Queen Beatrix International Airport Guide

Queen Beatrix International Airport sits roughly 2.5 kilometres southeast of Oranjestad, placing it unusually close to the city centre for an international airport. Commercial aviation began in Aruba on January 19, 1935, when KLM launched bi-weekly service between Aruba and Curaçao. The airport's single runway (11/29, 2,808 metres) handles all traffic, and in 2024 the airport processed 3.2 million passengers — a record — across 30,604 aircraft movements.

A standout feature is the U.S. Customs and Border Protection preclearance facility, which allows passengers on US-bound flights to clear American immigration and customs before boarding. Flights then arrive in the United States as domestic arrivals. A new US Check-In Terminal opened in April 2025 as Phase 1A of the Gateway 2030 expansion, introducing self-service bag drop and a modern baggage handling system processing 2,000 bags per hour. Non-US international departures use a separate section of the terminal building.

The airport is operated by Aruba Airport Authority N.V. and serves as the hub for Aruba Airlines. In 2024, 26 airlines offered non-stop service to over 45 destinations, with major carriers including American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, United, Avianca, and Copa Airlines. New entrants LATAM Airlines and GOL began service that year, reflecting growing demand from South America.