Union Island Airport – UNI Union Island
Constructed in 1994, Union Island Airport is situated a quarter of a mile (.40 kilometers) from the tourist destination of Clifton on Union Island. A major gateway to the southern Grenadines, it is the southernmost airport of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Due to the challenges related to its surrounding terrain, Union Island Airport services light regional aircraft with domestic flights to and from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, along with scheduled and shared charter flights to Grenada, St. Lucia, Carriacou, Martinique, and Barbados.
Best Time to Visit
Union Island Airport is famous (or infamous) for having a difficult approach that limits the type of aircraft it can accommodate. With what has been described as an “over-the-hill-and-dive” approach surrounded by nearby hills and the sea at the end of a short asphalt runway, there is very little room for pilot error. The runway itself poses quite a challenge at just 2,467 feet (752 meter) long with a displaced threshold that is only manageable by short takeoff and landing or STOL type aircraft. The displaced section is only available for takeoffs but cannot be used for landings, and there are no departures after dusk since the runway is not lit. UNI has one small passenger terminal building that houses four check-in counters, customs, emigration, and immigration controls, security, baggage claim, and waiting areas. Boarding is done on foot across the apron. It is the airport of choice for travelers going to Sauteurs, Port Elizabeth, Victoria, and Mustique Island.
What to Do & Area Attractions
Union Island Airport is among the five airports in the multi-island St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The rest are the privately owned Mustique Airport, Canouan Airport, Argyle International Airport in St. Vincent, and J. F. Mitchell Airport in Bequia.
Among lodging options near UNI Union Island are The Clifton Hotel just half a kilometer away and 850 meters from Belmont Bay and The Hibiscus Loft a kilometer from UNI. Another alternative hotel locates 1.3 miles away from the airport is the Palm Island Resort All Inclusive, a 4-star hotel wherein rooms are just steps from the beach with bamboo finishing, rattan ceilings and beautiful view of the beach.
