Terminal T1 hosts 5 airlines. You'll find 3 dining options, 2 lounges, 2 shops here.
Arrivals: stairs, paper forms, and a single slow line
From every flight at T1 you walk down metal stairs onto the tarmac, then funnel straight into one small immigration hall with a single main queue. There are no electronic kiosks at Exuma International Airport Passenger Terminal, just paper Bahamas immigration and customs cards that officers collect at the desk. Regulars say fill out both forms on the plane and head directly to the line, because when two US flights land within 20–30 minutes of each other the wait easily stretches past 45 minutes.
Immigration, customs, and getting out of the building
Immigration sits immediately inside the door from the ramp, customs is another short line right after baggage claim, and the whole arrivals flow fits into a compact ground-floor space. Bags come off a single belt, so everyone crowds the same carousel when an American Airlines and a Delta flight arrive together. A TripAdvisor poster described the process as “slow but straightforward,” with the only real variable being how many aircraft land within the same half hour.
Check-in: small counters, time your arrival
American Airlines, Bahamasair, Delta Air Lines, and Silver Airways all use a tight cluster of check-in counters along one wall of the T1 departures hall. In peak winter months, locals suggest arriving about 2 hours before US departures to dodge the heaviest queues at these shared desks. Check-in itself usually moves reasonably fast for a 70–150 passenger flight, but once two US departures stack in the same 60-minute window, the line can snake back toward the entrance doors.
Security and the limited gate area
There is one small security checkpoint in T1, set just beyond the check-in counters, with a single X-ray lane handling all outbound traffic. Flyers report that screening often takes only 10–20 minutes, even in peak season, because flights are relatively small. The tradeoff sits on the far side: the gate lounge is compact, with only a modest number of seats, and when a full narrowbody to Miami and another US service board close together, people end up standing along the walls or clustering near the doors to the ramp.
Food and drink: basic and mostly landside
Exuma Airport Café operates in the main T1 building, giving you a simple menu of sandwiches, snacks, and cold drinks before you head through security; think quick bites rather than sit-down meals. Prices skew higher than in George Town proper, with reports of snacks and drinks landing in the US$5–10 range. If you want a proper meal, regulars suggest eating in town and using the café for a last coffee or water top-up before boarding.
Kermit’s Lounge and how it actually works
Kermit’s Lounge sits inside the terminal at GGT and doubles as both a casual bar and a waiting spot for outbound passengers. It is not a premium-branded airline lounge; instead you pay at the counter for drinks and simple bar food, then grab one of the limited tables or bar stools. When an American or Delta flight is within an hour of departure, seats go quickly, so plan to arrive early if you want a chair and something stronger than a soda.
Shops, newsstand, and last-minute souvenirs
Exuma Airport News Stand and the small Café & Gift Shop cover the basics: cold drinks, chips, candy, sunscreen, and local souvenirs like Exuma-branded T‑shirts and trinkets. The selection is modest, closer to a neighborhood minimart than a big-city concourse, and stock can run thin at the tail end of busy holiday weeks. Expect tourist-area pricing, with simple magnets and keychains often priced in the US$5–8 range and shirts higher.
Wi‑Fi, seating, and other weak spots
Several Flightradar24 reviewers call out patchy or nonexistent Wi‑Fi in the departures area at T1, especially once the room fills ahead of US departures. Power outlets sit in short supply as well, with only a few spots near walls or pillars. With limited seating and almost nothing beyond Kermit’s Lounge and the newsstand once past security, most people try to time arrival so they spend under an hour in the gate lounge.
What regulars actually do and one last tip
Frequent visitors to Exuma say they fill in immigration and customs cards on the plane, walk straight to the immigration line, and on departure return rental cars at least 2 hours before US flights to leave room for paperwork and queues at the small counters. Many also use the restrooms near check-in landside, since options airside are more limited and busier before boarding. One practical tip: load boarding passes, entertainment, and any maps over hotel Wi‑Fi before you head to GGT, then treat the terminal as a quick through-stop rather than a place to linger.