✈️ The gateway to the soul of the Caribbean and eastern Cuba! In a way, that's how we could define this place. Today I'm going to show you the Antonio Maceo International Airport (SCU) in Santiago de Cuba, which I recently visited. Are you ready to immerse yourself in the history of this place?
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Antonio Maceo International Airport has been operating since 1954. So its "limited" capacity is justified. The final expansion and remodeling of the airfield was completed in 1991.
It has two runways: a main one, equipped to handle any type of aircraft, measuring 4,002 m, and a secondary one measuring 1,400 m. However, it only has one operating terminal, which limits its capacity to process travelers. However, lately, it has only five flights per day.
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Of course, from the first moment you arrive, you'll feel the characteristic warmth of eastern Cuba. The air conditioning in the terminal is permanently off. Therefore, you'll probably want to spend your waiting time outside.
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Perhaps due to the country's economic crisis and its low level of airline operations, the cafeterias/bars and souvenir shops are somewhat run-down and short on offerings.
Car rentals are nonexistent, based on what I saw, and official taxi service (and in general) is scarce.
Unfortunately, there's no direct view of the runway, so witnessing a takeoff or landing is very difficult. I remember being able to see them when I was a child, but apparently the access points have been closed.
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📍 The airport is located about 8 km from the historic center of Santiago de Cuba.
If you're an ordinary Cuban, like me, you'll have to take a bus to Ciudamar, which will drop you off at the airport roundabout. After that, you'll have to walk about 1 km to reach the airport facilities.
Public transportation to and from this destination is almost nonexistent, so if you don't want to take this route, you'll have to pay for a private taxi.
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🏛️ The facility bears a historic name: named after Major General Antonio Maceo y Grajales, the "Bronze Titan," one of Cuba's three greatest independence heroes.
A few final tips for your visit to this terminal:
· Arrive with plenty of time, at least 3 hours early, especially for international flights; don't board.
· Bring water; it's hot.
· Wi-Fi internet access requires a Nauta account with the telecommunications monopoly ETECSA. Speeds don't exceed 256 kb/s.
· Come with plenty of patience! Times may vary, and delays are common.
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