Eduard Alexander Gummels International Airport
Paramaribo's compact new gateway to the Guiana Shield
Why Go
Tucked away in the Kwatta neighborhood on the northern edge of Paramaribo, EAX is Suriname's newest international airport ΓÇö a privately owned airfield that started life in 2015 as the country's first dedicated heliport for offshore oil crews and has quietly grown into a regional hub linking Paramaribo with Georgetown and Cayenne. If you're island-hopping the three Guianas, this small terminal is a game-changer.
The Experience
Don't expect the scale of Johan Adolf Pengel (PBM) an hour south ΓÇö EAX is intimate, functional, and refreshingly quick. The terminal sits at Gummelsweg in Kwatta, roughly 15ΓÇô20 minutes from downtown Paramaribo depending on traffic, which alone saves you the 45-kilometer schlep to Zanderij. Check-in queues are short, security is efficient, and you can walk from curb to gate in minutes. The vibe is more regional aviation than international mega-hub: think turboprops on the apron, oil-and-gas engineers with hard-shell cases, and a handful of adventurous travelers connecting through the Guiana Shield. The atmosphere is unmistakably Surinamese ΓÇö polite, unhurried, and slightly informal.
What to Try
Book a short-hop flight with Gum Air (owned by the Gummels family, who also built the airport) to experience the Guianas the way locals do ΓÇö a 60ΓÇô90 minute flight to Georgetown or Cayenne beats a punishing multi-day overland journey through jungle and river crossings. If you're heading into the interior, ask about charter connections to lodges in the Upper Suriname River region; the small-plane departures from here are the classic Surinamese travel experience. For plane-spotters, the apron gives an unusually close look at bush-flying aircraft and offshore support helicopters.
Insider Tip
Double-check which airport your ticket departs from ΓÇö many travelers assume all Paramaribo flights leave from Johan Adolf Pengel (PBM) at Zanderij, but EAX is a completely different airport on the opposite side of the city. Arriving at the wrong one is a costly mistake. Also, taxis in Paramaribo don't always know 'EAX' or 'EAG' by name yet, so tell your driver 'Gummelsweg, Kwatta' or 'the new Gum Air airport' to avoid confusion.
The Practical Stuff
Location: Gummelsweg, Kwatta district, north Paramaribo (about 15ΓÇô20 min from the city center by taxi). IATA/ICAO: EAX / SMEG. Primary operator: Gum Air, plus scheduled regional links to Georgetown (Guyana) and Cayenne (French Guiana). Facilities are limited ΓÇö grab food, coffee, and cash in the city before you arrive. Arrive 60ΓÇô90 minutes before an international departure; domestic and charter check-ins are faster. Card payment is accepted but bring some SRD or USD as a backup. No dedicated public bus route ΓÇö use a taxi or arrange a hotel pickup.
Pair It With
- Gum Air — The family-run airline behind the airport ΓÇö book your Georgetown, Cayenne, or interior lodge flight directly with them for the smoothest EAX experience.
- Central Paramaribo (UNESCO old town) — Only 15ΓÇô20 minutes south of the airport; ideal to explore the wooden colonial architecture and waterfront before or after a regional flight.
- Kwatta neighborhood eateries — Grab a warung meal in Kwatta on your way to the airport ΓÇö Javanese-Surinamese street food you won't find inside the terminal.
- Upper Suriname River lodges — Many jungle lodges can arrange charter flights from EAX, cutting hours off the road-and-boat alternative.