Beaches Turks and Caicos Airport?
3 Important Things to Know Before You Go!
You’re planning your dream vacation when you start trying to figure out where the Beaches Turks and Caicos airport is. After all, what good is a luxury, all-inclusive vacation if you can’t get there? Luckily, the Turks and Caicos airport is located right in Providenciales. And it’s a short drive to the Beaches property on Bight Beach.
The Beaches Turks and Caicos airport is the perfect place to land after a long day of travel. Officially, it’s the Providenciales International Airport (PLS). But many travelers aren’t fully prepared for what they will encounter once the airplane doors open. Here are the Caribbean Amphiban’s top 3 things to know before you head down to Beaches Turks and Caicos for your first (or next) luxury included vacation.
1 | The Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Airport is Small
The Turks and Caicos airport is smaller than you’re likely used to. Especially if you’re a commercial travel veteran. The single runway airport has a small terminal. Passengers deplane on the tarmac, getting their first warm embrace from the Caribbean islands sunshine.
From there, you’re directed along a pathway through a set of sliding glass doors to immigration (the only restroom in immigration is immediately on your left as you enter the building). The immigration area itself is likely no bigger than 50 feet wide by 50 feet long.
Once through immigration, you’re welcomed by a lone baggage claim belt. And once you pick up your luggage, you head through customs. And not long after that, you’re ready to depart the Beaches Turks and Caicos Airport for the resort!
Generally, unless 3 or 4 flights all land at around the same time, getting through the Turks and Caicos airport takes around 15 minutes.
2 | There is no Sandals/Beaches Lounge (And No Red Stripe on Tap)
If you’ve been to Jamaica, there’s a lounge available while you wait for your transfer from either Montego Bay or Kingston to your resort. That is not the case at Turks and Caicos.
That said, once you exit the building, there is a Beaches Turks and Caicos stand. Here, you’re greeted with cold water, and the Beaches Turks and Caicos airport concierge will tag your bags and help you find your shuttle to the resort. You’re grouped by which village (Caribbean, French, Key West, or Italian) you’ll be staying in (See COVID-19 Update Below for temporary changes to this process).
Yet, if you’re expecting the luxury and all-inclusive Red Stripe tap to greet you here, you’ll be disappointed.
Also, as a point of personal interest, there’s also no Margaritaville bar just outside the sliding glass doors either, ala Sangster in Montego Bay. If you know you know.
COVID-19 Update For the Beaches Turks and Caicos Airport Stand
We arrived yesterday (11/19/2021) and there is no Beaches Turks and Caicos airport concierge. The current process is that you get into the taxi stand line, and a taxi will take you to the resort.
Once at the resort, you’ll check in at the gate, and the gate attendant will provide the driver with a voucher.
Transfers are still 100% free, the process is just different. As always, tip your driver!
We’ll update this section as we know more and the process evolves!
3 | The Beaches Turks and Caicos Airport Transfer is Really Quick
All of that said, you’ll be relaxing in record time. Unlike the transfers in Jamaica which an be 90 minutes or more, The drive from PLS to Beaches is quick.
It’s about 5.6 miles (9 kilometers) from door to door. That drive lasts roughly 15 minutes.
In our experience, there are only two types of transfers to the resort – the calm and serine, and the exciting nail-biter. So be prepared to wonder if you’re going to survive the short trip. 🙂
This past time (November 2021), we travelled with another family, so we were allowed to transfer together, and the driver informed us that he was ‘fully vaccinated.’
About 5 minutes in, I looked at one of the friends that we were traveling with us and said, ‘I think he thinks he’s fully vaccinated against death!’
Making it more interesting is the number of cars with drivers on the left side of the car, while the country drives on the left side of the street.
But all of that said, enjoy the experience, whether calm or a thrill ride. You’ll be at Beaches Turks and Caicos shortly!