Isla Grande was Puerto Rico's main international airport until 1954, when Luis Munoz Marin was built.Until that year, international airlines such as Lufthansa, Iberia Airlines, Pan Am and other majors flew to Isla Grande. However, since Isla Grande airport was not built to accept jets, all international airlines then moved their operations in Puerto Rico to Luis Munoz Marin airport, then Isla Verde International Airport.
While Isla Grande's main operation is with general aviation, it is still a commercial airport, dealing with some domestic commercial flights.
In 1994, a United Airlines pilot who was travelling for the first time to Puerto Rico, confused Isla Grande airport with the international airport, and accidentally landed a Boeing 757 there. He and his passengers then flew the five minute air trip from Isla Grande to Luis Munoz Marin.
In December of 2002, a helicopter that had been rented from a company that operates out of this airport was hijacked and taken to a jail in Ponce, where six inmates boarded the helicopter, forcing the pilot to drop them off at a farm. The pilot was able to fly back after he lied to the prisoners about their whereabouts, making them jump off the helicopter and zig-zagging the helicopter to prevent them from shooting at him. Soon after, all escapees were found by the police.
A controversy regarding Isla Grande and Dorado Airport surfaced in 2003. Dorado Airport wants to expand and attract the private aviation sector that has been Isla Grande's main business for so long. Isla Grande's authorities have not made a decision yet on catering for the private aviation sector or letting Dorado Airport handle the private airplanes.
Some celebrities, such as Ricky Martin, Don King and John Ruiz have landed at Isla Grande.
On October 26, 2003, the airport made history by becoming the first Puerto Rican site of a Grand Prix Formula 1 race.
Airlines