Curaçao International Airport (CUR), also known as Hato International Airport, has car parking right next to the single terminal building, so it is a short walk from your car to check-in. There are spaces both for quick drop-offs and pick-ups and for leaving a vehicle while you travel, which suits residents flying off-island and visitors who have hired a car for their stay.
Short-stay versus long-stay
The parking divides broadly into two purposes. Short-stay spaces sit closest to the terminal and are designed for dropping someone off, collecting an arriving passenger, or a brief errand inside, where you pay for a small number of hours. Long-stay parking is the sensible choice when you are flying away for several days and want the car waiting on your return. If you are only meeting a flight, head straight for the short-stay area rather than circling the access road, and keep an eye on the arrivals board so you time your run to the kerb well.
Rates and how to pay
The airport runs a single automated open-air car park of around 300 spaces for both short and long stays, with the tariff stepped by time. The first 15 minutes are free, which covers a quick drop-off. After that the operator publishes a banded rate that builds up by the hour and is capped at a flat daily maximum, so a longer stay never runs away with you. The headline figures below are quoted in the Antillean guilder (shown by the airport as XCG, the same currency widely written as ANG).
| Duration | Charge |
|---|---|
| Up to 15 minutes | Free |
| 15 to 30 minutes | ANG 4.00 |
| 30 to 60 minutes | plus ANG 1.00 |
| Each extra hour (up to 16 hours) | plus ANG 1.00 |
| More than 16 hours | Daily rate ANG 21.50 |
You can pay at one of the pay stations in cash, in guilders or in US dollar notes, or by debit and credit card. Take your entry ticket at the barrier and keep it safe, because you normally need it to pay and to raise the barrier on the way out. As a rule the longer you stay the more it costs, and the capped daily rate works out far better value than paying the hourly bands across several days. If you misplace your ticket or want a charge explained, the Car Park Office sits on the lot just to the west of the Arrivals Hall.
Step by step: parking on the day
Knowing the routine in advance saves time at the barrier. Here is how a typical visit goes:
- Follow the parking signs as you approach the single terminal.
- Choose short-stay if you are dropping off or collecting, or long-stay if you are leaving the car while you travel.
- Take the ticket at the entry barrier and keep it with your travel documents, not in the car.
- Note your row or bay before you walk inside.
- On your return, pay at a pay station using your ticket, then use it to raise the exit barrier.
Before you go
- Remember the first 15 minutes are free, which is plenty for a kerbside drop-off.
- Allow extra time during the December to April high season, when spaces fill faster.
- Decide in advance whether you need short-stay or long-stay for the length of your trip.
- If you hired a car, confirm where the rental company wants it returned.
At a glance
| Option | Best for | Distance to terminal | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short-stay | Drop-offs, pick-ups, brief visits | Closest | First 15 min free, then by the hour |
| Long-stay | Leaving a car while you travel | Short walk | Capped at the ANG 21.50 daily rate |
| Drop-off / pick-up | Meeting or seeing off a passenger | Closest | Use short-stay; do not leave a car unattended at the kerb |
Practical tips
- Arrive a little early during the December to April high season, when the island is busiest and spaces fill up faster.
- Note your row or bay before you walk into the terminal, as it is easy to lose track after a long trip.
- Keep your parking ticket with your travel documents, not in the car, so it does not get locked inside.
- If you have hired a car, ask whether your rental company wants it returned to its own desk rather than left in public parking.
- Renting instead of parking? Compare car hire and other ways across the island in our transfers guide.
Parking rates change over time, so treat these figures as a guide and confirm the current tariff with the operator on the official airport channels close to your travel date.
