CARACAS AIRPORT review : 5 November 2008 : by A Hetier

Customer Rating : 3/5

One needs more than arriving 2 hours before take-off time for international flights. I would suggest 3. Queues are terrible everywhere (check-in, taxes, immigration). And why taxes can't be paid by card?! On arrival, migration services seem more efficient (search me...) and luggage is delivered efficiently. It is a pity not to be able to get money from an ATM in the international space (only local cards seem to work). On departure, when you pass migration, you get into a renewed part of the airport with plenty of space, totally different from the departure area which is crowed. Duty free shops are nice as well as the food offer. Some don't like the patterns on the floor of the departure area but it's one of the charms of Maiquetía airport. Another one is the take-off and landing, especially at daytime. I always enjoy the landscape.

CARACAS AIRPORT review : 18 June 2008 : by Richard Conduit

Customer Rating : 2/5

Caracas airport, despite many improvements still has a very long way to go to be thought of as anything more than adequate. The mad "tax" system where you pay to get out. A rather surprising total of six separate search points. The woeful queues at Immigration both inbound and outbound. The lack of a covered walkway between International and Domestic terminals. The constant unwanted attention from taxi touts and money changers.

Caracas Airport review by John Henry

8 April 2008   Customer Rating : n/a

Despite the "new" international terminal ~ give yourself several hours to check-in. It took me 2 hours 15 minutes at American the other morning.

Caracas Airport review by Francisco Solano

22 October 2006   Customer Rating :

I've been in CCS many times and the improvements made to the airport are incredible. Very friendly and helpful staff. Still it is not a modern airport but manageable considering the amount of passengers. The only bad thing is that they are not paying attention to the security and when you are in the arrivals hall a bunch of people come and ask you if you want a taxi or maybe you want to buy the local currency - I undestand this due to the political situation the country is facing, but as I always say, it could and must be better.

Caracas Airport review by M Duggan

12 August 2006

I agree entirely with Fernando. Immigration staff also very helpful as well as friendly and efficient. Only problem now is the collapsed bridge on the road to Caracas. A diversion has been made but is only two lanes and is operated on a tidal system. Can add an hour or two to the journey.;

Caracas Airport review by  Fernando Moibani

29 August 2005

I guess Mr. E Bernal hasn't been to CCS Int´l recently. This airport has been totally renewed. since June a brand new arrival area was opened with about 40 desks and very friendly staff. Deplane, go through immigration and picking up your luggage takes about 20 minutes. So I recommend you to save those US$ 200 and continuing to fly through Caracas. By the way I did not know that there were flights from Maracaibo to Aruba.

Caracas Airport review by  E Bernal

24 August 2005

I have flown into Maracaibo via CCS twice this year (both Air France) and after both experiences I have to remind myself to fly via Aruba next time, even with the extra 200 EUR of flying KLM (AMS- Aruba). The reasons - All European flights arrive around the same time, so you can imagine the line at the immigration counters. Of 10 desks, on both times there were only 3 open. First time we queued for 1.5 hours (and the suitcases were waiting outside next to the belt). The second time we risked missing our connecting flight, so an officer kindly let us skip the +2 hrs queue at the time we got on the line. The international and domestic terminals are not connected, so when transferring, it takes a 10 min walk (and carrying your suitcases), under a devil sun. You are not allowed to take the trolleys out of the terminals so the option you have (unless you carry it yourself) is to pay for a porter. I don't know how much it is since we decided to carry them ourselves. Be sure to cool off later on, as the AC is barely noticeable inside the terminals. Domestic terminal same chaos as international. Upon departure make sure to check in as soon as it is open - same immigration queues! We were almost the first ones checking in and it still took us more than 30 mins to get through immigration! I must say, however, it is being remodelled, and the new international departure area (before entering secure zone) has a nice food court, incl Subway and TGI Fridays. Among others I have flown into Nigeria via Lagos and I must say Caracas is the worst airport I have ever encountered, and will avoid it whenever possible. Departure tax is also more expensive than when flying out directly from Maracaibo (nice small international airport).

