San Juan Airport: Location And Travel Guide

The Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, often referred to as the San Juan Airport, is located in Carolina, a municipality in the Puerto Rican capital of San Juan. It is the busiest airport in the Caribbean by passenger traffic and acts as a major gateway to the region, serving as a hub for several airlines. The airport's history dates back to the 1940s, and it has since undergone numerous expansions and renovations to accommodate the growing aviation industry and tourism in Puerto Rico. With its convenient location just northeast of San Juan's bustling metropolitan area, the airport plays a vital role in connecting Puerto Rico to the world, facilitating travel, commerce, and cultural exchange.

Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport

The airport is owned by the Puerto Rico Ports Authority and has been managed by Aerostar Airport Holdings since 2013, in a 40-year public-private partnership lease. It is the busiest airport in the Caribbean by passenger traffic, with 12,197,553 million passengers in 2023. The airport has one main terminal building with four concourses and a separate terminal with one concourse. The largest airline carrier at LMM is JetBlue Airways, which has designated the airport as a focus city. Other major airlines that operate at the airport include American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines.

The airport was constructed in response to the need for a modern airport capable of handling the growing air traffic and the changes occurring in the aviation sector at the time, such as the upgrade to jet aircraft. It officially opened on May 22, 1955, and took its current name in 1985. Over the years, the airport has expanded to include a second runway, additional terminals, and various upgrades to its facilities.

Location

Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) is the primary international airport serving the capital municipality of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and its metropolitan area. It is located in the beachfront resort and residential district of Isla Verde in the municipality of Carolina, approximately three miles southeast of San Juan's city centre. The airport is about 4 to 7 miles from the business centre of Hato Rey, the resort area of Condado, and the historic quarter of Old San Juan.

SJU is the busiest airport in the Caribbean, serving as a major gateway to the region and Puerto Rico's main international gateway. It is also the island's main point of entry and the home airport of many airlines. In 2023, the airport handled 12,197,553 million passengers, and in 2024, this number increased to 13.2 million passengers, corresponding to around 90% of the total Puerto Rican passenger volume.

The airport is owned by the Puerto Rico Ports Authority and has been managed by Aerostar Airport Holdings since 2013 through a 40-year concession agreement. It is the second privatised airport in the United States and, as of 2024, the only currently privatised airport in the nation.

SJU is a dual civilian/military airport with two runways and two terminals. More than 20 airlines operate at the airport, including major carriers such as American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and JetBlue Airways, which is the largest airline carrier at SJU and has designated the airport as a focus city. The top destinations from SJU are New York City, Miami, and Orlando.

Airlines

Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU) is the primary airport serving San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is located in the beach-front resort and residential district of Isla Verde in the municipality of Carolina, about 4 to 7 miles from the business centre of Hato Rey, Condado, and Old San Juan. It is the busiest airport in the Caribbean, serving as a major gateway to the region.

SJU is a dual civilian/military airport with two runways and two terminals. More than 20 airlines operate at the airport, including major carriers such as American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and JetBlue Airways, the largest airline carrier at SJU. Other airlines that fly to SJU include:

• Spirit Airlines
• Frontier Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• Avelo Airlines
• Tradewind Aviation
• Air Canada
• Copa Airlines
• Allegiant Air
• Silver Airways
• Air Canada Rouge
• Air Transat
• WestJet
• Sun Country Airlines
• Cape Air
• Caribbean Airlines
• InterCaribbean Airways
• Air Sunshine
• Southwest Airlines
• United Airlines
• American Airlines
• Avianca
• Iberia
• Frontier Airlines
• Air Canada
• British Airways
• Air France
• KLM
• Lufthansa
• Condor
• Virgin Atlantic
• Air Europa
• Volaris
• Surinam Airways
• Air Antilles
• LIAT
• ALM Antillean Airlines
• Air Jamaica
• Viasa
• Aeropostal
• Mexicana de Aviación
• Jet 24
• Volaris
• Surinam Airways
• LACSA
• Aerolíneas Argentinas
• Dominicana De Aviación
• Wardair
• Allegiant Air
• ATA Airlines
• Northwest Airlines
• Continental Airlines
• National Airlines
• AirTran Airways
• Ladeco
• Aeronaves de Puerto Rico
• Coral Air
• Aero Virgin Islands
• US Airways
• United Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• American Airlines
• Southwest Airlines
• Spirit Airlines
• Frontier Airlines
• Air Canada
• British Airways
• Iberia
• Copa Airlines
• Air Canada Rouge
• Air Transat
• WestJet
• Sun Country Airlines
• Cape Air
• Caribbean Airlines
• InterCaribbean Airways
• Air Sunshine
• Silver Airways
• JetBlue Airways
• Avelo Airlines
• Tradewind Aviation

