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🏢 Terminal Guide & Navigation
Stella Maris Airport serves as northern Long Island's primary aviation hub positioned 3 miles from downtown Stella Maris at 10 feet elevation, featuring single asphalt runway 13/31 measuring 3,999 feet by 75 feet designed and built by Jack Henry Cordery in 1967 for Stella Maris Estate Company. Designated as an Airport of Entry with customs available 8:30-5:30 winter and 8:30-6:30 summer, the facility handles both retail and operational usage with 100LL fuel available, NDB navigation (526 ZLS), and CTAF frequency 122.8.
Terminal facilities provide basic terminal with shaded waiting area, full-service FBO facilities including customs and immigration clearing for international private flights, and landing fees of $7 for singles/$9 for heavy twins with 25% discount for Stella Maris Resort guests. Ground transportation includes expensive taxis for longer distances, with car rentals from Island Sunshine, Lee's Taxi & Tours, and Unique Wheels delivering directly to airport, while the resort operates frequent shuttle service between Stella Maris, Nassau, and Georgetown, Exuma.
Operational characteristics focus on supporting the Stella Maris Resort and surrounding private villas through scheduled domestic services via Bahamasair, Airstars, Southern Air Charter, and Pineapple Air, alongside international private aircraft operations as a popular point of entry. The pristine turquoise waters approach over the northern Exuma Bank provides one of the Caribbean's most beautiful landing experiences, with windsocks located southeast near ramp and northeast of runway.
Strategic importance encompasses serving as the gateway for Long Island's northern tourism sector including access to Dean's Blue Hole and stunning caves, facilitating private aviation entry to the Bahamas with full customs capabilities, and maintaining essential connectivity for this Out Island community while supporting the resort-centered economy with efficient 60-minute domestic processing times and strategic positioning between Nassau and Exuma.
Airlines Serving SML
💡 Connection Tips
Stella Maris Airport (SML) is the primary aviation hub for the northern region of Long Island in the Bahamas, specifically catering to the guests of the Stella Maris Resort and surrounding private villas. Taxis are available at the terminal but can be quite expensive for the long distances required to reach the southern parts of the island; it is often more cost-effective to arrange a pickup through your resort or hotel in advance. Arriving just 60 minutes before your domestic flight to Nassau is generally plenty of time. The landing approach over the pristine turquoise waters and scattered cays of the northern Exuma Bank is one of the most beautiful in the Caribbean.
Connecting from the airport to your final destination requires understanding the island's unique logistics. A critical tip for first-time visitors is that driving is on the left side of the road in the Bahamas. Facilities at the terminal are basic but include a shaded waiting area. Always build some flexibility into your island travel plans, as the smaller regional aircraft used on these routes can be sensitive to localized weather conditions.
Car rentals are the most practical way to explore Long Island's stunning caves and Dean’s Blue Hole; local companies like Island Sunshine, Lee’s Taxi & Tours, and Unique Wheels offer rentals and will frequently deliver the vehicle directly to the airport for your arrival. The airport itself is a small, efficient facility where passenger processing is exceptionally fast. For those flying in on private aircraft, Stella Maris offers full-service FBO facilities including customs and immigration clearing, making it a popular point of entry for international private flights.
Expert Travel Tips & Insights
Pro Traveler Secrets
• Arrange your resort pickup before arrival, because taxis are not always waiting at Stella Maris.
• This airport is especially handy for the resort area and trips north on Long Island.
• Sixty minutes is usually plenty for check-in at this quiet out-island airport.
• The flight in over the cays is worth a window seat on a clear day.
• SML is the better airport if your Long Island stay is northside and you want less road time.
Quick Facts
Minimum domestic connection:
45 minutes
International connections:
90 minutes
Interline transfers:
120 minutes
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