Pearls Airport

The airport was closed following the opening of the new Point Salines International Airport (now Maurice Bishop International Airport) in October 1984. Pearls Airport had significant operational limitations that hindered Grenada's development. Its runway was relatively short (approximately 5,000 feet / 1,524 meters) and surrounded by mountains, which restricted the size of aircraft that could operate there and prevented night landings. It could not accommodate the larger jet aircraft required to support a growing international tourism industry. The new airport at Point Salines was constructed with a much longer runway specifically to handle long-haul international flights, thus making Pearls Airport obsolete for commercial operations.

The site of Pearls Airport is now largely derelict but remains a significant historical landmark and an informal public space. The original runway is still clearly visible and mostly intact. The site is most famous for the decaying wrecks of two Soviet-era aircraft that were disabled by U.S. forces during the 1983 invasion: a Cuban Airlines Antonov An-26 transport plane and an Aeroflot Antonov An-2 biplane. These wrecks have become an unofficial tourist attraction and a stark reminder of the invasion. The old terminal building and control tower are still standing, though in a state of disrepair. The runway and surrounding area are now used for various local activities, including drag racing events, driving practice, and as a pasture for grazing cattle.

Pearls Airport was Grenada's first airport, opening in 1943. For four decades, it was the nation's primary air link to the outside world, handling all passenger and cargo air traffic. Operations were dominated by regional carrier Leeward Islands Air Transport (LIAT), which flew turboprop aircraft like the Hawker Siddeley HS 748, connecting Grenada to other Caribbean islands. The airport played a central role in the geopolitical events of the early 1980s. The construction of a new, larger airport at Point Salines by the People's Revolutionary Government with significant Cuban assistance was cited by the U.S. Reagan administration as a primary justification for the 1983 invasion of Grenada (Operation Urgent Fury). The U.S. claimed the new airport was intended for Soviet and Cuban military use. During the invasion, Pearls Airport was one of the initial objectives secured by U.S. forces to prevent potential enemy reinforcements.

There are no known official plans or credible prospects for reopening Pearls Airport for any form of aviation. Grenada is well-served by the modern and far more capable Maurice Bishop International Airport (GND), which meets all of the country's current and projected aviation needs. The same geographical and infrastructural limitations that led to the closure of Pearls—a short runway, mountainous terrain, and lack of modern facilities—still exist, making any potential reactivation for commercial or even significant general aviation purposes economically and logistically unfeasible.