Curaçao Airport, officially Curaçao International Airport (CUR) and known on the island as Hato, is 12 km from Willemstad. It has one terminal and handled 2.46 million passengers in 2025, according to Wikipedia’s airport entry.
This guide follows your trip in order. First the name and code, then the airlines, then what to complete before you land. After that come arrivals, the 2026 terminal works and departures. Every figure comes from the airport or a government page, and we name each source.
We pick up guests at this terminal every week with our free shuttle, so we also tell you what the first hour looks like.
Curaçao Airport at a Glance: Name, Code and Location
Curaçao International Airport has one terminal, the codes CUR and TNCC, and a single long runway 12 km from Willemstad.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Official name | Curaçao International Airport |
| Also called | Hato, and earlier Dr. Albert Plesman Luchthaven |
| IATA code | CUR (the code on your ticket and bag tag) |
| ICAO code | TNCC |
| Distance from Willemstad | 12 km |
| Runway | One runway, about 3,400 m. The airport calls it the second longest commercial runway in the Caribbean. |
| Terminal | About 18,000 m² with six boarding bridges, which serve three wide-body aircraft at once. |
| Operator | Curaçao Airport Partners (CAP), under a concession from 2003 to 2033. Curaçao Airport Holding owns the buildings. |
| Passengers | 2.46 million in 2025. The airport was designed for 2.5 million a year. |
| Phone | +599 9 839 1000, daily 06:00 to 22:00 |
Sources: the airport’s history page, its FAQ and Wikipedia for passenger numbers.
What Is the Curaçao Airport Code, and Why Do Locals Say Hato?
The IATA code is CUR. It is the code on your ticket and bag tag. The ICAO code is TNCC, which pilots and flight plans use. Hato is the older name, taken from the area around the airport, and it was once called Hato International Airport. The airport now brands itself Curaçao International Airport, as the operator’s history page shows.
If a booking site lists Hato International Airport in Curaçao, it means the same airport as CUR. Google Maps calls it the island’s main airport.
Which Country Is Curaçao Airport In?
Curaçao Airport is in Curaçao, one of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, together with the Netherlands, Aruba and Sint Maarten. The island lies in the southern Caribbean. The source for the Kingdom’s make-up is Wikipedia’s Kingdom of the Netherlands entry.
What Airlines Fly Into Curaçao?
The airport’s own airlines page, last updated 4 May 2026, lists carriers from North America, Europe, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Six North American airlines are on it, American, Air Canada, JetBlue, United, WestJet and Delta, and KLM, TUI and Corendon are the European names.
| Region | Airlines on the airport’s list |
|---|---|
| North America | American Airlines, Air Canada, JetBlue, United Airlines, WestJet, Delta |
| Europe | KLM, TUI, Corendon |
| Central America | Copa Airlines |
| South America | Azul, Surinam Airways, Laser Airlines, Avior Airlines, EZAIR |
| Caribbean | Caribbean Airlines, Arajet, Air Century, DiviDivi, RED Air |
Routes and seasons change. Check your airline and the airport’s airlines page before you book. We name airlines only, not routes, because the airport’s page does not list destinations.
What Do You Need Before You Land? Entry Rules and the Digital Immigration Card
You need a valid passport and a free Digital Immigration Card, completed online at dicardcuracao.com. The card replaces the paper form once handed out on the plane. Residents of Curaçao do not need it. Keep the confirmation email, because you show it at airline check-in and again to immigration.
| Item | What the official sources say |
|---|---|
| Passport | The U.S. State Department says it must be valid for your stay and have one blank page. The Government of Canada advises at least 6 months beyond your departure. Your airline may ask for more. |
| Digital Immigration Card | Free, online, one per traveler. The confirmation arrives by email. |
| Return or onward ticket | Required for U.S. citizens, per the State Department. |
| Length of stay | Up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, per Canada. U.S. citizens may stay up to 180 days a calendar year, per the State Department. |
| Yellow fever | Needed only if you arrive from, or pass through, a country where it occurs. Canada says there is no risk in Curaçao. |
Rules differ by passport. Check your own government’s page before you fly.
When Should I Fill Out the Digital Immigration Card?
Complete it within 7 days before departure, at the official site, dicardcuracao.com. The portal’s FAQ says you can still submit it as late as one hour before you land. It is free. Official emails come from curacaoimmigration@curacao.com, and support is at dicardsupport@curacao.com.
Use the official site only. In April 2026 the Curaçao Chronicle reported that outside services sometimes charge fees for it.
Do I Need to Print the Digital Immigration Card, and Does Each Child Need One?
Show your confirmation on your phone or on paper, at airline check-in and to immigration. Every traveler needs a separate card, children included, and group applications are not allowed. To fix a mistake, choose “edit your submitted Digital Immigration Card” on the portal. If you miss or change a flight, you do not need to reapply. The card stays active for at least one day after your original arrival date.
Is There a Fast-Track Lane or Express Pass at Curaçao Airport?
