TRAVEL INFORMATION – ST BARTS ISLAND
Find out all the Travel Information you need to know about St Barts island here.
Getting to Saint Barthélemy Newcomers as well as seasoned visitors will always remember their first arrival in St Barts island, as every arrival on the island has an air of adventure about it. From days of yore when sailors arrived on merchant ships or large schooners, when maritime ferries and private mega yachts dock in Gustavia, or by way of the spectacular landing over the Col de la Tourmente onto the once grass-covered runway, the memories of that first sighting of the island unforgettable.
GETTING TO ST BARTS ISLAND – TRAVEL INFORMATION
Being a tiny island, St Barts Island cannot afford space for airplanes with more than 20-seats. So, the popular way to get there is to fly by big jets to St. Maarten’s Princess Juliana International Airport. After that, travelers can either take a one-hour ferry service or a 10-minute connecting flight from St. Maarten to St. Barts. Le Raizet Airport in Pointe-à-Pitre Guadeloupe and Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan Puerto Rico also offer flights to Saint-Barthélemy.
ARRIVING BY PLANE
Connection via St Maarten
The main way to travel to St Barts island from the United States and Europe is by a connecting flight through nearby St. Maarten via Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM). The 12-minute connecting flight arrives into St. Barth’s Remy de Haenen Airport (SBH), which is located a short 10-minute drive away from the hotel.
United Airlines, Air France, KLM, Air Caraibes, Corsair and Copa Airlines have affiliations with Winair and St Barth Commuter (the local airlines offering the connection between St. Maarten and St. Barth), allowing baggage to be checked through to St. Barth. Upon arrival into St. Maarten, you can proceed directly to the Transfer Information Desk prior to Immigration where local airline representatives will advise you on how to proceed.
For those traveling into St. Maarten on a non-affiliated carrier such as American Airlines, US Airways, Jet Blue, Air Canada or West Jet. A transfer agent will greet you on arrival at the Transfer Information Desk, accompany you through Immigration, collect your baggage for transfer to the inter-island carrier and escort you to the departure lounge.
Winair and St Barth Commuter offer scheduled inter-island flights into St. Barth. The flight duration is approximately 15 minutes. The airport in St. Barth operates from 7 a.m. to sunset.
Connecting via San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan International Airport (SJU) offers daily non-stop service to/from New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, Miami, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Houston, Dallas, Toronto, Baltimore, Hartford, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Washington DC (Reagan and Dulles), Caracas and Panama City.
Carriers include Copa Airlines, Avianca and a number of U.S.-based airlines.
Tradewind Aviation offers scheduled service and private charters from San Juan into St. Barth in modern, turbo-powered Pilatus PC-12 and Cessna Grand Caravan aircrafts. The dual-piloted planes offer air-conditioning and complimentary snack and beverage service. This connection allows for seamless transfer without double processing through customs.
Connecting via Antigua
British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and a number of U.S.-based airlines offer regularly scheduled flights into Antigua’s V. C. Bird International Airport (ANU).
Tradewind Aviation and St Barth Commuter offer scheduled service and private charters from Antigua. Tradewind Aviation’s scheduled flights run from Oct. 15-Apr 10. St Barth Commuter’s scheduled flights operate from Dec. 1-Apr. 30.
Connecting via St Thomas
Tradewind Aviation offers scheduled service and private charters from St. Thomas.
AIRLINES TO ST BARTH
Air Antilles, St Barth Commuter, Tradewind Aviation, Winair, Windward Express
CUSTOMS / IMMIGRATION
Citizens of the European Union must have valid passports. Citizens of the United States and Canada must have a valid passport as well as a return ticket or proof of continuation of travel. The passport must be valid for more than three months from the date of entry to Saint Barth. No other visa or paperwork is necessary for a stay of less than or equal to 90 days. Citizens of other countries, except Brazil, must have a valid passport and a tourist visa provided by the French Embassy or Consulateclosest to their home.
ARRIVING BY BOAT
This is the most traditional way to reach St Barts Island. Upon your arrival in Saint-Martin (French side), Sint-Maarten (Dutch side) or Anguilla, multiple boat chartering services are available along with scheduled ferries.
Via Great Bay Express: from Philipsburg (Bobby’s Marina 1h) to Gustavia, St. Barth. Shuttle service available from Juliana Airport.
Via private boat: 45 minutes in duration; few luxury boats are available.
Marterski pilou and Jicky Marine.
GETTING AROUND ST BARTS ISLAND
With the mountainous terrain of the island, it is important to have the proper means of transportation. Available to rent by the hour, day, or week: taxis, scooters, quads, 4-wheel drive vehicles, electric cars, and luxury SUVs and convertibles.
Travel Information provided by St Barth Tourisme Office.
Please visit SaintBarth-Tourisme.com for more information.
