Airport Guides

Complete 2026 guide to San Salvador International Airport (SAL) — covering El Salvador’s USD currency since 2001 and Bitcoin legal tender since 2021, the post-2022 security transformation, the El Tunco surf coast 30 minutes from the terminal, the Volaris El Salvador hub, the Spirit Airlines collapse impact, and the CA-4 visa rules.

Complete 2026 guide to Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) — the world’s only major airport built and operated by a private resort developer — covering the iconic five palapa-style thatched-roof terminals, the resort transfer math, the Spirit Airlines collapse impact, the Tourist Card included in airline tickets since 2018, and why Uber doesn’t operate at PUJ.

Complete 2026 guide to Rio de Janeiro Galeão (GIG) — the international gateway to Christ the Redeemer, Copacabana and Sugarloaf — covering Terminal 1’s 2023 closure (T2 carries everything now), the Brazilian e-Visa for US/CA/AU since April 2025, the Linha Amarela vs Linha Vermelha route choice, Carnival capacity, and the Plaza Premium Lounge.

Complete 2026 guide to Recife Guararapes International Airport (REC) covering the Aena modernised terminal, the 5 km distance to Boa Viagem beach (closest LATAM international airport-to-major-beach combination), Brazil’s reinstated e-Visa for US/CA/AU travellers since April 2025, Carnival capacity logistics for February, and the Plaza Premium Lounge.

Complete 2026 guide to Guayaquil José Joaquín de Olmedo Airport (GYE) — the mainland gateway to Galápagos — covering Ecuador’s USD-dollarised currency since 2000, the Galápagos National Park fee doubled to US$200 in mid-2024, the INGALA Transit Card workflow, the post-2024 internal-security situation, and the Plaza Premium Lounge.

Complete 2026 guide to Santiago Arturo Merino Benítez Airport (SCL) covering Terminal 2 (live since 2022, fully ramped 2024) for international flights, T1 domestic-only, the abolished reciprocity fee (gone since March 2014), Centropuerto bus to Pajaritos Metro, the new Plaza Premium Lounge (opened late 2024), Easter Island flights, and Patagonia/Atacama connections.

Complete 2026 guide to Panama City Tocumen Airport (PTY) covering Copa Airlines’ two-bank hub system, the dollarised currency (USD since 1904), Terminal 2 (opened 2019, ramped 2024), the 180-day visa-free stamp (longest in LATAM), the Spirit Airlines collapse impact, and the missing Priority Pass option.

Complete 2026 guide to Guatemala City La Aurora Airport (GUA) covering the 5 km distance to Plaza Mayor, the El Tepeyac replacement airport approved 2024-25 but not before 2030, Spirit Airlines’ May 2026 collapse and JetBlue/Avianca/Volaris replacement routes, the Atitrans/Clásica Antigua shuttles, CA-4 visa rules, and the lack of a Priority Pass walk-in lounge.

Complete 2026 guide to Cartagena Rafael Núñez Airport (CTG) covering the 1.5 km distance to the UNESCO walled city, Spirit Airlines’ May 2026 collapse and the JetBlue/Avianca/Wingo replacement routes, the new Plaza Premium Lounge (opened 2024), and the phased terminal expansion completing in 2027.

Complete 2026 guide to Lima Jorge Chávez Airport (LIM) covering the new Terminal 2 (live since 1 June 2025) with 71 contact gates, the Taxi Verde and Taxi Directo desks, Uber/Cabify pickup zone, AeroDirecto shuttle to Miraflores, the Sumaq and Hanaq lounges, and the garúa fog that still grounds early flights.

EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg is the world’s only fully tri-national airport — physically located in France, jointly administered by France and Switzerland. Three IATA codes (BSL Swiss, MLH French, EAP combined), dual-customs split inside the terminal, separate Swiss customs road. EES live since 10 April 2026 across both sides; Switzerland is in Schengen yet NOT EU. easyJet Switzerland is the dominant carrier; check-in Hall 3 reopens late May 2026.

Rotterdam The Hague Airport sits 6 km north of central Rotterdam — Holland’s second-busiest airport after Schiphol. Single compact terminal, RET Bus 33 direct to Rotterdam Centraal in 25-30 minutes for €5, EES live since 10 April 2026. Transavia operates 75% of all passenger flights with 37 destinations. The gateway to Rotterdam’s modernist architecture, Delft Blue, and The Hague’s beach culture in Scheveningen.

Wrocław Nicolaus Copernicus Airport sits 10 km west of Wrocław city centre in Strachowice, Poland’s #5 airport. Single terminal, Bus 106 direct to Wrocław Main Railway Station in 40-50 minutes for ~PLN 4.20, EES live since 10 April 2026. Wizz Air and Ryanair dominate; LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, KLM provide full-service. Poland is in Schengen but NOT in the Eurozone — uses Polish złoty (PLN). Gateway to Wrocław’s 800+ bronze dwarves and Lower Silesia.

Birmingham Airport sits 12 km east of Birmingham city centre and is the UK’s #7 airport. Single elongated terminal (T1+T2 merged via Millennium Link), free Air-Rail Link monorail to Birmingham International railway station in under 2 minutes, then trains to Birmingham New Street in 10 minutes for £4-7. The UK is NOT in Schengen, so EES does NOT apply at BHX — but visa-exempt travellers need a UK ETA (£16 since January 2025).

Pisa Galileo Galilei sits 2 km south of Pisa centre — the closest major Italian airport to its city. Single compact terminal, 16 gates, PisaMover people-mover direct to Pisa Centrale in 5 minutes for €5, EES live since 10 April 2026. Ryanair and easyJet dominate; the Tower of Pisa is a 25-minute walk from the airport. 5.5M passengers in 2024 — Tuscany’s primary low-cost gateway with onward train access to Florence in 1 hour.