News & Media

Princess Juliana International Airport Soars in 2023 and 2024, Exceeding Passenger Traffic Targets

Simpson Bay, St Maarten (May 28, 2024) Princess Juliana International Airport Operating Company N.V. (PJIAE) today announced strong results for 2023 and 2024, exceeding passenger traffic targets set at the beginning of both years. The positive performance marks a significant recovery from the pandemic's impact and positions the airport for further growth in the years ahead.

“We are thrilled to report such positive results over 2023 and the first quarter of 2024,” said Brian Mingo, CEO and Bob Post, CFO at PJIAE. “Passenger traffic has rebounded remarkably, and we are nearly back to pre-pandemic levels. We are committed to providing a seamless and positive travel experience for all passengers. We are confident that the strong momentum we witnessed in 2023 will continue in 2024. We are also very pleased with the new check-in - and departure halls and our new arrivals hall is almost finished. The countdown has begun and in November 2024 we will celebrate the opening of the state-of-the art terminal and our 80th birthday with all stakeholders”.

Key highlights from the 2023 Annual Report and the first quarter 2024 figures include:

• Traffic Above Target: Passenger traffic at PJIAE surpassed expectations in 2023, ending up at more than 1.4 million passenger movements. Exceeding the targets set for the year. Passenger traffic over 2023 nearly equaled 2019 numbers (99,5%) and closed in on 2016 numbers by 81.2%.

• Recovery Nears Completion: Passenger numbers are nearing pre-pandemic levels, demonstrating a strong return in travel demand to St. Maarten. During the first quarter of 2024 passenger traffic surged to 93% of 2016 travel and 130% of 2019 traffic.

• North American Dominance: North America remains the dominant source of traffic at PJIAE accounting for approximately 58% of all passengers.

The full 2023 annual report for PJIAE will be available soonest at www.sxmairport.com

About Princess Juliana International Airport

Princess Juliana International Airport is the second busiest airport in the Northeast Caribbean and serves as a vital airport hub for Saba, St Eustatius, St Barthelemy, Anguilla, Dominica, Nevis, and Tortola. The airport stands as one of the largest employers on the island, with 305 workers employed directly and a total of 1700 workers within the entire airport community. In 2024, Sint Maarten Airport expects to handle 1.5 million passengers and 54,000 aircraft movements. Reconstruction efforts at the airport commenced in September 2021, with the new terminal hall scheduled for completion in Q2 2024.