There are a few people out there who actually enjoy flying. They like the waking up at 4 am only to stand in lines… If you are not one of them, read this!

Princess Juliana International Airport started off as a dusty little airstrip on reclaimed land on the south west side of St. Maarten. Then, its only flights were small inter-island traders.

Today, PJIA is the second busiest airport in the Windward Islands, second only to San Juan. Note, the busiest, certainly not the largest! It only has one runway, and a small terminal. It also has the second largest number of private jets flying in and out over the year. This is something to be especially proud of, as there is only a large quantity of private jets for six months of the year. At new yeas, one can easily count over 70 private and corporate jets parked on the tarmac. Sadly, St. Maarten is not the playground of the rich and famous, they get on their mega-yachts and go to St. Barths for the most exclusive “tail-gate” party in the world.

As most people will not get the pleasure to fly into St. Maarten in a private jet, here are some tips and tricks for the rest of is!

The Arrival:

If you fly down to SXM (The airport code for St. Maarten) from North America you will probably have a mid-day flight. The flight down often flies over the Bahamas, and is often quite interesting. The larger jets often do a flyby, getting a visual of the runway. With the new radar system, however, this is not as common. The long flat island you see flying in in Anguilla. The mountains on your left are the hills of the island, and the King-Kong style mountain rising from the sea on your right is Saba.

If you want to see Maho and the beaches of the “Lowlands” sit on the left side of the plane. (A,B,C) The view from this side is the most dramatic! The approach is over the Caribbean sea, and it is often difficult to judge the elevation, Maho hotel suddenly pops into view to welcome you back to dry land.

We don’t have any fancy fly-bridges here, you have to climb down the stairs of your aircraft. Usually, they open up both doors and there are two sets of stairs. The heat and humidity hits even the most prepared. Don’t worry, it is mainly due to the difference in temperatures in the plane and heat raising up from the black tarmac. If you are close to the terminal, you walk… If you are far away, you take a bus. You get to the arrival hall, and you wait… and wait… and wait…

Lines:

You know that little card they gave you in the plane? You need it now. Also get your passport, hotel information, and tickets ready to show the immigration officer. There are usually 4 booths, and there is usually a line devoted to residents. Careful which line you get into, as they are not well marked.

Sometimes, the lines stretch far out the door and the wait is hours, other times, you can get through in minutes. The secret is easy. On Saturday and Sunday all of the timeshares arrive and leave SXM. Most are from the US. Most arrive between 1-4pm. The large European airlines also arrive in the afternoons.
I am sure you get the picture… If you can, fly on other days, or at different times. If you don’t mind arriving late, American has a flight from Miami that arrives at 10pm. There are no lines then! (Although it sure is late!)

Luggage and Customs:

This is easy, there are no customs! Sometimes a few bags are checked. All they are looking for are drugs and large amounts of cash. They wont be concerned with your odd foods and fruit that you couldn’t live without for a week. (Although they are all available here anyway!)

The luggage from all the flights is put on one belt, so you have to look carefully for your bags. If you have a standard black bag, it helps to tie the zippers together with a bright piece of string.

Even though the airport seems chaotic, it hardly ever misplaces luggage. I must give a warning to all Air France passengers, pack a change of clothes in your hand luggage! The airline is notorious for leaving luggage in odd places.

Getting out of there!

There are many ways to do this. If you arrive at the busy time there is often a hotel shuttle. You can also rent a car, or take a taxi to your hotel. There is plenty of information available for you to absorb while waiting for your luggage.

I’m here, so now what?

While in SXM there are plenty of opportunities to travel to surrounding islands. You can do it by boat, or by airplane. The regional airlines are:

WinAir
LIAT
(Not sure what it stands for, theories include “Luggage in Another Terminal” and “Leaving Island Any Time”)
AirCaribes

They fly at least 2 flights daily to Anguilla, Saba, St. Barths, Statia, and St. Kitts and Nevis. The prices are reasonable, and flight times last from 11 minutes to 33 minutes. While this may seem more pleasurable than the “vomit comets” don’t forget a few things! There are lines in the airports, and most regional tickets do not include the $20 departure tax. ($6 for Statia and Saba)

All the airlines have counters at there airport where you can purchase tickets. Just remember to get morning flights and be at the airport an hour before the departure time. The landings in Saba and St. Barths are worth the flight alone! Saba’s runway is perched on top of a cliff, and is St. Barths is appears that you are going to land on the main road!

