The airport offers United States border preclearance facilities. A terminal for private aircraft opened in 2007. The airport used to serve as the hub for bankrupt airline Air Aruba, which was for many years an international airline. Before Aruba's separation from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 it was also one of three hubs for ALM Antillean Airlines as well as a home base for Tiara Air until 2016. Since 2013 the airport is home to Aruba Airlines, a local airline. The airline has three Airbus A320 family aircraft and two Bombardier CRJ200. The main focus of Aruba Airlines is connecting the region through its hub.
History
In 1934, Manuel Viana launched a weekly mail and passenger service between Aruba and Curacao, with A.J. Viccellio piloting Loening C-2H Air Yacht PJ-ZAA from a mud-flat runway. Commercial services were taken over by KLM from 24 December 1934. Later they were transferred to a graded runway known as the KLM field. During World War II the airport was used by the United States Army Air ForcesSixth Air Force defending Caribbean shipping and the Panama Canal against German submarines. The airfield was renamed Dakota Field; the terminal facilities became Dakota Airport. Flying units assigned to the airfield were:
KLM's flights operate to and from Bonaire on selected days.
TUI fly Belgium's flights operate from Brussels to Aruba via Santo Domingo. However, the airline does not have cabotage rights to transport passengers solely between Aruba and Santo Domingo.
TUI Airlines Netherlands's flights operate between Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao on selected days. However, the airline does not have fifth freedom rights to transport passengers solely between Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.
Winair's flights operate between Aruba and Sint Maarten via Curacao selected days.
Cargo
Statistics
Accidents and incidents
On January 13, 2010, an Arkefly Boeing 767-300 with the registration of PH-AHQ, was operating on flight 361 from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to Queen Beatrix International Airport declared an emergency after a man who claimed to have a bomb on board ensued a struggle with the flight crew, the aircraft made an emergency Landing at Shannon Airport. Gardaí stormed the plane and arrested the man, where he was taken to Shannon Garda station. A passenger having had surgery earlier the month before collapsed in the terminal while waiting for the continuation of the flight and had to be taken to a local hospital. The replacement aircraft PH-AHY, also a Boeing 767-300, continued the flight to Aruba.