Yes. The Curaçao Express Pass is free. Check in with your airline, complete the Digital Immigration Card, then verify your passport in the free Airside Digital Identity App. You then use a designated lane and the contactless eGates. The card is still required.
You need an iPhone or Android phone, a chip passport and an age of 16 or older. Airside lists passports from 39 countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, Panama and most EU countries. Families with young children use the standard process. Submission in the app opens 7 days before arrival. Sources: Airside support and the Curaçao Tourist Board.
Curaçao Airport Arrivals: From the Plane Door to the Pickup Curb
Arrivals at Curaçao Airport run in a fixed order: immigration, baggage claim, customs, then the arrivals hall. Immigration is the first checkpoint and Customs is the next, according to the airport’s arrival page.
- Walk to immigration. Follow the signs from your gate.
- Pass immigration. Express Pass users go to the designated lane and eGates. Everyone else uses the counters. Have your passport and your Digital Immigration Card confirmation in your hand.
- Collect your bags. Check the screens for your flight’s belt.
- Go through customs. The airport lists Customs as the checkpoint after immigration.
- Exit to the arrivals hall. Authorized taxis wait outside.
For questions about entry rules, the Immigration Department is at Prinsenstraat 90, Punda, Willemstad. The phone is +5999 733-2000 and the email is info@immigrationcur.org.
What Do Immigration Officers Check When You Land?
Officers check your passport and your Digital Immigration Card confirmation. Have a return or onward ticket ready, because the U.S. State Department says you must hold one. The Government of Canada adds that customs officials may ask for proof of valid health insurance.
What Can You Bring Into Curaçao? Customs Allowances and Banned Items
After baggage claim you choose between a green and a red customs channel, according to the airport’s customs page. The Curaçao Tourist Board lists these customs limits for non-residents over 18:
- 1 liter of liquor, 200 cigarettes, 25 cigars and 125 grams of tobacco. Declare anything above that.
- Declare cash above $10,000.
- Even a small amount of illegal drugs is a serious offense. Label prescription medicine clearly.
The U.S. State Department adds that carrying guns, ammunition or even spent casings into Curaçao is illegal and can lead to long detention. Customs is part of the Ministry of Finance. Its site is douane.cw, and the airport lists the Customs contact as bjz-tz@minfin.cw and +5999 839 1378. Allowances can change, so check the site before you pack.
Where Do Taxis Wait Outside Arrivals?
Authorized taxis wait outside the arrivals hall, at the designated taxi area, according to the airport’s FAQ. Use that area only. Fares and the drive into Willemstad belong in their own guide, so we leave prices out here.
How Long Does Immigration Take, and Why Are the Lines Sometimes Long?
The airport publishes no wait time, because the line depends on how many flights land together. On 9 December 2023, twelve international flights landed between 2 pm and 8 pm with about 2,700 passengers. Customs said the arrivals hall had limited space and narrow corridors, and queues followed.
Later reports repeat the pattern. In June 2025 the Curaçao Tourist Board director told the Curaçao Chronicle that four large planes land daily from the Netherlands alone. In the busy season the operator sets up temporary tents for overflow. In October 2025 the operator signed a deal with Xovis to monitor processing times around the clock.
What helps you:
- Complete your Digital Immigration Card before you leave home.
- Use the Express Pass if your passport qualifies.
- Keep your passport and confirmation in your hand, and your phone charged.
- Expect a longer wait when several wide-body flights land close together.
What Is Changing in 2026? The Outbound Terminal Expansion
Work on the departure side began on 17 May 2026 and runs through December 2026, according to the operator’s project notice. The check-in hall and Commercial Boulevard stay open.
The project adds:
- more staffed immigration booths
- one extra passenger screening lane
- a dedicated VIP fast-track lane
- more boarding pass readers, including a wider one for wheelchair users
- a more efficient route for connecting passengers
The Ministry of Justice is also preparing space for more eGates, but the notice does not say they will operate during this project. Work areas move in phases, so follow the signs and ask the terminal guides.
Is There Free Wi-Fi at the Airport?
Yes. Free basic Wi-Fi covers the airport. Each session lasts 60 minutes, then you reconnect to continue, says the airport’s FAQ.
Which Money Works in the Terminal? ATMs, XCG and US Dollars
The local currency is the Caribbean guilder, written XCG or Cg. It replaced the Antillean guilder on 31 March 2025 and is pegged at 1.79 to the US dollar, according to the Curaçao Tourist Board. The airport’s parking machines take XCG cash, US dollar bills and cards.
The airport lists three ATMs: one in the arrivals hall, one in the departure hall between gates 4 and 5, and one on the boulevard next to the Check-in Hall. They dispense US dollars, euros and XCG, according to the airport’s ATM page. Your own bank sets its fee for foreign ATMs, so ask it before you travel.
What Food Can I Get Inside the Terminal?
During the works, Wendy’s, Panda Express, Victoria Gelato and Bar 22 Express stayed open on Commercial Boulevard. Juan Valdez continues upstairs. Cinnabon and Auntie Anne’s are expected to reopen upstairs later this year. Quiznos, Papia Mia and a wine bar are planned for the upstairs departures hall. The source is the operator’s notice, so outlets may have changed since.
