands. In 2015, the airport handled 1,829,543 passengers and around 60,000 aircraft movements.