SJU offers a range of dining and retail options, as well as essential services such as ATMs, postal services, shoe-shining, recharging stations, and Wi-Fi. The airport can be easily accessed by taxi, car rental, or bus, and there are numerous hotel options nearby.

Passenger traffic

Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) is the primary international airport of Puerto Rico, serving the capital municipality of San Juan and its metropolitan area. It is located in the beachfront resort and residential district of Isla Verde in the municipality of Carolina, about 4 to 7 miles (6.4 to 11.3 km) east of the business centre of Hato Rey, the resort area of Condado, and the historic quarter of Old San Juan.

SJU is the busiest airport in the Caribbean by passenger traffic, serving as a major gateway to the region. In 2014, 8.6 million passengers flew into and out of the airport, and in 2023, it registered 12,197,553 passengers. The airport is currently transporting about 8.5 million passengers annually.

SJU is a dual civilian/military airport with two runways and two terminals. It serves as a hub for several airlines, including Air Sunshine, M&N Aviation, Airways, Silver Airways, Tradewind Aviation, and Wiggings Airways. It is also a focus city for JetBlue, which is the largest carrier in San Juan, with 51 daily flights on an average day. The top destinations from SJU are US cities: Orlando, New York, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Atlanta, Newark, Philadelphia, Tampa, Baltimore, and Boston.

History

The Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (LMM), previously known as the Isla Verde International Airport, is located in the beachfront resort district of Isla Verde in Carolina, Puerto Rico. It is the primary international airport serving the capital municipality of San Juan and its metropolitan area.

In 1945, the Puerto Rican government recognised the need to build a new international airport capable of handling the growing air traffic of San Juan International Airport in Isla Grande, which had been operating since 1929. As airlines began transitioning from propeller aircraft to jets, the Isla Grande airstrip's 4,000-foot length became insufficient for modern aircraft to land and take off safely.

The government decided to direct air operations through the Puerto Rico Transportation Authority, which later became the Ports Authority. The Committee of Airports of the Planning Board studied the feasibility of a new airport and, in 1945, determined that Isla Verde (Carolina) would be the most suitable location, making the airport a metropolitan facility.

Construction of the new airport was approved by the Puerto Rico Planning Board in 1946, and the project commenced in 1947. The design was undertaken by the architectural firm Toro-Ferrer, known for their designs of the Caribe Hilton Hotel and the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico.

The first phase of construction, which included cleaning, filling, levelling, and drainage of soils, was completed in 1949. The second phase, which involved paving the runway, taxiways, and platforms, also began that year.

On May 22, 1955, the Puerto Rico International Airport was inaugurated. 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 the following years, the airport underwent several expansion and improvement projects to accommodate the introduction of jets and increasing air traffic. By 1959, major airlines had introduced jets, significantly reducing flight times and enhancing safety.

In the 1960s, projects were initiated to extend the runway from 7,800 to 10,000 feet, construct a second runway, and reinforce and widen the original runway for the introduction of 747 aircraft.

On February 18, 1985, the airport was officially designated the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in honour of the first governor of Puerto Rico elected by the people, Luis Muñoz Marín.

In 1986, American Airlines, along with American Eagle, established a base in Puerto Rico, competing with Eastern Air Lines. By 2001, American's hub witnessed over 60 daily mainline flights and more than 100 daily American Eagle flights to the Caribbean islands.

The airport has continued to undergo modernisation and expansion projects to accommodate the growing passenger and cargo movement. In 2012, Terminal A was opened, occupied solely by JetBlue Airways, making San Juan a focus city.

As of 2024, Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport is the busiest airport in the Caribbean and the only privatised airport in the United States or its territories. It serves as Puerto Rico's main international gateway and connection to the mainland United States.

Frequently asked questions