Winair
Sint Maarten’s scheduled regional airline, operating short inter-island services with De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft from its Caribbean hub.
About Winair
Winair is the trading identity of Windward Islands Airways International, a scheduled regional carrier founded in 1961 and headquartered in Sint Maarten. The airline is government-owned and has developed around the practical transport needs of the northeastern Caribbean, where short sea crossings, mountainous terrain and limited ferry links make reliable air connections particularly important. Its WM airline code is familiar across the Leeward Islands.
The airline’s primary hub is Princess Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten. Its network comprises 8 routes serving 5 destinations across 5 countries: Sint Maarten, St Eustatius, Nevis, Saba and Saint Barthelemy. These compact sectors connect small island communities with Sint Maarten’s wider range of regional and long-haul services, while some itineraries also link neighbouring islands directly.
Winair’s recorded aircraft type is the De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter, a rugged twin-engine turboprop well suited to short runways and demanding island airports. Flights on these aircraft generally offer a single economy cabin with compact seating and limited storage space. Service is functional and appropriately streamlined because many journeys last only a few minutes, leaving little time for elaborate onboard amenities.
Winair is not a member of Star Alliance, SkyTeam or Oneworld. Its independent regional role nevertheless allows passengers to use Sint Maarten as a connecting point for flights operated by larger international airlines. Winair participates in Flying Blue, the loyalty programme associated with Air France and KLM, although earning and redemption eligibility can depend on the fare, route and booking arrangement, so members should review the applicable conditions before travel.
Winair’s principal strength is its experience serving airports that larger aircraft cannot use, particularly the exceptionally short runway on Saba and the restricted operating environments of nearby islands. The trade-off is that small-aircraft operations provide less cabin and baggage space and can be more exposed to disruption from Caribbean weather. Travellers should allow sensible connection time and keep essential medication and documents in an accessible personal bag.
Good to know
Flying with Winair — what to expect
Small Aircraft Cabins
Twin Otter cabins are compact, with less headroom and storage than travellers may expect on a mainline jet. Pack lightly and follow staff instructions when bags must be placed in the aircraft hold.
Baggage Restrictions
Allowances depend on the fare and itinerary, while operational limits may apply on small aircraft. Check the current Winair rules before departure, especially when travelling with sports equipment or unusually heavy luggage.
Weather Disruptions
Short Caribbean sectors can be affected by wind, rain and local airport conditions. Avoid tight onward connections and monitor the flight status during unsettled weather.
Sint Maarten Connections
Princess Juliana International Airport is Winair’s main connecting point. Passengers transferring to or from another airline should confirm whether baggage is checked through and allow time for immigration, security or recheck formalities.
Quick Island Flights
Many Winair sectors are very short, so onboard service is necessarily limited. Bring water or refreshments for the airport wait, subject to security restrictions.
Network overview
Where Winair flies
Winair operates 8 routes to 5 destinations across 5 countries, its longest sector reaching Nevis to Sint Maarten (109 km nonstop).
Destinations served
Cities Winair flies to, most-served first.
Main hubs
Busiest departure bases, by route count.
Fleet
Aircraft types on record for these routes.
Longest nonstop route
Nevis → Sint Maarten
109 km · NEV → SXM
The longest sector in the Winair network, measured as the great-circle distance between the two airports.
Route data · TravelPayouts route data · updated 2026-07
Route network
Popular routes operated by Winair
Notable destinations on Winair's network.
WMSint MaartendirectWMNevisdirectWMSabadirectWMSaint BarthelemydirectWMSt EustatiusdirectDestination list is indicative of Winair's network; see the airline's official route map for its complete, current schedule.
Reviews of Winair
TripAdvisor · 2019–2023- 58
- 47
- 32
- 23
- 130
What travellers flew
Counted from the 50 reviews below — a tally of the flights reviewed, with each chip carrying the average score those reviewers gave. Nothing here reads their prose or summarises what they said.
✓ marks a group averaging 7/10 or better, − one averaging 4/10 or worse, across at least three reviews.
Not to be Trusted
Not to be Trusted We booked and was given confirmation later t find out that four persons out of the party of eight were cancelled. When this was queried we were then told that the Airline had changed its schedule and could not fly us on the scheduled day… See more (Saturday) but would be able to do so on the Monday only to be later told that they could not fly us and would give a refund. Fast forward 8 months and now we are told we cannot get a refund and we could use the Tickets but would have to do so by August (which would be the end of the valid period for the tickets. Now we are told that they no longer fly from our home port (Barbados) and we would have to pick-up the fare to Antigua and then use WinAir from there to our original destination of St Martin. Needless to say we will never ever book flights on WInAir again and we will advise all friends and family against using the airline.
See lessPosted April 2023 by TonyBds, Bridgetown
I would not recommend
So our flight was delayed approx 45 min. We were told the drew had not arrived yet. Let’s not mention it was roaches on the chair and a big one that went into my daughters open book bag I almost caught a heart attack. The plane is also very small and tight.… See more I’m not a big person and it was still hard to move. I killed a baby roach on the chair in front of me.
See lessPosted January 2023 by Alicia
Satisfactory service
We flew WinAir from the BVI to Sint Maarten (not many airline choices from the BVI). The staff were very courteous and had no problems checking in our luggage. Online check-in didn't work for us for some reason but we checked in normally at the desk and had no… See more issues. Around 10 minutes before our flight was scheduled to leave, we were escorted to the plane and left on time, and arrived earlier than expected at our destination. Space is quite limited on the aircraft so we had a small bag with us as our cabin bag. Overall, we had a good experience flying with WinAir.
See lessPosted June 2022 by VDecel
Worst airline
Winair airline is one of the slowest worst airlines in history, I can’t believe this airline still making money very incompetent and ridiculous. I DON’T RECOMMEND at all zero stars
Posted June 2022 by Precious456
Bad staff, changed flights with no notice, incomptent.
This is a ridiculous way to run an airline. Flew with them Feb 21 and dealt with untrained and then terrible supervisors (who prefer to play on their phones). Then Feb 22 dealt with totally inept system
Posted May 2022 by tabhauser, Boulder
Great customer service
We arrived into sxm with a little delay. We got to the winair counter and were met by Shanyna. We missed our connection so she put us in the next flight. The passport and security lines were so long but she helped us to make sure we didn’t miss the flight. I’m… See more so grateful for her help and her smile.
See lessPosted April 2022 by Karim S
Traveller reviews originally published on TripAdvisor, shown for reference — service standards may have changed since. Originfacts does not edit or verify individual reviews, and the sample reflects who chose to leave one.
FAQ
Winair — frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the details travellers usually check first, from codes and locations to the practical basics that help with planning.
8 common questions
- Winair’s primary hub is Princess Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten. Most of its regional connections are organised around this gateway.
- Winair’s longest route is Nevis to Sint Maarten, about 109 km nonstop.
- Fares are often lower when booked early and outside major holidays, festivals and peak Caribbean travel periods. Compare nearby dates and avoid leaving scarce inter-island seats until the last minute.
- Carry-on space is limited aboard Winair’s small Twin Otter aircraft, and some cabin bags may need to be placed in the hold. Check the allowance shown with your fare and Winair’s current baggage guidance before travelling.
- Winair serves Sint Maarten, St Eustatius, Nevis, Saba and Saint Barthelemy. Its network focuses on short inter-island flights in the northeastern Caribbean.
- The busiest departure points are Sint Maarten, followed by St Eustatius, Nevis, Saba and Saint Barthelemy. Princess Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten is the airline’s principal hub.
- Originfacts compares live fares from hundreds of airlines and travel agencies via its partner Travelpayouts. Originfacts never adds a fee to the price shown.
- Winair flies to 5 destinations across 5 countries, operating 8 routes.