Owais Crawford
The Caribbean is a popular tourist destination, known for its beautiful beaches and clear waters. With many islands to visit, there are a number of airports that serve as major travel hubs for the region. These include Puerto Rico's Luis Munoz Marin International Airport, which is the busiest airport in the region for airline flights and private jet charter activity, and the Princess Juliana International Airport in St Maarten, which offers one of the world's most stunning landings.
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What You'll Learn
Cuba's Jose Marti International Airport
Cuba's José Martí International Airport (IATA: HAV, ICAO: MUHA) is located in the municipality of Boyeros, 20 kilometres (12 mi) southwest of central Havana. The airport is Cuba's main international airport and serves several million passengers annually. It is a hub for Cubana de Aviación and Aerogaviota, and was formerly a Latin American hub for Aeroflot, the Soviet (later Russian) airline.
The airport is named after the patriot and poet José Martí, and opened in 1930, replacing the Ciudad Libertad Airport. Its former name was Rancho Boyeros Airport (Aeropuerto de Rancho Boyeros). The airport's first control tower was constructed in 1943, the first in the country. In 1945, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) was formed in Havana, and the airport saw its first international flight to Miami.
Today, José Martí International Airport offers non-stop scheduled charter services to Miami, and has freight services. Various airlines operate these routes. The airport has three terminals, with Terminal 2 constructed in 1988 in anticipation of future charter flights to the US.
The airport has been described as average, with clean interiors, although it lacks a range of stores and pubs. The staff are reportedly friendly.
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St Maarten's Princess Juliana International Airport
Princess Juliana International Airport is the main airport on the Caribbean island of Saint Martin. 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 around a 15-minute drive from the island's capital city, Philipsburg.
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. In 2015, the airport handled 1,829,543 passengers and around 60,000 aircraft movements. It serves as a hub for Winair and is the major gateway for the smaller Leeward Islands, including Anguilla, Saba, Saint Barthélemy and Sint Eustatius.
The airport has very low-altitude flyover landing approaches because one end of its runway is extremely close to the shore and Maho Beach. This proximity to the beach has resulted in some dangerous incidents, including one in 2017 when a woman was knocked over by the jet blast from a Boeing 737-800's engines and later died in hospital.
Princess Juliana International Airport has been undergoing modernisation since 1997 to accommodate increased passenger traffic and future growth. This has included widening and strengthening the runway, increasing the bearing capacity of the taxiways, constructing a new terminal, and building a radar facility and a new air traffic control tower.
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US Virgin Islands' Cyril E King Airport
The Cyril E. King Airport (IATA: STT, ICAO: TIST, FAA LID: STT) is a public airport located in the US Virgin Islands. It is situated on the southwestern side of St. Thomas, approximately two miles west of the capital city, Charlotte Amalie. The airport is one of the busiest in the eastern Caribbean, serving over 1,403,000 passengers from July 2015 to June 2016. It is also the busiest airport in the US Virgin Islands.
The airport's history dates back to 1927 when it was known as Mosquito Bay. The airstrip was renamed to Lindbergh Bay after Charles Lindbergh used it to land the Spirit of St. Louis. In 1935, the airstrip was purchased by the US government and renamed Bourne Field. During World War II, the US Navy expanded the base, extending the runways and constructing accommodations for a VMS-3 observation squadron. The airport's current terminal was built in November 1990, featuring a two-story design with 11 gates. The first floor spans 190,000 square feet, while the top floor covers 60,000 square feet.
The Cyril E. King Airport runway is quite remarkable. It measures 7,000 feet long and 150 feet wide, making it one of the deepest man-made runways in the world. Additionally, it is one of the largest deep-water, dredged runways in the Caribbean. The airport provides water taxi services to St. John and the British Virgin Islands, offering a unique travel experience.
Over the years, the Cyril E. King Airport has experienced several notable incidents. In 1970, a Trans Caribbean Airways Flight overshot the runway, resulting in a fire that tragically took the lives of two passengers. Another incident in 1976 involved an American Airlines Flight that ran off the runway, claiming the lives of 37 out of 88 passengers. In 2006, a Tol-Air Services plane ditched into the sea after taking off from the airport, but fortunately, all four passengers escaped safely.
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Cayman Islands' Owen Roberts Airport
Owen Roberts International Airport (IATA: GCM, ICAO: MWCR) is the main international airport serving the Cayman Islands. It is located in the capital, George Town, and is approximately five minutes from downtown. The airport is named after British Royal Air Force (RAF) Wing Commander Owen Roberts, a pioneer of commercial aviation in the Cayman Islands.
Owen Roberts International Airport is the main base for Cayman Airways and is one of the two entrance ports to the Cayman Islands. The airport commenced commercial operations in 1952 and has a runway length of 7,008 feet long by 150 feet wide. The runway was extended in 2020, and now has a full runway length of 7,867 feet and a fully paved strip of 8,261 feet. The airport is owned and operated by the Cayman Islands Airports Authority (CIAA).
The airport is within walking distance of the majority of rental car agencies and is also near the cruise ship terminal and Seven Mile Beach, the heart of the islands' tourism industry. In addition to Cayman Airways, airlines that provide weekly, daily, and charter services to Grand Cayman include Air Canada, American Airlines, British Airways, Delta Airlines, JetBlue, United Airlines, US Airways, and WestJet.
Owen Roberts International Airport plays a major role in the islands' tourism and financial sectors, annually processing approximately 1,095,586 passenger movements and 1,521,615 pounds of cargo. The airport also processes 286,744 pounds of mail. The airport's General Aviation Terminal (GAT) caters to private aircraft and is home to the Cayman Islands National Weather Service (CINWS).
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Martinique's airport, Fort-de-France
Martinique is a major destination for Caribbean island-hoppers, and its main airport, Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport (FDF), is located just south of the capital, Fort-de-France, in the suburb of Le Lamentin. The airport is named after the author and politician Aimé Césaire and was renamed in 2007. It is situated at an elevation of 16 feet (5 m) above mean sea level and has one runway that can accommodate large jets, including 747s from France. The Concorde even landed at the airport on at least two occasions.
The airport offers a range of passenger facilities, including police, customs, baggage claim, a pharmacy, a vaccination bureau, handicap facilities, a tobacconist, banks, money-changing services, souvenir shops, and tax-free shopping. It is easily accessible from the capital, with Fort-de-France just a 10-minute drive from the airport.
The airport has a long history, dating back to its opening in 1950. Unfortunately, the airport has also experienced several incidents over the years. On 30 August 1979, an Air Martinique plane was damaged beyond repair, likely due to Hurricane David. On 17 July 1994, another Air Martinique plane crashed into Les Pitons du Cabbets, killing all six occupants.
Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport is a significant gateway to the buzzing island of Martinique, providing easy access for both international travellers and those exploring the Caribbean by island-hopping.
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Frequently asked questions
Puerto Rico's Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU) is the busiest airport in the region for airline flights and private jet charter activity.
Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) in St Maarten offers a breathtaking landing, coming in very low over the water.
St. Jean Gustaf III Airport (SBH) on the Caribbean island of Saint Barthélemy has a unique setting, with a crystal-clear beach flanking its eastern runway and a 50-metre hill to the west. Aircraft approaching SBH must execute a steep descent.
Marsh Harbour Airport (MHH) in the Abaco Islands, Bahamas, is the major airport and town in this group of islands, attracting visitors with its natural beauty.
Saint Lucia's primary travel hub is SLU, which is the closest to the capital city and very accessible to the entire north side of the island.
