Mercedita Airport (TJPS), Puerto Rico
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Mercedita Airport (TJPS), serving Ponce, Puerto Rico, sits roughly 38 nautical miles from the nearest metro area and provides a single long asphalt runway suited to a mix of general aviation and business aircraft. The field operates without a control tower and reports on-site customs handling alongside a USDA compliance agreement, giving it a role as a regional international point of entry. Annual operations remain moderate, with business aviation representing a meaningful share of total traffic recorded through FAA TFMSC data for 2025.
Runways
Mercedita Airport has one paved runway, 12/30, 8,002 ft long and 150 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Mercedita Airport has Jet A and 100LL available on the field. Fueling is available 24 hours a day, every day, and the airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Mercedita Airport has US Customs and Border Protection clearance available onsite, with general clearance for international arrivals. A USDA compliance agreement is in place.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Mercedita Airport recorded 210 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in February. Business aviation traffic at TJPS shows its heaviest months in February and December, with noticeably lighter activity in May and June.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month February, 28 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Mercedita Airport has published operating constraints in three categories: runway notes, pavement strength and other notes.
HIRL on runway 12/30 is preset to medium intensity from dusk until 2200. To increase intensity and activate HIRL on runway 12/30 along with REIL on runway 12 after 2200, use UNICOM 122.70. PAPI on runway 30 operates continuously.
The approach ratio is 16:1 to the displaced threshold.
PCR VALUE: 400/F/C/X/T.
Customs service is available from 1200Z to 2100Z, Monday through Friday.
For clearance delivery if frequencies are out of service, contact San Juan CERAP.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Mercedita Airport has five airfields within 44 NM. The closest is Cocal, 33.10 NM northeast.
Part of the Puerto Rico area.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at TJPS
We arrange catering, fuel and trip support here. Supplier prices reach you unchanged; our coordination fee sits on its own line.
The same order, priced two ways.
$1,200.00 catering order at TJPS.
Unchanged.
What the kitchen invoices us is what your quote reads.
One line, fixed.
It does not move with the size of the order.
At cost.
Passed on at the exact amount the processor took.
Market practice figures are industry averages, not a specific competitor.
Frequently asked questions
Does TJPS have on-site customs service?
Mercedita Airport (TJPS) offers on-site CBP inspection services along with a USDA compliance agreement. Customs availability is limited to 1200Z to 2100Z, Monday through Friday. Operators arriving outside this window should plan accordingly, since no on-site coverage is indicated for other times. This makes TJPS a viable international arrival point within those posted hours.
How long is the runway at Mercedita Airport?
Mercedita Airport, identified as TJPS, has a single runway, 12/30, measuring 8,002 feet long and 150 feet wide with an asphalt surface. This length accommodates a wide range of business jet types without runway-limited weight restrictions. The runway is also the airport's maximum paved length, giving operators a clear reference for aircraft performance planning at PSE.
What is the PCR value for the runway at TJPS?
The published PCR value for the runway at Mercedita Airport (TJPS) is 400/F / C/X / T. This code should be referenced directly against aircraft manufacturer pavement data for load planning purposes. No additional pavement rating is listed for any other surface at the field. Dispatchers should treat this figure as the sole pavement classification reference for TJPS.
Is fuel available at TJPS after hours?
Mercedita Airport (TJPS) stocks both 100LL and Jet A fuel, with an attendance schedule listed as all day, every day. Lighting at the field includes HIRL on runway 12/30, preset at medium intensity from dusk to 2200, with pilot-controlled increased intensity and REIL activation after 2200 via UNICOM 122.70. The PAPI on runway 30 operates continuously, supporting fuel-related arrivals across a range of hours.