Roland Garros Airport (RUN) is the main airport on the island of Réunion, a French overseas department located in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar.
The airport is located near the town of Sainte-Marie on the island's north coast, approximately 10 km from central Saint-Denis, the island's capital.
Roland Garros receives a lot of leisure travelers, but is not exclusively a tourism airport. It also handles a lot of business and government travel, especially to and from Mainland France. Réunion is part of France and the European Union, so these flights (to Paris and Marseille) are the longest domestic services in the world.
RUN handles around 2.5-3 million passengers per year. Of these, 60% are flights to Mainland France, 37% are flights to neighboring countries in the Indian Ocean region, and the remaining few are long-haul flights to other destinations.
Major Airlines - Air Austral
Roland Garros Airport is the primary hub of Air Austral, which serves as the flag carrier of the overseas department. The airline connects Réunion with Paris, Mauritius, Mayotte, Madagascar, South Africa, and other Indian Ocean destinations. Its longest route is to Bangkok, Thailand.
Apart from Air Australi, the other long-haul service providers are Air France, Corsair, and French Bee. The busiest routes are to Paris-Orly (ORY) and Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG). Note that all flights to the mainland are considered domestic, despite the long distance. Nevertheless, there are still immigration and document checks before boarding, because Réunion is not part of the Schengen Area.
Foreign airlines that fly to RUN include Air Mauritius and IndiGo.
Click here to see the live departure board at Roland Garros Airport.
Terminal Layout and Gates
RUN Airport has a single terminal for all flights. It has a two-level structure with Arrivals with 28 check-in desks on the Ground Floor and Departures with 8 gates on Level 1.
There is a single Security checkpoint, which leads to several Immigration desks. Upon clearing, you will be in a large airside waiting and transit area.
The terminal is compact, so the most you may have to walk, from the Security screening to the farthest gate, is under 10 minutes.
The terminal closes after the last flight of the day, and staying inside overnight isn’t allowed.
Free Wi-Fi and other services
Free WiFi is available throughout the terminal via the airport's public network. Connect to “WIFI_PUBLIC_AEROPORT” to use. It’s not limited in duration or bandwidth.
Other passenger services at RUN include:
ATMs: There are 2 cash machines just outside the terminal.
Currency exchange: There is an ICE exchange desk near the travel agency offices just outside the terminal.
Travel agencies: Several have offices outside the airport and can assist with travel planning and tours.
Interfaith Prayer Room: located on Floor 0; requires an access code available from the Information Desk.
Coin and banknotes’ memory machines: Available in the boarding area.
Lounges at Roland Garros Airport
There are four small lounges at Roland Garros Airport. All are located airside on the Second Level of Departures.
Three of them are maintained by the respective airline and only accept their passengers:
Air France Lounge
Le Club Austral
Corsair Lounge
These lounges normally offer showers, Wi-Fi, drinks, meals, and workspaces.
Additionally, an independent Salon Guetali welcomes all passengers for a fee of 45 EUR, payable at the door. It also offers food and light snacks, an alcohol bar, and showers.
Dining Options at RUN
The airport has a few options to choose from when it comes to having a full meal, a quick snack, or a cup of coffee.
Before Security, check out these places:
CASTA Escale: A bakery van located in the parking lot outside the terminal. Open from 5:30 AM to 7:30 PM.
Coco Cannelle Food & Coffee: A 100% Réunion-based brand that offers sweet and savory treats, bread, and viennoiseries. Located in the Public Hall, open from 5 AM to 8:30 PM.
Le Bon Vol by Cap Méchant: Offers a wide variety of local hot dishes and salads. Located on the Mezzanine Level and open from the first to the last flight.
After Security, there are three more places to choose from:
Le Guétali: Enjoy any major sporting event with a drink in hand, right in the middle of the airside Departures Hall. Open from 5 AM until the last flight.
Le Bon Vol by Cap Méchant: The popular snack bar has another location at RUN, this one in the Departure Hall. Open throughout the day.
Illy caffè: Have some coffee or light snacks in the Departure Hall. Open from first to last flight.
Transport to and from the airport
Public transport is well-organized at Roland Garros Airport. An airport bus station acts as a transportation hub with more than 10 lines stopping there and connecting with towns on the island, including Saint-Denis, Saint-Pierre, Sainte-Suzanne, and Saint-Benoît.
The most notable lines and the ones most useful for tourists are:
Citalis Route 31 connects the airport with Saint-Denis. Costs 1.30 EUR.
Car Jaune Ligne E2 links the airport with Saint-Benoît. Costs 2.00 EUR.
Jetcaroi shuttle provides service to Saint-Pierre in the south. Costs 20 EUR.
To see all lines, routes, and ticket prices, check the airport’s official page.
Taxis are available right outside the terminal. They are convenient for reaching destinations in the northern part of the island, but get expensive if you need to go to the south. All fares are metered with the prices set by a regulator:
3.70 EUR pick-up charge.
18.35 EUR hourly rate.
1.12 EUR standard daily fare per kilometer.
Additional surcharges may apply for extra luggage, additional passengers, nightly or holiday rates.
Rental cars are extremely popular as they give you absolute freedom to explore Réunion. Many attractions are located in mountainous areas that are difficult to access without a vehicle, too. There are 11 rental car companies at RUN, including global giants like Hertz, Sixt, and Avis, and local companies like Garcia Location, Aubasprix, and ADA.
A unique transport option at RUN, if you have the budget, is to hire a helicopter. The two companies that offer this service are Corail Hélicoptères and Helilagon.
Parking at Roland Garros Airport
There are several official parking facilities at RUN Airport, serving both short and long stays.
The Drop-off Area just outside the Terminal is considered P0. It includes 26 parking spaces and allows free stays for up to 10 minutes, but isn’t intended for any longer stays.
P1 is the short-stay parking garage. It offers 600 spaces and also has a 10-minute gratis period. After that, the price is between 0.50 and 1.00 EUR per 15 minutes, depending on the duration of your stay. The daily maximum is 40 EUR.
P2 and P3 are professional car parks, dedicated to the airport company's staff and hosted clients.
P4 is a covered public car park intended for long-stays with 400 spaces. It is located just 3 minutes on foot from the Terminal. Parking there costs 2 EUR per 15 minutes, 33 EUR for the first day, plus 6 EUR for each additional day.
Hotels near Roland Garros Airport
The most convenient accommodation option if you want to be as close as possible to the airport is B&B HOTEL La Réunion Aéroport. This 3-star tourist-oriented hotel is just 700 meters from the terminal building and offers comfortable rooms and a plentiful breakfast with lots of fresh items. It is the only large hotel near RUN.
Given that Saint-Denis is just 15 minutes away, most opt to stay there or proceed directly to resorts elsewhere in Réunion.
Click here to check out more hotels in Saint-Denis or near Roland Garros Airport.
Saint Denis de la Reunion, Reunion
