"I always target the 2.5 to 3 hours at SXM. Especially now that renovations are complete and hanging out is relatively comfortable."
Exactly.
Frankly, when I was departing there were still not enough chairs to sit.
It may be nicer than before but considering the timeframe, the delays, the still lack of seating, continued equipment malfunctions and likely corruption associated with the rebuild, I think it has been an abject failure overall.
To answer the time question, when I departed in March 2024, I needed 2+ hours. When I departed in August 2024, an hour would have been sufficient. Neither departure day was a weekend.
