JAMAICA’S Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St James has been named the region’s number one airport for 2015 by the online publication Caribbean Journal.

“Any airport where we can grab a piping hot Tastee patty within moments of arrival is a good one in our book. Throw in Club Mo’Bay (a tranquil, Jamaican art-filled oasis we tapped as our best airport lounge last year); a plethora of shops; diverse dining options that include a Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville and a Bobsled Café; a smoking lounge and free baggage carts and you’ve got an airport where a long layover doesn’t seem that bad,” the publication in naming Sangster Internation as it “favourite Caribbean airport for 2015”.

Said the publication: “These days, getting there isn’t always half the fun. Long lines and having to practically undress at the security checkpoint can make flying more fraught than fab. Which is why we love transiting through these Caribbean hubs, which take the drudgery out of departing with perks every passenger can appreciate.”

The publication gave the number two spot to the Bahamas’ Lynden Pindling International in the capital Nassau.

“The $400 million the Bahamian Government laid out to modernise and expand their airport was money well-spent. US bound travelers will appreciate the convenience of pre-clearance through immigration, and in the US departures terminal, the plush Graycliff Divan lounge (with comp wi-fi) and the array of shops (we like My Ocean) take the sting out of having to go home,” said the Journal.

Taking the third spot is Princess Juliana International in St Maarten.

“Each year more than two million passengers transit through this 73-year-old Dutch-side airport, which is one of the region’s most modern. Forty-six check-in counters and 12 gates keep delays to a minimum, and free wi-fi means we can stay connected minus the dreaded roaming charges,” the publication said about the St Maarten airport.

Others making up the top 10 are:

4th: Cancun International, Mexico;

5th: Aerupuerto Internacional Reina Beatrix, Aruba;

6th: Point a Pitre International Airport, Guadeloupe;

7th: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic;

8th: Aeroport International Aime Cesaire, Martinique;

9th: Aeropuerto Internacional Las Américas, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; and

10th: Aeroport Gustave III, St Barth.