The Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) ranked 10th in a global poll of some 79 nominated airports to determine the one with the most stunning approach.
Some 1,000 travel fans from around the globe took part in the poll conducted by PrivateFly.com, the leading online booking platform for private aviation charter and winner of Flight International’s Website of the Year 2011.
"It’s a very dramatic landing and take-off, and if you stand on the beach next to the runway when planes take off and land, you see it from the other perspective!" wrote one of the respondents in the poll.
"We looked for airport locations that offer passengers a truly inspirational view on the approach – whether it be over a world-famous city-scape, stunning coastline or beautiful mountain views," wrote Viv Diprose of PrivateFly.com
Only three airports in the Caribbean made the Top 10 list – Aruba at number 4, St. Barths at number 6, and St. Maarten coming in at number 10.
"PJIA has been offering a very unique, spectacular and thrilling landing and take-off experience to visitors from all over the world, and this feature has become a major and distinctive attraction as was recently highlighted in a report on ABC News," remarked PJIA Managing Director, Regina Labega.
She explained that St. Maarten did not canvass for votes as other airports did.
"Those who voted for PJIA were apparently visitors who have had the exhilarating experience of touching down and taking off at our airport, an experience that obviously has remained with them so vividly they voluntarily voted for St. Maarten in the poll," Labega further stated.
"We are very grateful to all of them and we will endeavor to improve on this ranking in future editions of the poll," she added.
The complete list is as follows: 1. Barra (Scotland), 2. London City, 3. Jackson Hole, 4. Aruba, 5. Male (Maldives), 6. St. Barths, 7. Queenstown (NZ), 8. Gibraltar, 9. Narvik (Norway), 10. St. Maarten.