Time to Say Good-Bye:

If you have an afternoon flight, I would recommend calling your airline ahead of time and asking them if you could check in in the morning. Be sure to ask the agent if your departure fee is included in your ticket price. Of not, you pay the $20 fee to the left of the check-in hall.

**UPDATE**
As of September 1st 2004 the fee will go up to $25. Eventually, to help fund the new terminal, the fee will be $30.

If you get to chose your seats, try to sit on the right side of the plane this time. This way, you get to wave to your buddies at Sunset Beach Bar on your taxi out. You also get to see all the brave souls who stand in the path of the landing and departing aircraft.

A new addition to the check-in line is baggage searches. SXM does not have x-ray luggage scanners for checked luggage. You may be asked to have your luggage searched in the middle of all the chaos. The security are usually polite, and try not to mess things up, but they do have a job to do! Don’t leave anything embarrassing on top!

Once finished, you could go for drinks at Sunset Beach Bar or to one of the many restaurants near the Airport. I would not recommend going too far, as there is often bad traffic. Maho is less than 5 minutes away from the airport, with or without traffic. Simson Bay can be anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour away! This time varies greatly because there is a bridge that opens of the mega yachts. The bridge times in winter are: 9:30, 11:00, 4:30, and 5:30. In summer the bridge usually just opens at 9:30 and 5:50. Keep in mind that mega yachts can request bridge openings at any time they desire, and their requests are sometimes granted even when rush hour traffic is at its worst.

Stuck in the Airport?

The airport has a few of the St. Maarten staples: Jewelry, cheap souvenirs, liquor, perfume, and electronics. As they believe they are your last stop, they try to raise the prices. You can bargain with them, and I have bought many things at the airport for the same price they were available for in Philipsburg.

There is also a cigar shop, book store, and a few snack bars. Upstairs there is a restaurant. It was once frequented by locals for its excellent seafood and the main lobster that was flown in every Friday night. Now, it has turned into a typical airport restaurant. The service is not is quick as it should be, and the food is rather uninspiring. However, they do make a very good Chicken-Satay with an Indo-Peanut sauce. Get it with French fries for your last taste of Surinam/Dutch influenced cuisine. It is the best on SXM!

Don’t go into the departure lounge until you absolutely have to. It is hot, and the facilities are well, useless! Why hurry to stand in another line anyway? Before you do brave the line you might want to buy a bottle of water!

Keep an eye on the immigration/security line to get into the departure lounge. It can be five people one minute, and out the door the next! If you have all your document ready (Including the little card from your arrival) you should get through pretty quickly. Security is the standard carry-on on the belt, walk through, ect.

The departure lounge has “gates” around the edge. They are just doors that lead directly onto the tarmac. The walk to the airplane over the black tarmac is always HOT. Pair that with sunburn and it is a recipe for heat exhaustion. This is where the water comes in handy! At least you wont have to wait for the flight attendant!

The takeoff is always impressive. Immediately after lifting off the plane banks sharply to the right to clear the mountains. Have a wonderful flight, and hope to sea you soon!


The future!

Funding has just been approved to begin construction of a new airport terminal to replace the current one. The airport is also being upgraded to comply with safety regulations. A new radar communications center was recently completed.

The exact plans change week to week, island style. A few concrete plans are to lengthen the current runway, and to add more tarmac for private jets. Additions are difficult, because there is limited land… there are roads, followed by water, on both ends of the runway! Eventually, there will be a modern terminal, and improved security and customer service, hope this happens soon!



-----------------------

For more information on St. Maarten / Sint Martin and the surrounding islands, please take a look at my other reviews.

St. Maarten / Stint Martin


Sint Martin, French Side:
Vacation Advice From an Islander

Philipsburg, the capital of Dutch St. Maarten:
Front Street, Back Street, Pondfill

Maho, the tourist capital of Dutch St. Maarten:
Fun, Sun, and Jets!

Transportation:
Forget the Taxis
Princess Juliana International Airport.

Health and safety:
French Side - A Healthy Place...
Dutch Side - A Healthy Place...

General Itineraries:
Advice from an Islander

Local Customs:
Great Island, Great People

Hotels:
Maho - A Happening Place
Great Bay Beach Hotel - Depends What You are Looking For...


Anguilla

Hotels:
La Serena - A Beautiful Gem

Airlines With Regular Flights to St. Maarten

US Airways - Delays
American Airlines - Unaccompanied Minors


Recommended: Yes

Best Suited For: Friends
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime