Our History ...

This Icon of the tourism, food & beverage, real estate, aviation, in-flight and airport support services was founded by Jose A. Santana (Tony), who first time became familiar with the Aviation environment in 1942 as a civil employee at Ramey Base in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.

In 1946, Santana started civil aviation with Caribair, a local airline. In 1949, he helped organize West Indies Airways, which operated aircraft maintenance and repair shop in the Isla Grande Airport.

In 1955, when the airport relocated to what is now the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport, Santana organized International Air Services. This company offered aircraft maintenance and ground support services.

In 1963, Santana sold his International Air Services shares and bought Interstate Air Services, which constituted the most dramatic expansion in the aviation industry in the Caribbean Islands. The company, named Airport Aviation Services in 1972, not only operated in Puerto Rico but expanded to other islands in the Caribbean.

Later on, these operations were sold to allow Santana and his work team dedicate fully to Puerto Rico’s Aviation services and specialized personnel needs we the creation of AAS (Airport Aviation Services)

Since the 80s Santana’s wisdom became an unprecedented revolution of the tourism industry in every sector. In 1984 opened Travelodge Hotel, today the well known Howard Johnson, Isla Verde Hotel; in 1985 started Airport Catering Services, the most awarded in-flight meal operation in the Caribbean serving American Airlines; in 1986  transformed to international standards the food and beverage consecions at the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport by creating Airport Shoppes, also inaugurated Cargo Service Corporation in 1987, the largest and most modern air cargo facility in Puerto Rico

The 90’s was a successful stepping stone of Empresas Santana diversification out of the airport related businesses.

In 1991, Santana acquired the second largest in-flight meal operation in the Caribbean, transforming it into Sky Caterers. Sky serves every commercial flight landing in Puerto Rico, except American Airlines, which is served by its sister company, Airport Caterers. Sky has been the new products development platform of the Santana organization, successfully launching new products to the institutional, commercial and retail food sector.  Also a successful line of product and the best array of sandwiches for wholesale and retail distribution “Quick Snack” is prepared by our subsidiary Sky Caterers.

In the same year, the Santana Organization saw fulfilled the founder’s last dream. The Tropimar Beach Club & Convention Center, which changed the market by offering state of the art meeting and banquet facilities at reasonable prices at the strategic moments when the only convention center in the San Juan Metropolitan Area closed.

In a joint initiative with Correctional Foodservice Management, a Wackenhut Corporation division, Santana created in 1996 Correctional Foodservice Management of Puerto Rico. Santana’s expertise in high volume Latin style food service made the difference in satisfaction in the correctional system. The Wackenhut administered prison in Bayamon became the only one without complaints from the inmates and set the standards for the whole system.

So far, teamwork has proven for 40 years the Santana difference.

In the year 2000, Santana’s management team maximized their possibilities and focus in exceeding the clientele needs and the family shareholders expectations.
Starwood Hotels International trusted their “Four Points by Sheraton” brand to the Santana family in order to allow them to become the pioneers with their prestigious product in the Caribbean.

In 2004 Santana opened the Four Points by Sheraton at Palmas Del Mar, Hotel & Casino. Palmas Del Mar has become the latest 107 room’s resort style showcase of the prestigious multi branded Starwood Hotel’s chain.

In 2005, just 6 month after a record breaking achievement, Santana inaugurated the Four Points by Sheraton at Caguas Real with 120 rooms, entertainment and banquet facilities becoming the landmark of more than 16 municipalities which lacked hotel and country club facilities. With Caguas Real and Palmas Del Mar Santana provided hotel, dinning, meeting room and banquet facilities to two of the best championship golf courses in the island within the properties.

Currently, the Santana organization is looking for new and better opportunities to expand their horizons into the tourism, food & beverage, real estate, cargo and aviation support service industries both in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.

Our vision is to maintain our company’s growth at the same rate as Puerto Rico’s potential. Our desire as a good corporate citizen is to keep us informed of the country’s social ills in order to contribute, within our means, to the improvement of this society and of those who form part of it, as well as continuing our growth working in project whish are looking forward the local government goals and our objectives.