Is There a VIP Lounge at CUR, and What Does It Cost?
Yes. The VIP Lounge is open daily from 08:30 to 20:30, and the airport says hours may change with flight operations. Entry needs a day pass, with a three-hour limit per person. Children under 3 enter free with an adult. Walk-in prices from 1 March 2026 are US$55 in the early morning and evening and US$63 from 09:00 to 18:00 in summer, or 10:00 to 18:00 in winter.
The airport page lists Priority Pass, LoungeKey, Diners Club International and DragonPass as payment methods but does not say they give free entry. Ask the airport or your card provider. The lounge has a bar, light snacks, showers, a kids’ corner and a baby changing room. Source: the airport’s lounge page, last changed 23 March 2026.
What Help Can You Get With Reduced Mobility, Hidden Disabilities or Bag Storage?
For assistance, email the airport’s CUR Exclusive team at curexclusive@curacao-airport.com. The airport also advises travelers to contact their airline or travel agent at least 48 hours before travel for special assistance. The departure works add a wider boarding pass reader for wheelchair users.
Passengers with hidden disabilities can ask for the Sunflower Lanyard through four partner groups, Autism Aid Foundation, Fundashon Pro Bista, Fundashon Kontakto and De SGR-Groep, or by writing to hiddendisability@curacao-airport.com. The lanyard shows staff you may need extra time. It does not give fast-track access. The airport also lists temporary baggage storage and assistance under Sanwil (VIP Concierge), so ask them for prices. Sources: the airport’s assistance page, Sunflower Lanyard page and services page.
Curaçao Airport Departures: Check-In, Immigration and What to Expect
Check in with your airline, hold your boarding pass QR code to the Boarding Pass Control Reader, then go to immigration. These are the airport’s own check-in steps.
- Check in. Most airlines allow online or app check-in up to 24 hours before departure. Eight self-service kiosks for select airlines stand near the right entrance. Airline counters are in the Check-in Hall.
- Scan your boarding pass. Hold the QR code against the glass of the reader. Passengers with no checked bags can go straight to the reader and immigration.
- Go through immigration. Officers check your passport and boarding pass. Families with minors use the staffed booth, and eligible passports can use the eGates. Have your documents ready before you join the line.
The Check-in Hall is open daily from 06:00 to 00:00. At peak times only ticketed passengers may enter it.
How Early Should I Get to the Airport Before My Flight?
Follow your airline’s own counter times. The airport tells passengers to check them. Travelers in the r/curacao forum most often suggest two to three hours before an international flight, and more time when you check bags or travel on a busy day. That is traveler advice, not an airport rule. The departure works in 2026 are another reason to allow extra time.
Parking, Lost Property and Who to Call
The first 15 minutes of parking are free, and the daily maximum is XCG 21.50. Pay at the machine outside the Check-in Hall or at the two at the arrivals entrance, with XCG cash, US dollar bills or a card. If you lose your parking ticket, go to the Car Park Office.
For lost items in the terminal, use the airport’s Lost & Found form. For items left on a plane, call the airline. The airport phone line is +599 9 839 1000, daily 06:00 to 22:00, and the email is info@curacao-airport.com. Guests who want VIP-style help can write to curexclusive@curacao-airport.com. Source: the airport’s FAQ.
Is It Safe to Travel to Curaçao Right Now?
Official advisories rate Curaçao as low risk. The U.S. State Department lists Level 1, exercise normal precautions, issued 9 September 2026. The Government of Canada says to take normal security precautions, last updated 26 May 2026. Both warn about petty crime in busy tourist spots and about overcharging, so keep valuables out of sight and agree prices first.
Is Curaçao Airport Closed? How to Check
On 13 October 2026 the airport’s flights page showed no closure notice, though it links a regional situation update that you should read before you travel. The page shows arrivals and departures, and the airport says its flight data comes from third parties and may contain errors.
Disruptions do happen. Flights were cancelled on 3 January 2026 during a regional alert, and the Curaçao Chronicle reported normal operations again from 4 January. That advice still applies: check your flight status, go to the airport only with a confirmed booking, and contact your airline if your flight was cancelled.
Leaving the Airport: Your Next Step
Guests who rent with us ride our free private shuttle from the airport. How pickup works is in our guide to car hire at Curaçao Airport. The rules of the road are in our guide to driving in Curaçao. The drive from the airport into Willemstad gets its own guide.
How We Checked This Guide
We are Around Curaçao Rental, locally owned and run from Willemstad since 2015 by Andy and Ronald. We meet guests at this terminal every week. On 13 October 2026 we checked every figure above against the airport’s own pages, the official Digital Immigration Card portal, the Curaçao Tourist Board and the U.S. and Canadian government pages. Rules and terminal works change, so confirm anything that affects your trip with your airline or the sources below. If you find an error, tell us and we will fix it.
Landing at Curaçao Airport? Ask Our Team First
Send us your flight number through our contact page and ask us anything about your pickup. Bon biahe (safe travels).