Piarco International Airport: Trinidad's Caribbean Gateway
The award-winning first (and last) taste of T&T
Why Go
Named Skytrax's Best Airport in the Caribbean three years running (2021-2023), Piarco is more than a transit point — it's where your Trinidad trip actually begins, from the aroma of doubles wafting through arrivals to the steelpan playing over the PA.
The Experience
Twenty-five kilometres east of Port of Spain, Piarco's North Terminal is a bright, air-conditioned atrium building that opened in 2001 and still feels surprisingly calm for a hub serving the entire southern Caribbean. Fourteen boarding gates fan off a central concourse with clear signage in English, an information desk staffed by locals who genuinely enjoy pointing you the right way, and a food court perched in the atrium so you can watch the departure boards while you eat. Landside is where the real character lives — currency exchange booths, a 24-hour Church's Chicken near baggage claim for the 2 a.m. arrivals, and a taxi dispatch stand where the drivers will happily brief you on which Carnival fete is worth your Saturday night. Expect friendly chaos at peak international banks (roughly 4-8 p.m. and midnight-3 a.m., when the New York and London flights land) and a nearly empty terminal in between.
What to Try
Grab a hot doubles or a bake and shark from the internal food court before you fly — it's the last authentic Trini street food you'll get until you come back. Duty-free stocks Angostura 1919 and 1824 rums that are hard to find (and pricier) abroad. If you have time, browse the local craft kiosks near departures for hand-poured chocolate from Trinitario cacao.
Insider Tip
Skip the official taxi line if you're travelling light and download the local rideshare apps before landing — fares to Port of Spain drop by roughly half, and the wait outside the arrivals canopy is usually under ten minutes. Also: the ATMs inside the secure departures zone often run out of TTD on weekends, so pull cash landside first.
The Practical Stuff
Location: Piarco, ~25 km / 40 min drive east of Port of Spain (traffic can push this to 90 min during rush hour). Terminal: North Terminal handles all commercial passenger flights. Arrival timing: 3 hours for international, 1.5 hours for domestic Caribbean Airlines hops to Tobago. Currency: Trinidad & Tobago Dollar (TTD); USD widely accepted at airport concessions. Wi-Fi: free throughout the terminal. 24-hour food: Church's Chicken landside near baggage claim. IATA code: POS.
Pair It With
- Port of Spain — The natural next stop — 40 minutes west by taxi or maxi, and where most Piarco arrivals are ultimately headed for hotels, the Savannah, and the Carnival scene.
- Maracas Bay — If you've got a long layover (6+ hours), the drive over the Northern Range to Maracas for bake and shark on the beach is the quintessential Trinidad detour.
- Caroni Bird Sanctuary — Only 20 minutes from the airport — perfect sunset stop on your last afternoon to catch the scarlet ibis roosting before an evening flight.
