Princess Juliana International Airport: The Beauty of St. Maarten Awaits You
Written: Sep 05 '09
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Beautiful terminal, friendly people, clean and modern
Cons: Not enough seating at gates, not many non-stop options to major cities
The Bottom Line: I would recommend using the Princess Juliana International Airport because it is a welcome escape from other Caribbean-area airports.
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| jetbluefan1's Full Review: Princess Juliana International Airport |
It just doesn’t get much better than when you step off the plane, roll down a flight of stairs, sprint on the tarmac to an overcrowded shuttle, step over people trying to be the first in line for customs, and then head over to the baggage claim to push and shove for a spot around the carousel.
OK, OK, so I may be over exaggerating a bit – or maybe even a whole lot. While this may be a scene at some other Caribbean – or American – airports, it actually does not fit the scene of Princess Juliana International Airport in Dutch St. Maarten. Here, the people – from the passenger sitting next to you to the airport agent – are a lot friendlier. No pushing, no cursing, no steamrolling involved. And hey, why not? People are coming from all over the world to spend money on this moderately-priced paradise, just four short flight hours from New York and only two and a half from Miami. Does it really get much better than that?
This past summer we decided to trek down to St. Maarten during its off-season (generally May through October) for a short, 4-day vacation from the Big City. We found plenty of flight options with connections, but only two non-stop flights from New York JFK – two JetBlue flights leaving on Saturday morning. Without hesitation, we used our frequent flier miles to book the earliest flight possible, with a return on a Wednesday afternoon. Though we used our frequent flier miles, we still had to pay international taxes – which amounted to a little bit over $50 per person. Do keep in mind that since St. Maarten is an international destination, you will be banged with these taxes no matter what.
Landing in St. Maarten is quite the rush. I highly recommend snatching a window seat – the views are absolutely stunning. We passed over a couple of smaller islands – most likely Anguilla and/or St. Baths – as we made our way into the Princess Juliana International Airport. We could spot St. Maarten because of its sheer size in comparison to the other islands, though it is still quite small. Its mountainous terrain was quite impressive – even from the airplane. But even more stunning was the color of the blue waters of the Caribbean Sea, as they became lighter and lighter until they hit the shore.
One thing that the Princess Juliana International Airport is known for is its close proximity to Sunset Beach in Maho Bay. People come from all over the world to watch airplanes land at the airport, and they get their best view from Sunset Beach – where planes fly just 30 or 40 feet overhead. The runway is so close to the sand that you will be quite literally blown into the water if you dare stand behind an airplane when it prepares to depart. (I witnessed this several times – some people didn’t get the memo, so I’m posting it here. And especially watch out for those 4-engined Boeing 747’s.)
This time, we were in one of those very planes which were being watched by dozens of people as we swooped into the airport. It was unreal to look down and see people in their bathing suits snapping pictures of us as we landed, and it was even more unreal that we touched down on the runway just two or three seconds afterward. Talk about a tricky landing! Pilots should have to have specific certifications to fly into this airport, if you ask me!
After landing at the airport, we had a quick taxi over to a hardstand – all the gates were being used, as Saturday is the airport’s busiest day. When we reached the stairs, the door immediately opened, and we walked down onto the tarmac on this beautiful, sunny day. A short shuttle ride brought us to the customs area, which I found to be plenty spacious. Though lines were pretty long, the customs officials did an excellent job of processing people efficiently. Our customs agent was especially friendly and quick – which I could attribute to the fact that she was working in a newly built terminal with air conditioning and bright lighting.
Yep – you heard it here folks. Princess Juliana International Airport underwent a major renovation just a few years ago, and it now features a state-of-the-art terminal with large windows, strong air conditioning, big lights, and fancy flat-panel TV’s. All areas associated with the arrival were quite spacious – including the normally-sardine-like-packed baggage claim area. The only thing that kind of confused me was that there was no clear exit from the baggage claim to the arrivals hall, where I saw many friends and family anxiously awaiting someone special.
One thing that really impressed me about the arrival in St. Maarten is that we weren’t surrounded by taxi cab drivers attempting to get our business. Unlike the airport in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (where I witnessed one taxi cab representative pull another’s hair), Princess Juliana had a single-file line of cabs which were chartered by the airport. All we had to do was walk up to the cab attendant, who put us on a comfortable taxi with a charming driver, who didn’t try to rip us off. (And when I say that, I mean it. Though we were charged $7 for not even a 5-minute ride, the same thing could have cost us ten times as much in Mexico if we did not ask for the rate ahead of time.)
