🛫 Terminal A (American + JetBlue Domestic Hub)

Airlines: American Airlines (Caribbean hub), JetBlue domestic (San Juan-NY/JFK, BOS, etc.). The largest single terminal section.

Lounges: American Admirals Club, The Lounge San Juan T-A (Priority Pass).

🌎 Terminal C (JetBlue Caribbean + International)

Airlines: JetBlue Caribbean and International, plus some American international, Spirit-replacement carriers post-collapse, charter operators.

Lounges: The Lounge San Juan T-C (Priority Pass — same brand as T-A but separate location).

Real ID — Required for All US Flights

Since 7 May 2025 all US domestic travellers age 18+ need Real ID, US passport, or another approved federal ID. Standard Puerto Rico licenses without the gold star do not work. Bring a passport as the universal fallback. Children under 18 are exempt.

No Passport from Mainland US

Puerto Rico is a US territory. Flights between Puerto Rico and the 50 US states + Washington DC are domestic. No passport check, no customs, no border declaration. USDA agriculture inspection happens on departure (don’t bring fresh fruit/plants back to mainland), but immigration is not a process.

TSA: CT Lanes Standard

TSA security checkpoints at each terminal section. CT scanners on most regular and PreCheck lanes — laptops and liquids stay in. Standard wait 8–18 minutes regular, 3–5 minutes PreCheck. Foreign visitors arriving from Caribbean / Latin America at SJU pass through US Customs at the FIS hall.

⭐ Uber — Works from SJU Airport Pickup

Uber operates legally at SJU airport pickup (unlike Cancún where taxi unions block it). Pickup zones at the kerb outside arrivals. Lyft is smaller in Puerto Rico — Uber is the dominant choice. Fares ~$15–25 to Old San Juan / Condado, off-peak.

🚖 Authorized Taxi (Tour Operators) — Zone Flat Rates

Authorized airport taxis run government-set flat rates by zone — predictable, no meter scams. Old San Juan: $21. Condado: $15. Isla Verde: $10. The official rank is at the kerbside outside arrivals (Terminals A, B, C). Tip 15–20% on flat rate. Cards accepted in most authorized taxis.

🚌 AMA Bus — Cheap But Rarely Useful

AMA (Autoridad Metropolitana de Autobuses) public bus from outside the terminal. $0.75 single fare with the Tarjeta AMA card. Routes: T9 to Sagrado Corazón, where you can connect to the Tren Urbano (San Juan light rail) and onward. Slow (~75 min to Old San Juan) and rarely worth the money saved vs Uber.

✨ The Lounge San Juan T-A & T-C (both Priority Pass eligible)

If you eat once at SJU, eat mofongo (mashed plantain ball with garlic, pork crackling, served with chicken/shrimp soup) at El Mesón Sandwiches or Punta Higuera in the central concourse — $14–22. Pernil (slow-roasted pork shoulder) on rice is the alternative. Skip the airport McDonald’s. Caribbean island food is genuinely distinctive at SJU.

Pinchos (chicken or pork skewers grilled with sweet-tangy guava sauce, $5–8 each) at SJU’s El Mesón are honest island food. Tostones (twice-fried plantains) and arroz con habichuelas (rice and beans) round out the plate. The Caribbean version of US fast-casual but with proper Spanish-language ingredients.

Puerto Rico has no state-level sales tax (federal-territory rules apply but locally only municipal sales tax exists, ~11.5% on most items). The duty-free shop at SJU is competitive for Caribbean rum — Don Q, Bacardi (originally from Cuba but now PR-distilled), Ron del Barrilito, premium aged rums $25–60 per bottle. Local coffee (Café Yaucono, Café Crema) and Puerto Rican chocolate are also fine choices. Avoid airport-priced rum samplers — local liquor stores at Old San Juan are 20–30% cheaper.

SJU closes pre-emptively when a major hurricane is forecast within 24 hours. Reopening can take 5–7 days for major events. Carriers issue official travel waivers 36–72 hours pre-storm; wait for these before rebooking. Travel insurance with named-storm rider is essential. Hurricane María (2017) caused months-long airport disruption — events at this scale are rare but possible.

Puerto Rico municipal water meets US EPA standards. Drinkable at hotels and at SJU airport washroom taps. Free refill stations exist airside. Bottled water at HMSHost runs $3.50–5 for 500 ml; refill, don’t buy.

Puerto Rico is predominantly Spanish-speaking; English is widely spoken at SJU and tourist areas but Spanish is the everyday language. Signage at SJU is bilingual (Spanish primary, English secondary). Most service workers speak both. Basic Spanish phrases are appreciated — “¿Cuánto cuesta?” (how much), “¿Habla inglés?” (do you speak English).

“flySJU” free WiFi works without signup. US mobile phone plans cover Puerto Rico — T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T treat PR as domestic, so your home plan works without roaming charges or roaming compatibility. EU phones DO NOT get EU roaming in PR (it’s outside EU); buy a US eSIM via Airalo / Holafly. 5G coverage is universal across San Juan.

SJU airport and the major tourist zones (Old San Juan, Condado, Isla Verde) are generally safe for solo female travellers. Less-touristy neighbourhoods require more situational awareness. For a 23:00+ arrival, prefer Uber from the dedicated pickup zone — Uber works 24/7 at SJU, unlike CUN. Hotels in Old San Juan, Condado, Isla Verde universally offer 24-hour reception.

Tipping: 18–22% on restaurant subtotals (auto-added 18% for parties of 6+). $1–2 per drink at bars. $1–2 per bag for porters. Sales tax: Puerto Rico has a 1.5% federal-territory sales tax + 10.5% state sales tax = ~11.5% combined, similar to mainland US states. This gets added at checkout. Lyft/Uber tips optional.

Puerto Rico is a US territory. US Virgin Islands (USVI) are also US territory — same domestic-flight rules apply. British Virgin Islands (BVI), Cayman, Bahamas are foreign — passport required. Don’t confuse: an SJU-to-USVI hop is domestic; SJU-to-BVI is international.