St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John collectively form the beautiful US Virgin Islands (USVI). Besides, there are almost 50 other small islands and cays covering a total area of 133.73 square miles.
The capital city of the Virgin Islands is Charlotte Amalie which is located on the island of St. Thomas. The major economic source and attraction of these islands is the tourism industry.
The latest report shows over 2.5 million tourists visit US Virgin Islands and contribute 60 per cent of the GDP. The data also illustrates the maximum number of tourists arriving on cruise ships while others choose airways or roadways.
In this blog, we will particularly focus on exploring all the airports in US Virgin Islands. At present, there are four airports serving the Virgin Islands namely Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX), Cyril E. King Airport (STT), Christiansted Harbor Seaplane Base (SSB) and aerodrome de Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base (SPB).
Let’s find out details on all these four airports.
Table of Contents
4 Airports in US Virgin Islands
Among 4 airports in US Virgin Islands, 2 of them (STX and STT) are normal airfields whereas the remaining two (SSB and SPB) are Seaplane bases.
Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (ICAO: TISX, IATA: STX, FAA LID: STX)
Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (HERA) is among the two major airports in US Virgin Islands situated at an elevation of 74 ft (23m) above mean sea level (AMSL). The airport covers a total area of 1,455 acres (589 ha) and is owned and operated by Virgin Islands Port Authority.
The airport located six miles southwest of Christiansted serves St. Croix in the United States Virgin Islands.
Henry E. Rohlsen Airport Runway Information
The airport covering a total area of 1,455 acres features one asphalt runway with dimensions 10,004 feet by 150 feet. The runway was extended from 7,600 to 10,004 feet in 2002.
| RUNWAY DESIGNATION | RUNWAY DIMENSION |
| RWY 10/28 | 10,004 ft by 150 ft (3,049 m by 46 m) |
Airport Operation and Facilities
HERA operates 24 hours a day and the airport terminal opens from 5:30 am to 11 pm. In this time period, the airport supports aircraft, rescue and firefighting services. The Air Traffic Control Tower initiates its operation from 7 am till 11 pm. In addition, the airport runway is available and functional 24 hours a day.
Talking about the facilities, HERA is equipped with a two-story terminal covering a total area of 181,000 square feet. This terminal was enhanced and expanded in 2002 and now features 10 active gates.
Flights at Henry E. Rohlsen Airport
At present, three major airlines in the United States; American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Spirit Airlines operate flights to and from the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport.
Besides, there are various inter-island and cargo flights operated by Air Sunshine, Ameriflight (DHL and UPS), Bohlke International Airways, Cape Air, FedEx, Sea Flight VI, Seaborne Airlines/Silver Airways, Vieques Air Link and Coastal Air Transport.
In addition, Bohlke International Airways operates charter as well as private flights as per demand.
The flight schedules at STX is illustrated in the table below.
| AIRLINES | DESTINATION | FLIGHT SCHEDULE |
| American Airlines | Miami International Airport (MIA) Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) | Two flights daily (MIA)One flight on Saturdays (CLT) |
| Delta Air Lines | Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) | 3 weekly flights |
| Spirit Airlines | Fort-Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport (FLL) | Daily Flights |
Henry E. Rohlsen Airport Technical Information
| ICAO CODE | TISX |
| IATA CODE | STX |
| FAA LID | STX |
| ELEVATION | 74 ft (23m) AMSL |
| AREA | 1,455 acres (589 ha) |
| RUNWAY TYPE | Asphalt Paved |
| RUNWAY DESIGNATION | 10/28 |
| RUNWAY DIMENSION | 10,004 ft by 150 ft |
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Cyril E. King Airport (ICAO: TIST, IATA: STT, FAA LID: STT)
Cyril E. King Airport (CEKA) is another important airfield located 2 miles west of Charlotte Amalie on the island of St. Thomas, USVI. The airport situated at an elevation of 24 ft (7m) above mean sea level (AMSL) covers a total area of 280 acres (110 ha).
The airport is owned and operated by Virgin Islands Port Authority and it serves the island of St. Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands. CEKA is also known as one of the busiest airports in the Caribbean.
Cyril E. King Airport Runway Information
CEKA features one asphalt runway with the designation 10/28 and a dimension of 7,000 ft by 150 ft. The runway of this airport is known as one of the deepest man-made runways in the world.
| RUNWAY DESIGNATION | RUNWAY DIMENSION |
| RWY 10/28 | 7,000 ft by 150 ft (2,134 m by 46 m) |
Airport Operation and Facilities
The terminal operation at CEKA begins from 6 in the morning till 11 in the night whereas the airport operates for full 24 hours a day. Regular flight operation, rescue and firefighting services are available during the airport operation time.
The Air Traffic Control Tower initiates its operation from 7 in the morning till 10:30 in the night.
Talking about the airport facilities, CEKA features a two-story airport terminal that surrounds a total area of 190,000 square feet on the first floor and 60,000 square feet on the second.
The airport terminal was built in November 1990 and at present, it features 11 gates for flight operation.
Flights at Cyril E. King International Airport
Major US carriers including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Spirit Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, Frontier Airlines and United Airlines operate regular flights to and from STT.
Besides, companies namely Air Sunshine, Ameriflight (DHL and UPS), Cape Air, Bohlke International Airways, Leeward Islands Airways, FedEx, Sea Flight VI and Seaborne Airlines/Silver Airways operate inter-island and cargo flights.
