Car Rental at SXM, Princess Juliana Airport
Landing at Princess Juliana? We handle car rental at SXM airport and hand your vehicle over on arrival, ready to drive. As a local company based on the island, we cover both sides: you pick the car up on the Dutch side and drive freely across to the French side, with no formalities at all.
Picking up your vehicle on arrival
Juliana is the island's international airport — it takes almost all long-haul flights and regional connections. After a long journey, the last thing you want is to wait for a shuttle or hunt for a desk.
We prepare your vehicle before you land and hand it over at the airport. You load your bags and go — whether you are staying on the Dutch side, in Grand-Case, or at the far end of the island.
Our Dutch-side delivery points
Beyond the airport itself, we deliver and collect at several addresses on the Dutch side. Useful if you land late, if your hotel sits close to the runway, or if you would rather start your stay without a car and pick one up later:
- Juliana airport — the most common handover, on arrival.
- Simpson Bay — right next to the airport, around the lagoon.
- Maho Resort — a few minutes from the runway.
- Morgan Resort — just below the airport.
- Bobby's Marina, Philipsburg — handy if you are boarding or coming off a cruise leaving from the marina.
Delivery and return work from the same points: you can collect at the airport and drop off at your hotel, or the other way round. Just tell us where when you book.
Arriving at Grand-Case airport instead?
The island has a second airport on the French side, for regional flights. If that is where you land, everything is set out on our page about car rental at St Martin airport.
Crossing from the Dutch side to the French side
This is the question most travellers landing at Juliana ask: can a car rented on the Dutch side be driven on the French side? Yes, without restriction. The island is shared between two territories, but there is no border post — the road simply continues, and you cross without noticing, apart from the signs and the currency displayed in shops.
From Juliana you can reach Marigot, Grand-Case or Orient Bay in one go. How the island works, its two sides and what that changes day to day, is covered on our page St Martin, one island two sides, and everything we offer on the Dutch side on our car rental in Sint Maarten page.
Driving away from the airport
The area around Juliana is the busiest on the island, between the airport, the Simpson Bay lagoon and the Maho hotels. Expect traffic at peak times — and above all, plan around the bridge.
The Simpson Bay bridge: worth knowing before you set off
A lifting bridge crosses the entrance to the lagoon, on the road running past the airport. It opens several times a day to let boats through, and traffic stops completely while it is up. It catches most visitors out the first time, and it is easy to plan around once you know.
Openings are spread across the day, mainly late morning and mid-afternoon:
- Morning — 8:30, 9:30, 10:30, 11:30
- Afternoon — 2 pm, 3 pm, 4 pm, 5 pm
The direction of boat traffic alternates at each opening, but for a driver the effect is the same: a few minutes' wait. If your flight lands shortly before one of these times, allow for it — or take the chance to watch the boats go by, which is a sight in itself.
These are the current times and they can change, particularly with tides and season. If in doubt, we will confirm the day's situation when we hand the vehicle over.
Once past that stretch, the road opens up and the island is quick to cross. Main roads are fine; secondary roads are narrower and winding — nothing that calls for a special vehicle, just relaxed driving.
Which vehicle to choose
For a couple or a small family, a city car or compact is plenty and parks anywhere, including the narrow streets of Philipsburg and Marigot. Travelling as a group? Look at our 8 and 9 seater vans — from five or six people with luggage, it beats taking a second car. And if your plans involve rougher access, our 4x4 and SUV range covers that. The full fleet is on our vehicles page.
Book before you land
At Juliana, availability is decided in advance: long-haul flights arrive in clusters and demand concentrates on a few time slots. As soon as your dates and flight number are known, book your car for SXM airport and tell us your arrival time — we set the handover around it.
Still comparing rental companies? See why rent with us.
Frequently asked questions
We hand the vehicle over at the airport when your flight lands. Give us your flight number and arrival time when booking: we adjust the handover accordingly, including if you are delayed.
Yes, freely. There is no border post between the two sides of the island — the road continues. You can reach Marigot, Grand-Case or Orient Bay with no formalities.
Yes. Delivery and return use the same points: Juliana airport, Simpson Bay, Maho, Morgan Resort, Bobby's Marina in Philipsburg, plus several addresses on the French side. Give us both locations when booking.
Give us your flight number when booking: we track the actual arrival and adjust the handover time. That is exactly why we ask for it.
Juliana (SXM) is the international airport on the Dutch side, taking the long-haul flights. Grand-Case, on the French side, handles regional flights. We serve both — the Grand-Case page is linked above.
