Blessed with white-sand beaches and picturesque sheltered coves, the island of St Barth (also called St Barts or Saint Barth) is a perfect destination for relaxing vacations in the Caribbean. Whether you wish to enjoy world-class dining, snorkel in the protected bay at Colombier, or explore quaint coastal villages, St Barts offers something for every traveler.
This lovely French-speaking Caribbean island attracts millions of visitors from the United States, given the short travel time. If you are planning to visit St. Barts from NYC, there are a few travel options. To find out more, here are some of the best options for traveling from New York to St Barts.
How to reach St Barts from New York
Although there are no direct flights between New York City and the island of St Barts, getting to the island from NYC is relatively easy since Saint Barthelemy’s Remy de Haenen Airport (SBH; also known as Saint Barthelemy Airport or St.
Jean Airport) is well-connected via the nearby islands of Sint Maarten (SXM, located on the Dutch side) and Puerto Rico’s San Juan Airport (SJU).
These commercial flights are relatively short and there are no long layovers, making it easy and fast to reach this tropical island in the Caribbean from New York City.
Flight from New York to St Barts via St. Maarten/Sint Maarten Airport (SXM)
The most common route to fly to St Barts from NYC is with a connecting flight at Sint Maarten Airport (SXM). The route is both easily accessible and flight prices are affordable, so it comes as no surprise that it is one of the most popular options for traveling from NYC to St Barts.
The route also offers flexibility in terms of flight timings from NYC and your onward travel to St Barts, which means that you should expect short and regular flights and short layovers.
The good news is that both airports in New York have direct flights to Sint Maarten’ Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM). You can catch a flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) or Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Sint Maarten’ Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM).
The total flying time from both of these airports in NY to Sint Maarten is around 4 hours.
Which american commercial airlines offer flights from NY to Sint Maarten’ Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM)?
Jet Blue has flights to Sint Maarten from both John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). United Airlines operates only from Newark Liberty International Airport to Sint Maarten.
JetBlue - EWR to SXM
JetBlue - JFK to SXM
United Airlines – EWR
Once you land in St Maarten, there are a few options for continuing your short trip to St. Barts. You can either take a flight or hop on a boat that offers connections to the island of St Barts throughout the day.
Flights from St Maarten to St Barts
If you opt for a flight, you will be happy to hear that the flight time is just 15 minutes. WinAir and St Barth Commuter operate daily flights.
However, keep in mind that evening landing is prohibited in St. Barts. Although not that common, there is a connection via Grand Case.
Boats Transfer from St Maarten to St Barts
Travelers who wish to continue their journey from St Maarten to St. Barts by a boat connection are spoilt for choice. Hop on a Voyager that transfers passengers from Marigot.
There is also the option of catching the Great Bay Express, that departs from Philipsburg, Bobby's marina. The trip to St Barts takes about 45 minutes.
Voyager boats depart only from Marigot. Since Marigot is the located on the north side of the Saint-Martin, the travel time to Gustavia St Barthélemy is around 1h 15 minutes. Voyager vessels no longer depart from the Oyster Pond harbour which use to take 45 minutes.
How much money do these boat transfers cost? Expect to pay around 50 euro for a one-way boat ticket.
As from Great Bay Express vessels, they operate from Philipsburg (Bobby's Marina) to St. Barts. Expect to pay 56€ to 95€ for a one-way ticket.
There is also a third option for getting to St Barts from St Maarten. Hop on a private taxi boat from Juliana or Grand Case to reach St Barts.
New York to Saint Barts via Puerto Rico’s Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport or San Juan Airport (SJU)(Puerto Rico)
You can also reach Saint Barthélemy from New York via a connecting flight in Puerto Rico. Both John F. Kennedy (JFK) and Newark International Airport (EWR) offer direct flights to Puerto Rico’s San Juan Airport (SJU).
It will take you approximately 3.5 to 4 hours to reach SJU from John F. Kennedy (JFK) and Newark International Airport (EWR). The good news is that there are many direct flights from both airports throughout the day.
Which commercial airlines operate from NY to Puerto Rico’s San Juan Airport (SJU)? Spirit, United, Delta, and JetBlue are the operational airlines for this route.
This route is recommended for travelers who are searching for a high-end luxury option for their onward journey. The thing is that Tradewind Aviation operates its luxury jet Pilatus, which is the epitome of luxurious and impeccable service (large area for extra luggage,etc.)
You most likely will be spending more money, but the changeover from SJU is excellent, given it falls within United States territory.
Your onward journey to Saint Barthelemy’s Remy de Haenen Airport will be in an ultra-luxury Tradewind jet. This luxurious airline also offers private charter flights for groups. If you opt for this flight option from Puerto Rico, the entire trip promises to be a pleasant experience.
Just before we go, you might have heard some buzz about the unique approach to landing in St. Barth. Indeed, the runway is shorter than usual, but we believe it's something best experienced visually. So, we've prepared a little video for you to witness this one-of-a-kind landing from the comfort of your screen. Take a look and see what you think!