Caracas Airport review by  Kim Shephard

8 February 2004

On my last visit I found many issues which dismayed me, regarding Simon Bolivar International Airport. (1) Only 2 ATM's in the entire international Terminal(side by side, unsignposted and upstairs in the Mezzanine Level) - both "out of order".  (2) Several Bank outlets, in the main terminal concourses - closed in the middle of the day. (3) Inability to take luggage carts from the baggage claim area, outside the exits, into the main Arrivals Hall. (4) Excessive number of "pushy" unregulated (and mostly uninsured) taxi touts. The airport authority regulates (or attempts to) taxis and there is an offical Taxi / Transportation counter in the Arrivals hall. (5) On Departure from the country, there is an airport user tax, which must be paid, prior to security / immigration. The organisation and collection of this farcical and woefully inadequate. In the airport's defense, I would say it has one of the better Tourist Information desks of many South American airports but, while the staff may be friendly and helpful, there are all too few of them. Food selection and outlets are reasonable, and shopping appears quite inexpensive.

Caracas Airport review by  Cecilio Khulongo

19 December 2003

It had been about four years since my last visit to CCS int'l, and I don't really know what to think about it. The airport was or is being rebuilt and it looks really nice with lots of shops and everything but the staff are really rude and unkind. Four years ago, it was all the contrary, the airport was a chaos but the staff was very nice and polite. So -  is that the price the airport has to pay so that it can be rebuilt?

Caracas Airport review by  B Duve

30 October 2003

The shops are nice and cheap, and the staff = helpful and nice, but the tax collecting system they have is ridiculous and unfriendly.

Caracas Airport review by  Francois le Pitre

3 September 2003

My impression was that the departing area is too crowded, I consider CCS airport as big but definitively it urgently needs more space. The system they have to collect the taxes is inconvenient and archaic. Why don’t they just include all taxes in the ticket so that all passengers can avoid wasting their time that filling down those two forms causes? The departing area is ok, pretty dark but it's impossible not to realize the amazing piece of work all along the floor made by a local artist. The airport has many cafes and restaurants and stores as well, and although at first you feel a little scared because of the presence of military all around the airport, the staff is incredibly nice.

Caracas Airport review by  Julio Acosta

2 June 2003

Nice place to be, with duty free shops that offer convenient prices. Pretty crowded but it's ok, a little noisy but the airport staff are really nice, friendly and helpful. It's being renovated so it's getting a new and very modern image.

Caracas Airport review by  Ivan Maderov

31 May 2003

A new arrival terminal is being built, and a enormous area with restaurants, stores and open spaces for the art was opened the last semester of 2002. They also built a conventions center outside the airport that is meant to be used as an area to receive important personalities of the politic and artistic world. Also, the Hilton chain is building a hotel just across the street of the international arrivals. The international cargo area was massively expanded and they are also going to build another runaway. I think that such a modern city as Caracas really needed its airport to be renovated , besides Caracas Intl works as a hub for many European and Latin American airlines so the passengers traffic is being increasing during the last 5 years. What I would criticize of all this renovation is the fact that they eliminated the great open terrace from where you could feel the breeze of the sea and see the landing and the taking off of airplanes while having a cold drink.

Caracas Airport review by  Patrick Horn

15 May 2003

Having lived in Venezuela many years, I've flown in and out of Caracas' Simon Bolivar airport many times. The airport was nothing special up until they began a massive renovation project a couple of years ago. A new hotel is being built at the airport and the international terminal is being greatly upgraded. Work should be completed soon, but like many other projects in Venezuela, it will probably be delayed some. Additionally, the duty-free shops have been expanded and improved. The shops belong to the same chain of duty-free shops found in Spain's airports called "Aldeasa."

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