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Airport tips

Historical background, facts and tips at
Puerto Rico International Airport
                   Updated:  December 26, 2008

Brief history:

The Aviation Division (El Negociado de Aviación) of the Port Authority of Puerto Rico administrates and operates the Island’s 11 airports.
The Luis Muñoz Marín Airport is International and the remaining ten are regional.

At present, Puerto Rico is served by 23 airlines that provide over 15,000 flights to 62 destinations.  This represents over 1,400,000 seats for passengers flying to/from Puerto Rico on a monthly basis.

Updates:

1.  A total of 10 business signed a contract with the Port Authority of Puerto Rico in December 2008.  The newly built terminal A will be home of popular eateries such as McDonald, Quiznos and gift shops.  A total of 20,078 square feet will be dedicated for the stores and eateries.
2.  Delta and US Airways facilities will be at Terminal A that is scheduled to inaugurate in April 2009.
3.  The new Terminal A has 226,000 square feet and the construction cost was $107 million dollars.
4. July 9, 2005 - The passenger transit  in the LMM Airport (SJU) during the first three month of 2005 was 2.8 millions.  A 4.5 % increase in comparison to last year. The highest amount of passengers arrived in March (1,042,852).
5.  On May 20, 2005, PanAm Airlines began two (2) weekly flights from Aguadilla to Orlando, FL  The flights will be on Tuesdays and Fridays on board Jets Boeing 727, with seating for 149 passengers.
6.  On the week of May 29th, M&N Aviation will fly 8 times a week between the San Juan and Aguadilla Airports. The flights will be made with a Beechcraft 1900, with seating for 18 passengers.  The schedule is Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday departing at 7:00 a.m. from San Juan to Aguadilla.  The afternoon flights are at 5:00 p.m. from Aguadilla to San Juan.
7.  Passenger traffic totaled 2,817,100 passengers, up to 5% from First quarter of 2004

IN BETWEEN FLIGHTS

 

 

  1. You would have time to tour Old San Juan, if you have at least 3 to 4 hours waiting time, the airline will transfer your luggage to the next airplane.  Click for tour options with round trip to the airport for a maximum of 7 or 10 passengers with no luggage.
  2. Look for the Ground Transportation stations and ask for a voucher with the rate to pay the taxi driver.
  3. If you have 6 hours in between flights, you may leave your luggage with the luggage handlers association for a fee (787-791-3371) take a taxi and visit Old San Juan.   Pre-plan a tour where you can storage your luggage.
  4. Their are no USO office for the US Arm Forces available.

Tours with transfers

We are tourist guides that designs and operates innovative day or night tours by effectively utilizing a vehicle that compliments your journey with comfort and class.

Our walking tours' customers have requested we coordinate their transfer with an Old San Juan walking tour; If you already toured the Old town, you will have fun exploring the Fortress City with our theme tour in the DAY or at NIGHT. We programmed the booking center with fast, easy and secure on line payment option.

Booking Center
Take a tour in between flights.

Facts:

  1. Commercial flights began in Puerto Rico in 1929 with Pan-American Airlines.
  2. Commercial flights started at the Isla Grande airport.
  3. Eastern Airlines begins the flights from Miami to San Juan on 1946.
  4. The Isla Grande airport was used as a military airport during the Second World War.
  5. Puerto Rico International Airport was inaugurated on May 22, 1955 in Isla Verde, its current location.  The government invested USD22 millions in the construction.  The airplane landing area was 7,800 feet long. Eight airlines transferred from the Isla Grande Airport to operate in the new one.
  6. The total of passengers movement during the first year was 694,199 and 28 millions pounds of cargo.
  7. The Puerto Rico International Airport was renamed Luis Muñoz Marín on February 18, 1985, to honor the first governor elected by the Puerto Ricans and the creator of the Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico.
  8. The Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport has two airplane-landing area: 10,000 and 8,000 feet long.
  9. The Rafael Hernández Regional Airport in Aguadilla has the longest airplane landing area in the Caribbean. (11,700’ x 200’ in concrete and asphalt)
  10. Puerto Rico has been American Airlines main headquarters in the Caribbean since 1985. American Airlines and American Eagles offer 110 daily flights to the United States, South America and the Caribbean from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport.

Past articles

Tips:

The outlined airport tips are a result of my experience working as a tourist guide, past clients that have shared them with me and posting travelers have made on travel oriented websites.

Lost and Found service, call the following phone numbers in according to the place you think you lost your item (s) :

1.  On board the plane - Contact your airline.
2.  Contact TSA if lost in the security check point -787-253-4591
3.  Lost in a taxi call 787-253-0418
4.  Lost some where in the airport, call the police station 787-791-0098
5.  The airport does not have a general phone nor lost and found service available.

ARRIVALS 

  1. Be sure to keep your baggage claim tickets when you get to San Juan. Airport security checks all bags against them before you can head to ground transportation.

  2. As you walk out the door of the luggage claim area go to the Ground Transportation stand and tell the person where you are going and she/he will fill out a voucher stating which zone you going to with the amount required for the taxi. Remember to inform the pieces of luggage so it is included.

  3. When booking your car rental, ask the company if their station is inside the luggage claim area or outside the airport.  Most car rentals have shuttle buses; therefore, make sure they have this service and where is the pick up location.

  4. Read our Transportation Tips article.  
  5. Their are no USO office for the US Arm Forces available.

Add a tour to your
transfer services

Have someone to meet and greet you. 

  • Have a friendly driver/host (s) welcome you and rapidly guide you to your destination in Puerto Rico.  Avoid waiting on line at the airport, piers and hotel.

  • Have fun as soon as you arrive Puerto Rico and before you check in the hotel or board the airplane or ship.  Add a tour to your transfer.

a.  Old San Juan
b.  Yunque, rainforest

DEPARTURES

1.   Be at the airport 2-hours prior to the flight.  The security guards are thorough and it takes time.

2.   When leaving for home you must have your baggage cleared through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). There are two inspection centers, one is near the American Airline terminal and the other at Delta.  Bags are marked with a red tape marker. The airlines will only check your bags when cleared by the USDA. Cruise ship passengers with the ship's luggage tags are exempt from the Department of Agriculture inspection.  You will save from 15 to 30 minutes in time.

3.   American Airline has check in terminals outside and near the USDA inspection stations for cruise ship groups.

4.   If you are coming from a cruise ship and your bags have the cruise tags on them, it shows that they have already gone thru inspections before you got off the ship.  Carry on bags is required to be checked by the USDA officer.  Remember the USDA sticker.

5.    Lines are shorter at 6AM on Sundays.

6.    The airport departure peak hours Monday to Friday are from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

7.    The departure peak hours on Saturday and Sundays are from 11:00 am to 3:00 p.m.

8.    When returning a rented car, ask for the shuttle bus and allow waiting time, especially during the peak hours.

9.   Ask for the shuttle bus schedule when renting the car, especially if your flight departs at 6:00 a.m.

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We are licensed tour guides that offer narrative and entertaining walking tour in Old San Juan and forests in Puerto Rico.