Airline Review: Cape Air — Mayaguez to San Juan, Puerto Rico

BY MARK CHESNUT

During a recent visit to Puerto Rico, a took a flight to San Juan that ended up being one of my most scenic air travel experiences of the year. Here's my review of Cape Air's service from Mayaguez to Puerto Rico's capital (you can also watch my video reel of the trip by scrolling down or on Instagram). 

The Airline: Cape Air

The Route: Mayaguez (MAZ) to San Juan (SJU), Puerto Rico

The Aircraft: Tecnam P2012 Traveller, a nine-passenger, twin-engine, Italian built aircraft

The Airport Check-in: the Mayaguez airport, formerly known as Eugenio María de Hostos Airport, is small, relatively modern and extremely manageable. It was once the primary commercial airport serving Puerto Rico’s west coast (before Aguadilla went commercial), and my own father-in-law once worked there, as a ticket agent for Caribair, a Puerto Rico-based airline that Eastern Airlines bought in 1973.

Today, it’s a quieter facility than in previous decades. But that actually makes it a pleasure to navigate. Parking is free, so my husband was able to park and come in with me without spending a cent.

Cape Air is the only airline that currently provides scheduled service to the Mayaguez airport, and the carrier’s only route links this airport with San Juan’s Luis Munoz Marin International Airport, with the nine-passenger Tecnam P2012 Traveller aircraft. That means no crowds at the check-in counter.

I had to enter my body weight when I bought my ticket online, and upon check in, the agent asked my weight again (there was no online check-in available). I checked on piece of luggage at no additional cost and kept my backpack with me.

The Mayaguez airport terminal is clean and modern but largely empty, including a space labeled as a restaurant that’s currently unoccupied. One rental car company — Thrifty —maintains a desk inside the terminal and there’s also an office of the Departamento de Seguridad Pública (Department of Public Security).

The ticket agent told us that Cape Air is planning to launch nonstop flights between Mayaguez and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, in a few months, and that the airport will be installing TSA security checkpoint. (I contacted Cape Air to confirm this, but received no response).

The terminal has gates (three, according to the signage, although they’re strangely numbered 7, 8 and 9, so maybe I was missing something) — but the gates appeared to be unused when we were there. Instead, all passengers waited in the main terminal area near the ticket counter, and the agent eventually called for us to assemble at the ticket counter, where he collected our tickets before we followed a ramp agent down a narrow hall that led to the tarmac (there was no security checkpoint). Outside, a man read off our names and told us which seats to take; I assume the seat locations were determined based on weight distribution.

The In-Flight Experience: I found the Tecnam P2012 Traveller aircraft to be quite comfortable and modern. You can’t stand up inside it and the aisle is narrow, but the seats themselves felt new, are a decent size and offer more legroom than I’ve found in some large jets. There’s even a large armrest with cup holder and a USB charging port.

I slipped my backpack beneath the seat in front of me. Every seat is an aisle and window seat. The pilots, who sit in the same cabin, noted safety instructions and then we were on our way.

The views are the best thing about the trip. This is the type of flight that I’d almost pay for just for sightseeing. Since this is a high-wing aircraft, every seat has a great view with no obstructions, and I loved gazing out at the verdant mountains, the billowy clouds and, a few minutes later, the sun-soaked coastline. Eventually we approached San Juan, enjoying a perfect view of the Old San Juan, Condado and Isla Verde neighborhoods before landing.

The Arrival: We landed several minutes early and taxied to Concourse D — although we didn’t actually deplane in that part of the airport; instead, we boarded a van that deposited us outside the ground-level baggage claim, so I needed to pass through security again to get back in and make my connection.

This was my second time flying Cape Air; the first was on an equally scenic flight from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, to San Juan. Cape Air is a small airline that links smaller towns — often in island and coastal destinations in the U.S. and the Caribbean — with larger hub airports in nearby destinations. Don’t expect a large-size airline experience when you fly Cape Air; the carrier operates smaller aircraft and doesn’t have flight attendants or snack or beverage service (at least not on the flights I’ve taken), but overall I’ve found Cape Air to be a reliable airline, with comfortable small aircraft that, depending on the route, often offer spectacular views through large windows. On a short route like St. Thomas to San Juan where there is a choice between a large jet and a smaller Cape Air plane, I'd generally prefer the smaller plane just because the views are much better.

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ABOUT MARK CHESNUT

Mark Chesnut is a New York City-based journalist, editor, travel industry consultant and public speaker with more than 30 years of experience. The winner of the 2019 NLGJA Excellence in Travel Writing Award, Mark is the author of the book Prepare for Departure. Follow him on Instagram!