St. Maarten’s Declining Hub Status – Time for a New Vision?
A recent article published by The People’s Tribune, “St. Maarten’s diminishing regional hub role, Minister’s presence at Routes has added significance,” highlights an urgent and growing challenge for St. Maarten’s aviation sector. The island’s long-standing dominance as a regional hub for neighboring islands like Anguilla, Nevis, Tortola, and Dominica is eroding, primarily due to the rise of direct flights from the U.S. to these destinations and their investments in airport infrastructure.
A reader recently shared a compelling commentary with me on this matter, arguing that SXM’s loss of hub status was inevitable given its prolonged reconstruction period post-Hurricane Irma and the evolving dynamics of regional air travel. This reader notes that aircraft technology has advanced, allowing airlines to bypass SXM in favor of smaller runways elsewhere. Additionally, the airport transfer process at SXM remains inefficient, making it an unattractive hub compared to the convenience of flying direct.
This raises critical questions: What value does St. Maarten offer as a transit hub today? What makes our island a compelling stopover or final destination?
The Reality of SXM’s Declining Hub Role
The data confirms what many in the industry already suspected:
✅ American Airlines, JetBlue, and other U.S. carriers now serve Anguilla, Dominica, and Tortola directly.
✅ Anguilla and Nevis are expanding their runways, making them less reliant on SXM.
✅ The “hub model” is fading in the region, as airlines prioritize point-to-point connections to maximize efficiency.
Meanwhile, SXM has struggled to present itself as a seamless connection hub. The reality of transit here includes:
🚫 Connection headaches – Immigration processing, baggage collection, and re-checking on small regional flights create unnecessary friction.
🚫 Lack of transit passenger amenities – What does SXM truly offer to transit passengers? Limited shopping, food, or leisure options make layovers unappealing.
🚫 Traffic congestion on the island – If tourists extend their layover into a short visit, they’re met with frustrating infrastructure issues, as the reader pointed out.
The hub strategy that once worked for SXM is outdated. Airlines have already moved past it. Now, St. Maarten must rethink its aviation and tourism approach entirely.
Shifting from a “Hub” to a “Destination” Model
The reader suggests that instead of clinging to an outdated hub concept, St. Maarten should focus on being a high-value destination that people actively want to visit and stay in.
This means investing in:
📌 Infrastructure improvements – Fixing traffic congestion and enhancing the overall island experience for tourists.
📌 New attractions & experiences – Creating unique reasons for tourists to come here beyond casinos and bars, as other islands offer the same.
📌 Local tourism retention – Instead of merely chasing transit passengers, improve the product so visitors choose SXM as their primary destination.
The 37 beaches are not enough if the experience surrounding them is frustrating. An appealing island experience requires seamless movement, unique attractions, and a well-developed tourism product.
What Should Minister Heyliger-Marten Do at Routes Americas?
The Minister’s participation at Routes Americas 2025 is indeed crucial. However, if the only goal is to pitch SXM as a hub, we are fighting a losing battle. Instead, the focus should be on:
✅ Securing new direct flights from key U.S. cities (Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles) to offset transit losses.
✅ Positioning SXM as a premium Caribbean getaway – appealing to travelers who seek an exclusive and high-quality experience.
✅ Partnering with European & Latin American carriers to create new markets outside of the U.S. dependency.
✅ Improving transit passenger experience with a streamlined process, better services, and a compelling reason to stay longer.
Conclusion: Time for a New Vision
St. Maarten cannot afford to cling to the past. The hub model is not coming back—not without significant operational improvements and a clear strategic shift.
Instead, SXM must embrace a destination-first mindset, ensuring that whether travelers arrive, transit, or stay, they want to return. Our competitors are evolving—if we don’t adapt, SXM will be left behind.
It’s time to rebuild not just the airport, but our entire approach to tourism.
Terrance Rey
Publisher & Editor
StMaartenNews.com
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Related articles:
Time for a New Vision for St. Maarten’s Aviation Future
Point-to-point beats hub-spoke airlift
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