When the first flight landed in Barbados in 1939 at Seawell, the only airport in Barbados, there was only a grassy airfield and a small shed as an arrivals hall.

Today, Barbados proudly boasts its only airport, Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA), a showpiece and the gateway for the two million commercial passengers arriving and departing each year. The 11,000 ft asphalt runway is one of the longest airport runways in the eastern Caribbean.

Grantley Adams International Airport provides an array of services and amenities ranging from ATMs and Money Exchange Facilities to Ambulance Centres and Charging Stations.

GAIA is well located on the island’s southeast side and is easy to get to and from because of the Adams-Barrow-Cummins (ABC) Highway. The South Coast and Bridgetown are minutes away, while the West Coast is just half an hour away.

From 2004 – 2006, the GAIA was renovated and expanded from a single terminal building into a two-terminal facility, giving departures and arrivals their dedicated terminals. A modern twist on tent-themed architecture links the two terminals and takes full advantage of our tropical climate.

GAIA welcomes nonstop flights daily from London, Toronto, New York, and Miami, as well as to most of our Caribbean neighbors. As the Eastern Caribbean’s hub, passengers from other Caribbean islands link to their connecting flights going to major cities in the US, Canada, UK, and Europe.

Major carriers, including charters operating in Barbados, are:

• United States of America – American Airlines, American Eagle, US Airways, and JetBlue
• United Kingdom – British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Thomas Cook, Monarch, and Thomson Airways
• Canada – Air Canada and  West Jet
• Germany – Condor
• Caribbean – LIAT and Caribbean Airlines
• South America – GOL
• GAIA has also become a favorite cargo transshipment point for the region, with growth seen between South American and European carriers.

Air-taxi and day-tour charter service companies like Trans-Island Air, St. Vincent, Grenadines Air, Mustique Airways, and Executive Air operate small planes into and out of Barbados.

The Concorde

When British Airways flew the Concorde, Barbados was the only Caribbean country to welcome the supersonic airliner regularly. The flight from the UK to Barbados took a mere four hours, compared with nine on a regular commercial aircraft.

When Concorde was retired, Barbados became the only Caribbean country to be given one of the four aircraft, which now forms the centerpiece of the ‘Barbados Concorde Experience.’

The Concorde is a must-see attraction as it is the only Concorde in the world where you can walk through the aircraft.

Barbados Concorde Experience is located at the Grantley Adams International airport, making it convenient to visit after you check in for your flight home.