San Salvador Airport (SAL) Guide & Facilities For Travellers
San Salvador is a small island and a district in the island country of The Bahamas. Nassau is the capital city of The Bahamas. Whereas, Cockburn (pronounced as Ko-burn) Town is the capital of San Salvador. The San Salvador island is a popular destination for tourists from around the world who visit this place and enjoy its beaches and reefs. It’s a great holiday spot for snorkelling, diving and fishing.
When you are travelling to and from the San Salvador Airport, it is a good idea to know about the airport and the services it offers. Whether it’s your holiday or a business trip, having general information and tips, especially when travelling alone or with a companion, can actually save you from experiencing troubled moments. Our airport guide gives you all the essential insights that you, as a traveller, can make use of while journeying across places in any part of the globe.
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An Overview of San Salvador Airport
San Salvador Airport is the largest airport in The Bahamas. Cockburn Town Airport is another name given to this airport. The island of San Salvador has only one airport. The airport services daily flights from Nassau via the national carrier, Bahamasair, which is a weekly direct flight each Thursday from Paris Orly with Air Caraibes; and a direct flight from Montreal, Canada, each Tuesday. Bahamasair has also started a non-stop jet provider, which is a Boeing 737 with 120 seats and flies once a week on Saturdays from Miami, Florida to San Salvador.
IATA: ZSA
Address:3F7C+2X Cockburn Town, Queen’s Highway, Bahamas
Contact No.:(242) 331-2131
Website: https://www.aeropuertodesansalvador.com/
Airport Terminal
There is only one terminal at the San Salvador International Airport. The Customs and Immigrations at the concourse of the airport’s terminal. The San Salvador International Airport had its terminal expanded that specifically handles flights across North and Central America. There are further expansion and modernisation efforts that are ongoing and may take a couple of years to complete.
Flights in Service
There are several airlines that connect San Salvador International Airport with other capitals of the sub-region. Intercontinental airlines allow passenger traffic to the rest of the world, either directly or with a connection.
The airlines serving San Salvador International Airport include Swift Air, L.L.C., United Airlines, Aerolitoral S.A. de C., DHL Aero Expreso S.A., COPA Airlines, TACA, and PT. Travel Express Avi, Amerijet International, DHL de Guatamela S.A., UPS Airlines, AVIANCA, JetBlue, AeroUnion, Edelweiss Air, Spirit Airlines, American Airlines, Air Canada Rouge, Air Caraibes and Bahamasair.
Facilities and Services Available at San Salvador Airport
The San Salvador Airport provides necessary facilities and services to travelers.
Information Desk
There is an information desk located at the landside in the Arrivals hall. You can get assistance here.
Wireless Internet Access
Access to the airport’s free Wi-Fi is available. You can use the Wi-Fi connection to access the internet on your mobile phone, tablet or laptop.
Baggage Handling
There are carts available at the airport, in case you need one for managing your baggage.
Lounge
The Lounges at San Salvador Airport are available as pay-per-use, single visit passes and lounge memberships. Regardless of what class of carrier you are flying, there are lounges that you can enter by paying at the door or through a lounge membership program called the Priority Pass.
You can wait for your flight comfortably in the Aeroconnections VIP Lounge or Avianca Sala VIP Lounge at San Salvador Airport. Services and facilities that are available in these lounges include air conditioning, beverage, conference rooms, disabled access, fax, flight information monitor, Wi-Fi, newspapers, magazines, private nap rooms (charged US $15.00 per 4 hours), showers, telephone and television, which are also charged for a fee.
Aeroconnections VIP Lounge is located at the airside, right after Security Checks and Immigration, in front of Gate 5. To get access to this lounge, you will need a lounge pass. The lounge is open from 5:15 am till 8:00 pm.
Avianca Sala VIP Lounge is located at the airside, close to Gate 8. Access to the lounge can be availed by paying at the door or through lounge membership programs. If there is space available, the lounge accepts guests at the door. The rate is $28 per person. The lounge is open from 6:30 am till 8:00 pm every day.
Shops, Cafes and Restaurants
There are no duty-free shops in the airport, but there are a few retail outlets that sell souvenirs, tour accessories, and other items. There are small eating places with a wide variety of meals, both in the air and land sides.
Hotels
Quality Hotel Real Aeropuerto is only 5 minutes from San Salvador Airport. There are free airport shuttles that service daily and are available every 30 minutes from 5:00 am till 11:00 pm.
Pato Canales Hotel and Resort is also about 5 minutes from the airport. However, there is no airport shuttle service available.
Club Mediterranee resort is located at Bonefish Bay in Cockburn Town. The resort offers premium ocean-front accommodations, two gourmand dining venues, soothing massages by the ocean, or enjoyment on their stunning pristine beach. They also provide a wide range of activities and sports for adults, such as reef adventures with their on-site scuba centre in one of the exceptional diving spots in the world, or exploration of historical sites and the local ecosystem on a tour.
The Sands Residence Hotel is located on Queen’s Highway in Cockburn Town. It has 12 beach-front cottages, consisting of studios and one- and two-bedroom units. Each one of the island-style cottages has its very own special colour and design, representing the cool ocean breezes and warm sunshine of The Bahamas. You get a view of the turquoise Atlantic Ocean from here.
The Guanahani Beach Club Resort is located at Snow Bay, Sandy Point, on the southeast coast of San Salvador, which is about 15 minutes from the San Salvador International Airport. The resort offers accommodations in private villas that are surrounded by a natural environment. The resort also offers sports and adventure activities like catamaran sailing, kayaking, diving, snorkeling, and kite surfing with a storage service. Kite surfing courses and equipment rentals are available at San Salvador Kitesurfing. In addition to this, there is Patio Restaurant Bar that services beverages, alcohol, and music, and visitors can enjoy the view of the bay.
The Riding Rock Inn Resort & Marina is located at Queen’s Highway in Cockburn Town. The resort is regarded for arranging magnificent wall diving and big game fishing, whilst conserving its unique, tranquil, friendly, island atmosphere. What is more popular is the restaurant, which specializes in American and Bahamian cuisine, with an accent on fresh fish, and the Driftwood Bar & Lounge. Both grant a friendly, informal atmosphere for the meals and drinks and a superb ocean view.
Hotel Shuttle
There are a few hotels in and around the city that provide shuttle services to travelers from and to San Salvador Airport.
Taxi
Taxis are available on hire and you can find them at the ground transportation area of the airport.
Car Rental
Car rentals are available at the airport in the Arrivals section. You can rent a car and tour the places or get to a hotel.
Bus
The local bus 138 services the airport to down-town San Salvador, stopping along the route to pick up and drop off passengers to their respective destinations. A one-way trip can take up to an hour, but it will cost you under $1. This is ideal for travellers who want to save a few pennies. Additionally, there is another bus 133 that connects to Comalapa from the airport.
If you are carrying less baggage, you can travel at a fraction of the cost of a taxi by taking what is called locally a “Colectivo” (aka shared-ride minibus). The shared mini bus services between the airport and city centre. You can find a collection in the ground transportation vicinity of the airport.
Car Parking
A car parking facility is available at San Salvador Airport.
Conclusion
An interesting fact about this small island of San Salvador is that the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus arrived here in the year 1492, which led him to discover a “New World”.The name “San Salvador” is what Columbus named this island, which was then called Guanahani by the local inhabitants. In Spanish, the name San Salvador means “Holy Saviour”. The population here is not much, probably because of the land area. There are several places of interest and historical monuments to see when you travel to this beautiful island.
