Rafael Hernandez Airport

The Rafael Hernandez Airport started being used for commercial aviation purposes in 1988, becoming a convenient alternative to the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in Isla Verde. The airport is situated in Aguadilla in Puerto Rico, and was named after a legendary Puerto Rican composer, who was raised in Aguadilla, namely Rafael Hernandez Marin. When the airport was first established, it was only the ATA and Carnival Airlines that operated to and from the Rafael Hernandez Airport, but in later years, airlines such as Pan Am Airlines, TWA and American Airlines started running flights to this Puerto Rican airport. As flights and passenger traffic increased, the Rafael Hernandez Airport expanded the terminal building, and added a parking lot to accommodate passengers. The airport was built on land that had once been a sugar cane field and was previously used as an Air Force Base. Today the airport has five terminals. One for passenger use, one for cargo flights, a terminal that is for the exclusive use of Fed-Ex, a terminal for the Coast Guard and a terminal that is for general aviation use. There are also aircraft hangers, for service and maintenance purposes.

Rafael Hernandez Airport boasts the longest runway in the entire Caribbean. It is constructed from asphalt, or bituminous concrete, and is 3,567 meters in length. The runway is used for both take off and landings at the airport. Airlines such as Delta Airlines, Jet Blue Airways, Continental Airlines, Fed-Ex, and DHL make use of the airport for passengers and cargo.

Transport to and from the Rafael Hernandez Airport in Aguadilla includes buses, taxis, private limousines and rental cars. Car rental agents such as Avis Car Rental Company are available at the airport, and interested parties must be in possession of a valid resident country license or a valid international license. The airport does not have a vast range of facilities, but does have a post office, one duty free shop, one banking facility and a bar. The Rafael Hernandez Airport is a regional Puerto Rican airport, and as with all the other airports in Puerto Rico, the airport is inspected every year, to ensure that the safety procedures and airport regulations are upheld at all times. This in turn ensures better service delivery and a secure environment for passengers and employees.