Meagan Drillinger

With its rebuilt, state-of-the-art airport and a collaborative regional strategy, the dual-nation island of St. Martin is confidently stepping into its role as a northeastern Caribbean hub.

"We are the northeastern hub of the Caribbean. That's our strength," May Ling Chun, director of tourism for St. Maarten (the Dutch side of the island), said at the St. Maarten Annual Regional Tradeshow (Smart) in early April. With direct connections to the island from North America, Europe, South America and other islands in the region, Princess Juliana Airport is revamping the arrivals and connecting experience in St. Maarten.

After suffering catastrophic damage from Hurricane Irma and Maria in 2017, the airport's full reopening in November 2024 marked a new era for the island.

"From the moment we reopened in November, every single month, we have hit 2016 numbers for the first time since the hurricanes," said Michiel Parent, the airport's commercial director. Projections for 2025 are strong, with 1.8 million passengers expected to arrive in St. Maarten. Aircraft movements are also on the rise, jumping from 22,000 to 24,500 commercial flights.

What's changed

The rebuild wasn't just a restoration. It was a reinvention. "The upside was rebuilding. You can take out the mistakes you made in the construction the first time and outfit it all with the latest technology," said Parent. This includes smart border control systems, a new layout focused on efficiency and passenger comfort and a streamlined, speedy digital arrivals experience.

"If you filled out your entry form, it will take you less than a minute to get through immigration," he said.

I can confirm that based on my own experience when attending the tourism event, better known as Smart, this year. I flew into Princess Juliana via Miami. Several days before arrival, I filled out my entry form. In the arrivals hall, I scanned my passport at the kiosk and was immediately approved for entry. No immigration officers, no waiting.

Since reopening, the airport has seen a strong rebound, and the new airport experience is an incentive to make St. Maarten a home base for regional travel.

The rebuild and redesign included new jet bridges, self-serve baggage drop systems, automated border control, faster baggage retrieval, digital signage and brand new shopping and restaurants.

"The airport is just a building -- a fancy one, granted -- but people don't come for the airport," Parent said. "They come for the destination. When you fly into St. Maarten, you're not just getting one, you get it all."

Team effort

At the Routes Americas conference held in the Bahamas earlier this year, the tourism board, airport officials and Winair presented a united front as a gateway for the entire island and its neighbors. Winair is the one airline offering interisland flights from St. Maarten, offering direct connections to?Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, St. Lucia, Dominica, Antigua, St. Kitts, Montserrat, Saba, St. Barts, St. Eustatia (Statia) and the Virgin Islands.

St. Maarten, is also strengthening its commitment to travel advisors. "We're soon going to work on our own travel agent specialist program," Chun said. The island is currently hosting webinars, updating partners on airlift, hotel development, and cultural offerings. "It's very important that we concentrate on advisors and keep them up to date." No date has been announced for the release of the specialist program.