By Tom Clifford
Airport, November 14, 2025 — A new air service linking San Juan in Puerto Rico to Princess Juliana International Airport took off on Friday.
“We have 40 aircraft in the fleet and for this route each plane will carry 30 passengers,’’ according to David Woodard, Vice President of Airport Operations for Contour Airlines.
He was speaking just ahead of the first aircraft in the service landing at PJIA.
Contour Airlines has its corporate base in Smyrna, outside Nashville, in Tennessee. “But our aircraft for this service are all in San Juan,’’ Woodard added.The launch marks a strategic milestone for St. Maarten’s continued growth as a regional hub. The route will operate three times a week — Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays — using an Embraer EMB-145, a regional jet with a capacity for 30 passengers.
At the official opening ceremony, the Honorable Grisha S. Heyliger-Marten, Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications (TEATT), said San Juan was an important international gateway for people on the island. It was also, the minister added, a place where people often visited from here.
During the ceremony, the SXM Airport’s CEO and President, Michael Cleaver, recalled fond childhood memories of going to San Juan with his family. He also pointed out that it’s about connecting people, businesses, and opportunities.
Dylcia Lake, Managing Director of Juliana Airport Handlers said: “This is another milestone for us at JAH and we are looking forward to giving continued excellent service to our arriving and departing guests.”
Lake’s responsibility is for managing “above the wing’’ operations, which in aviation terms means overseeing passengers and check-in facilities.
As the inaugural flight landed, Riley Musial, Marketing Coordinator for the airline, said that Contour’s fleet of 30-seater regional jets feature extra comfort space, complimentary snacks and inflight service.
“Our Embraer ERJ-135/145 planes for this service have been modified from 50 to 30 seats. This gives passengers extra legroom and allows us to deliver a first-class service.’’
Suzy Kartokromo, Manager Aeronautical Business at the SXM Airport, welcomed the addition of routes. “We have about 30 airlines using the airport,’’ she said. “But some are seasonal, say from November 1 to mid-March.’’
- The service launches 14 November 2025.
- Flights operate Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
- Outbound: Departs SJU at 11:40 a.m., arrives SXM at 12:45 p.m.
- Return: Departs SXM at 1:45 p.m., arrives SJU at 2:50 p.m.
Each flight on the new service will last about 45-65 minutes and it takes about an hour to get each plane ready for take-off after landing.
The new Contour flights to St. Maarten are a welcome addition as the airline also services Dominica from both San Juan and St Thomas.
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About Contour Airlines:
Contour Airlines, headquartered in Smyrna, Tennessee, is the regional airline brand of Contour Aviation. The company was established in 1982 as Corporate Flight Management, initially providing private charter services, and later expanded into aircraft sales, maintenance, and fixed-base operations. This steady growth transformed Contour into one of the ten largest Part 135 charter operators in the United States. Today, the airline operates a fleet of Embraer regional jets on scheduled routes to more than a dozen U.S. destinations while continuing to offer charter and other aviation services.
Submit a reservation request to book a flight with Contour Airlines online here>>>
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