Overall, I have to admit that the arrival process at Princess Juliana International Airport is much more pleasant than the arrival process of many other international airports. We got off the plane very soon after landing, customs took just a few minutes, and finding a taxi cab was no hassle at all. Further, the sheer friendliness of the people made things just that much better – we knew it was going to be a different vacation from what we have ever had before. And it was – we truly had an amazing time in St. Maarten, and a few days later we were kicking and screaming on our way back to the airport…
The departure process from Princess Juliana International Airport is almost as pleasant as the arrival process. Upon entering the airport, we were greeted with a soaring two-story hall with gigantic windows, high ceilings, and plenty of space. Luckily, the hall wasn’t too big – only a handful of airlines serve the airport of a normal basis. Which brings me to my next point. While the airport may not have year-round non-stop service to places like Houston or Ft. Lauderdale, it does get a decent amount of international traffic from KLM and Corsair (to Amsterdam) and Air France (to Paris). Since St. Maarten is both a Dutch and French island, these flights do not only serve sun-seekers, but also those with business and political ties to the island. It was interesting that while we were checking in for our flight to New York, the people next to us were checking in for their flight to Charles de Gualle in Paris.
Unlike American airports, Princess Juliana does not (yet) feature check-in kiosks. Instead, you must wait in line to check-in no matter which airline you’re flying with. Do keep in mind that agents for most airlines at this airport are hired by a third party and do not work directly for the carrier you are flying. Nonetheless, I did find our agent to be very friendly and efficient – just like everyone else I ran across in the airport.
After check-in, we made our way up the escalator at the end of the hallway, which brought us to the security area. The line was minimal, as was the wait – security was an absolute breeze, though I did find the agents to be competent and doing their jobs professionally and with pride (unlike what I witnessed in Cancun). Immediately after security there are a few chairs and benches where you can drag yourself to in order to collect your personal belongings.
The departure terminal is just as impressive as the check-in area. It has gigantic windows which overlook the tarmac and the gates, and it provides plenty of natural light. There are two different washroom areas – one tucked away in a corner, and the other toward the regional interisland flight section. The single terminal features less than ten gates, with no airline assigned to an individual gate. Instead, flat screen monitors display airline and flight information, and there are also monitors around the terminal which point passengers to their respective gate.
The gate areas were lacking a bit when it came to providing ample seating. Though our flight was only about half full, all seats in the gate area were taking – and some people were even sitting on the floor or standing. I guess this has to do with the fact that the airport wants people to walk around the terminal and shop. And that’s exactly what we did, of course. There were many souvenir shops (which were not, believe it or not, overpriced), a food court, some jewelry shops, and even a few bars. We did pick up an overpriced mango drink, but it was a nice last salute to the beautiful island which we were leaving behind.
If you’re delayed at the airport, you may find yourself becoming quite bored. Though there is broadband Internet service (for a fee), the shops will only keep you so busy. Further, the airport was very quiet on this Wednesday afternoon, with only a couple of flights to Charlotte and Paris to keep plane- and people-watchers pleased. Other than that, you could probably walk the perimeter of the departures hall in under five minutes. I will note, however, that it was especially entertaining to watch the boarding of the flight to St. Barth – I have never seen more Louis Vuitton carry-on luggage in my life!
When our flight was finally called to board, we filed on at a quick pace and made our way down the jetway; there was no need to use stairs today since the airport was quite dead, and there were plenty of gates to use. Within a few minutes, we pushed back, made a quick taxi toward Sunset Beach, waved goodbye to the sun-seekers, and made a powerful take-off into the sky. On our way up, we were afforded breathtaking views of the mountains, St. Barths, surrounding islands, and the deep blue sea.
It should go without saying that I did enjoy my experience at Princess Juliana International Airport. It is a wonderful gateway to an amazing island – one which provides guests with friendly people and personable service. The airport is clean, well organized, and allows passengers to travel through its halls quickly and safely. I especially enjoyed the fact that there was no chaos at the arrivals hall – something which could easily happen when you take tourists, customs, and money-hungry business owners into account. To conclude, I can safely say that you will not be disappointed with your first and last impression of St. Maarten.
Note: Princess Juliana International Airport is located on the Dutch side of the island. However, it is the only international airport in St. Maarten, and it acts as a gateway to the French side as well. There is no need to carry a passport when crossing from the Dutch side of the island to the French side, and vice versa.
Recommended:
Yes
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