Discovering Paradise
CUR · Willemstad
Curaçao International Airport (Hato)
Curaçao's only airport, 15 to 20 min from Willemstad
CURWillemstad
Quick Facts
✈️
IATA Code
CUR
📍
Location
Willemstad
🏢
Terminals
1
🚪
Gates
Single terminal
🛬
Runways
1
📶
WiFi
Free wifi is available for passengers throughout the terminal.
🛍️
Duty Free
Available
💱
Currency Exchange
Available
📅
Year Opened
1934
👥
Annual Passengers
~2.5 million
🛋️
Lounges
A departures lounge is available, with paid lounge access options for eligible passengers and certain airline customers.
⏰
Peak Hours
Busiest around the long-haul arrival and departure waves from Europe and the US, and during the high-season winter months.
<p>Curaçao International Airport, still widely known as <strong>Hato</strong> and carrying the airport code <strong>CUR</strong>, is the island's only commercial airport and the gateway for almost every visitor. It sits on the north coast near the Hato Caves, roughly a 15 to 20 minute drive from the UNESCO-listed capital, <a href="/destinations/willemstad">Willemstad</a>, so you can clear immigration and be standing on the Handelskade waterfront or beside a leeward cove the same afternoon.</p><p>Despite serving a small island, Hato runs one of the longest runways in the Caribbean. That length lets wide-body long-haul jets land directly, which is why you will find nonstop service from Europe (KLM from Amsterdam) and from several US hubs, alongside flights from South America and short regional hops around the Dutch Caribbean. For travellers, it means fewer connections and a real chance of a single-flight arrival.</p><h3>The terminal</h3><p>The modern terminal is bright, air-conditioned and easy to navigate. Inside you will find duty-free and souvenir shops, cafes and bars, ATMs that dispense local Caribbean guilders, currency exchange, free passenger wifi and a row of car-rental desks. Staff and signage switch comfortably between Dutch, English, Papiamentu and Spanish, so language is rarely an obstacle.</p><h3>Getting into Willemstad and beyond</h3><p>Taxis wait outside arrivals and use fixed, zone-based fares rather than meters, so agree the price before you set off. The ride into Willemstad is short, taking you toward the floating <a href="/attractions/queen-emma-bridge">Queen Emma Bridge</a>, the Punda and Otrobanda districts and the Pietermaai cafe quarter. Renting a car is popular for reaching the quieter southwest beaches and inland landhuizen, and you drive on the right here. From the airport it is an easy run to sights such as the <a href="/attractions/landhuis-chobolobo">Landhuis Chobolobo</a> distillery, home of the bright-blue Curaçao liqueur.</p><p>Curaçao lies south of the hurricane belt, so flights arrive into reliably warm, dry and sunny weather for most of the year, cooled by steady trade winds. If you have an early arrival, the nearby <a href="/attractions/hato-caves">Hato Caves</a> make a convenient first stop before you check in.</p>
Before you fly: complete your Digital Immigration Card
Travelers to Curaçao should fill out the online Digital Immigration Card before arrival. It is quick, free, and saves time at passport control in Willemstad. Read our entry requirements and arrival guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Curaçao International Airport from Willemstad?
The airport sits on the north coast near the Hato Caves, roughly a 15 to 20 minute drive from central Willemstad depending on traffic. Most resorts and the popular southwest beaches are within about 20 to 40 minutes of the terminal, so transfers on Curaçao are short.
Which airlines and routes fly into Curaçao (CUR)?
Because Hato has one of the longest runways in the Caribbean, it takes wide-body long-haul jets directly. You will typically find nonstop service from the Netherlands (KLM from Amsterdam), from several US hubs, from South America, and shorter regional flights around the Dutch Caribbean. Routes and seasonal frequencies change, so always confirm current schedules with the airline.
What is the best way to get from the airport into town?
Taxis are the simplest option and wait directly outside arrivals. They use fixed, zone-based fares rather than meters, so confirm the price with the driver before you leave. Many hotels also arrange transfers or shuttles if you book ahead. If you plan to explore the quieter beaches and inland plantation houses, renting a car at the terminal gives you the most freedom.
Can I rent a car at the airport, and which side do they drive on?
Yes, several car-rental companies have desks at the terminal, and a car is the easiest way to reach the southwest coves and the landhuizen. Curaçao drives on the right-hand side, which is familiar to most North American and continental European visitors. Roads are generally good, though some routes to remote beaches are unpaved, so check whether your route suits your vehicle.
Is there free wifi, ATMs and currency exchange at Hato?
The modern terminal offers free passenger wifi, ATMs and currency exchange. The local currency is the Caribbean guilder, the florin, with the code XCG (it replaced the former Netherlands Antillean guilder/ANG in 2025), at about 1.79 XCG to US$1. US dollars are accepted almost everywhere on the island, so you do not need to change a large amount, and ATMs can dispense guilders for smaller local payments.
Is there duty-free shopping and food in the terminal?
Yes. The departures area has duty-free and souvenir shops where the bright-blue Curaçao liqueur is a popular buy, along with cafes and bars for a meal or drink before your flight. The selection is comfortable for an island airport, though it is smaller than a major hub, so do any serious shopping in Willemstad if you want a wider choice.
What language do staff speak at the airport?
Curaçao is multilingual, so airport staff and signage move easily between Dutch (the official language), Papiamentu (the local creole), English and Spanish. Most visitors find they can get through arrivals, taxis and car rental entirely in English without any difficulty.
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