Furthermore, charter and private flights are executed by Alliance Aviation, Execujet, Standard Aviation and St. Thomas Jet Center/Signature.
Flight Schedules at STT
| AIRLINE | DESTINATION | FLIGHT SCHEDULE |
| American Airlines | Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) Miami International Airport (MIA) Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) Philadelphia Airport (PHL) Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) John. F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) | Daily flights (CLT-STT) Up to 3 flights per day (MIA-STT) One flight on Saturdays (ORD-STT) Daily flights (PHL-STT) One flight on Saturdays (DFW-STT) Daily Flights (JFK-STT) |
| United Airlines | George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) | Daily Flights (IAH-STT) Daily Flights (EWR-STT) Daily Flights (IAD-STT) 2 flights per week (ORD-STT) |
| Delta Air Lines | Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) John. F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) | Up to 2 flights per day (ATL-STT) Daily flights (JFK-STT) 3 flights per week (BOS-STT) |
| JetBlue Airways | John. F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) | 2 to 3 flights per week (JKF-STT) 4 flights per week (EWR-STT) One flight on Saturdays (BOS-STT) |
| Spirit Airlines | Fort-Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport (FLL) Orlando International Airport (MCO) Miami International Airport (MIA) | Daily flights (FLL-STT) 5 flights per week (MCO-STT) 3 flights per week (MIA-STT) |
| Sun Country Airlines | Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) | One flight on Saturdays (MSP-STT) |
| Frontier Airlines | Orlando International Airport (MCO) Miami International Airport (MIA) San Juan Airport (SJU) | One flight on Saturdays (MCO-STT) One flight on Saturdays (MIA-STT) One flight on Saturdays (SJU-STT) |
Cyril E. King Airport Technical Information
| ICAO CODE | TIST |
| IATA CODE | STT |
| FAA LID | STT |
| ELEVATION | 24 ft (7m) AMSL |
| AREA | 280 acres (110 ha) |
| RUNWAY TYPE | Asphalt Paved |
| RUNWAY DESIGNATION | 10/28 |
| RUNWAY DIMENSION | 7,000 ft by 150 ft (2,143 m by 46 m) |
Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base (IATA: SPB, FAA LID: VI22)
Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base (SPB) is located in the islands of Saint Thomas, USVI. The airport is owned and operated by the Virgin Islands Port Authority.
It is a seaplane base and equips two water surface runways with E/W and N/S alignment.
Runway Information
| RUNWAY DESIGNATION | DIMENSION |
| East/West (E/W) | 10,000 ft by 4,000 ft (3,048 m by 1,219 m) |
| North/South (N/S) | 4,000 ft by 4,000 ft (1,219 m by 1,219 m) |
The flight at SPB is operated by Seaborne Airlines to Saint Croix – Harbor.
SPB Technical Information
| ICAO CODE | – |
| IATA CODE | SPB |
| FAA LID | VI22 |
| ELEVATION | 0 ft (0m) |
| RUNWAY TYPE | Water Surface |
| RUNWAY DESIGNATION/DIMENSION | E/W – 10,000 ft × 4,000 ft (3,048 m × 1,219 m N/S – 4,000 ft × 4,000 ft (1,219 m × 1,219 m) |
Christiansted Harbor Seaplane Base (IATA: SSB, FAA LID: VI32)
Christiansted Harbor Seaplane Base (SSB) located in Saint Croix, USVI is owned and operated by Virgin Islands Port Authority. This airport is a seaplane landing area so, features a water runway with dimensions of 7,000 ft by 600 ft.
Seaborne Airlines operates flights to Saint Thomas – Harbor from SSB.
SSB Technical Information
| ICAO CODE | – |
| IATA CODE | SSB |
| FAA LID | VI32 |
| ELEVATION | 0 ft (0m) |
| RUNWAY TYPE | Water Surface |
| RUNWAY DESIGNATION | E/W |
| RUNWAY DIMENSION | 7,000 ft by 600 ft (2,134 ft by 183 m) |
Conclusion
These are all the airports in US Virgin Islands serving tourists and local residents by connecting to various domestic destinations across the United States.
Henry E. Rohlsen and Cyril E. King are the two major airports that operate regular passenger, charter and cargo flights to and from USVI.
Christiansted Harbor and Charlotte Amalie are the seaplane bases where seaplane aircraft operate flights to Saint Thomas – Harbor and Saint Croix – Harbor.
Some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What airport do you fly into for U.S. Virgin Islands?
You can fly to two major airports in US Virgin Islands; Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (HERA) and Cyril E. King Airport (CEKA).
How many airports does U.S. Virgin Islands have?
US Virgin Islands consists of 4 airports out of which 2 (STX and STT) are normal airfields and the remaining two (SSB and SPB) are seaplane bases.
Which is better St. Thomas or St Croix?
Saint Croix features beautiful beaches, historical landmarks, astonishing views and other natural amenities whereas Saint Thomas is popular for adventure and thrilling activities. So, the best choice depends upon your requirement.
What cities fly direct to Virgin Islands?
Flights to the US Virgin Islands (USVI) are operated by major airlines from major cities including Atlanta, Boston, Miami, New York City, Chicago, San Juan, Texas, Philadelphia and much more.
