Turks and Caicos Airports
| Turks and Caicos Airport Codes | |
| Providenciales International Airport | IATA: PLS, ICAO: MBPV |
| Grand Turk International Airport | IATA: GDT, ICAO: MBGT |
| North Caicos Airport | IATA: NCA, ICAO: MBNC |
| Middle Caicos Airport | IATA: MDS, ICAO: MBMC |
| South Caicos Airport | IATA: XSC, ICAO: MBSC |
| Salt Cay Airport | IATA: SLX, ICAO: MBSY |
| Pine Cay Airport | IATA: PIC, ICAO: MBPI |
| Ambergris Cay Airport | ICAO: MBAC |
The Turks and Caicos has eight airports, of which only one, the Providenciales International Airport (PLS), welcomes scheduled international flights.
The Grand Turk JAGS McCartney International Airport (GDT) and the private Ambergris Cay Airport (MBAC) are also international airports that are considered ports of entry, yet do not receive any regularly scheduled flights from abroad.
Each of the major inhabited islands in the Turks and Caicos is home to an airport or airstrip, yet not all welcome scheduled domestic services. North Caicos Airport (NCA) is operational, yet is used for charter flights only. Middle Caicos Airport (MDS) is occasionally utilized by local private pilots, but does not have emergency services (fire engines), and isn't open to commercial flights. Pine Cay Airport (PIC) is primarily used for chartered and domestic flights.
An abandoned airstrip exists on the northern end of West Caicos. The site is partially overgrown and is not operational or suitable for use by conventional aircraft.
The remote Ambergris Cay also has a private airport, which has been assigned ICAO code MBAC (it has not been assigned a short IATA 3-letter code).
Providenciales hosts by far the greatest range of amenities and services for private aircraft, and is the recommended port of entry for international flights. Fuels costs are likewise the lowest, and there are two FBOs with ample space for parking planes of all sizes.
Airports and Airstrips
Private Pilots and FBOs
There are two FBOs located in the Turks and Caicos, both of which are found at the Providenciales International Airport.
Airlines
The Turks and Caicos has two domestic airlines: interCaribbean and Caicos Express Airways. These airlines connect Providenciales to Grand Turk, South Caicos, and Salt Cay, and provide regional flights to destinations throughout the Caribbean.
International flight services to Providenciales include American Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest, British Airways, Air Canada, Delta and United.
Airport Ground Transportation
Providenciales International Airport (PLS) is the primary airport in the Turks and Caicos, and has the greatest range of transport options, ranging from taxis, car rentals, and private luxury transfers.
The other airports in the Turks and Caicos have limited available transportation, which is largely limited to a couple of taxis. In the case of Salt Cay, South Caicos, and our smaller boutique islands, accommodations will often provide complimentary transport for guests.
History and Future Development
Providenciales' first airport was in the vicinity of the current Graceway IGA, in the middle of the island. With the construction of Club Med Turkoise in the 1980s, the site was recognized as being insufficient and the British funded the relocation and development of the current airport.
The Providenciales airport underwent a major refurbishment in 2012, however, the expanded terminal was undersized before it was even completed. There are talks of building a new international terminal but this is several years away.
American Airlines began flying from Miami to Providenciales in the early 1990s, and their scheduled and regular flights were instrumental in transforming the tourism industry on Providenciales. The number of airlines flying to the Turks and Caicos has steadily grown over the last decade, and today the Providenciales International Airport welcomes aircraft from across the United States, Canada, the UK and many Caribbean destinations.
The South Caicos Airport was also due to undergo expansion in 2007, yet the project became stalled due to the global financial crisis. Work has recently restarted, and hopes are that the new terminal, taxiway, and apron will be completed in the next couple of years.
Many of the airports and airstrips in the Turks and Caicos have had interesting origins. The first airports in the country, such as the U.S. Air Force South Base on Grand Turk, which became the Grand Turk airport, and the South Caicos Airport, were constructed to support U.S. Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard bases in the country. After these sites were decommissioned, possession was handed over to the local government. The disused West Caicos airstrip was built by Exxon, when the island was being considered as a site for an oil transshipment station.