New FBO facility set to open at Princess Juliana, boosting St. Maarten’s private aviation profile

AIRPORT--St. Maarten’s new fixed base operator (FBO) terminal at Princess Juliana International Airport will officially open this Friday evening, marking a major step in the island’s push to grow high end private aviation. The facility will be home to upgraded FBO operations for ExecuJet and Signature Aviation.

The opening follows a long term FBO concession agreement that Princess Juliana International Airport signed earlier this year with ExecuJet, part of the Luxaviation Group. Under that deal, ExecuJet takes on full responsibility for managing and operating the airport’s FBO services as part of a broader strategy to raise service standards and expand premium travel options through St. Maarten.

Industry publication AIN Online has reported that the new general aviation terminal was designed to relocate and expand the existing FBOs, providing more space and better amenities for private aviation customers. The facility will include larger passenger areas, a dedicated VIP lounge, improved bathrooms and pilot support spaces, along with upgraded security and processing zones.

Signature Aviation will continue to offer private and general aviation ground handling, fueling and related services from the new complex. The company is one of the largest FBO networks in the world and St. Maarten is an important stop for traffic to nearby islands such as Anguilla and St. Barths.

For ExecuJet, the new building consolidates a relationship with the airport that stretches back nearly a decade. The company acquired its first Caribbean FBO at St. Maarten in 2016, when it took over the former TLC Aviation facility at Princess Juliana. At the time, ExecuJet described the island as a natural hub for the north eastern Caribbean and for the mega yacht destinations that surround it.

In subsequent years, ExecuJet’s St. Maarten operation built a strong reputation among business aviation crews, earning high marks in industry surveys. The company promotes its SXM FBO as a one stop VIP gateway, offering quick customs and immigration handling, jet to yacht transfers, luxury ground transport and concierge support for clients heading to St. Maarten or connecting to other islands.

The FBO opening also closes a long chapter that began with the ground breaking for a new general aviation building back in 2017, shortly before Hurricane Irma devastated the airport. While reconstruction of the main terminal has dominated public attention in recent years, the completion of the dedicated FBO facility signals that the premium end of the market is now catching up with those broader works.

With both ExecuJet and Signature now moving into expanded spaces, the expectation is that St. Maarten will be able to handle more private jet traffic more smoothly, especially during peak winter and holiday periods. Local operators say the combined presence of two global FBO brands in a modern terminal should reinforce the island’s role as a preferred entry point for business travelers, high net worth visitors and yacht owners moving around the northern Caribbean.

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