How To Get To St. Barth – Commuter Plane Or Ferry?

Ferry or a St. Barth commuter plane, these are the only means of reaching the sun-kissed paradise island of St. Barth. Here’s what you need to know before you choose your mode of transportation and plan your trip.

Photography property of SVADORE

After a 4h30min trip from JFK to SXM (St. Maarten), you are just 22 miles away from the idyllic sun-kissed island of St. Barth. Spelled St. Bart, St. Barts, St. Barths, St. Barth, St. Bart’s and St. Barth’s, let’s just get this straight right off the bat and avoid any confusion. The real French spelling is St. Barth, all others are lingo terms which preferably should not be used. Having been to the island twice, I can give you a complete run down of the pros and cons of getting to the island via high-speed ferry or a St. Barth commuter plane.

Myth Buster: The commuter plane is not that bad

What to expect: The first time around I took the ferry to St. Barth after reading scary stories of people’s 15 minute flight to the island. This year, I chose to take the commuter plane 1) to save time and 2) because it was the best option given the ferry schedule. Post-hurricane you land in SXM airport (St. Maarten) and are led to the “boarding area,” which is essentially a tent with 5 or 6 food stands and fans. When it comes to your commuter flight, the wait time is extremely flexible.

The commuter planes only have space for up to 9 people, 1 person sits in the front the other 8 sit in the back. So if everyone from your flight is already checked-in your 2:45PM flight can leave at 2PM, which is awesome. Your options to fly to the island are either St. Barth Commuter or Winair, we went with the St. Barth Commuter. Main points of difference: Winair has MORE flights throughout the day, but due to their convenience the prices are pretty high. St. Barth Commuter only flies out 3 to 4 times a day, but the price is much cheaper. St. Barth Commuter also offers a more intimate experience with only 9 seats available. Winair on the other hand offers roughly 20, so the experience isn’t as unique. Lastly, a multi-millionaire who lives on the island owns St. Barth Commuter, while Winair is governmentally owned.

Before they walk you to the 8-seater commuter plane, remember to ask the boarding agent or pilot if you can call dibs on the co-pilot front seat. The view and experience from there is incredible and if you don’t hop on it fast enough, someone else will. We were lucky enough to get the front seat; I offered it to my mom as a first-timer to St. Barth. The pilot gave his new “co-pilot”—my mom—a few instructions and we were off! Seats on the right offer a view of Gustavia and the Southern shores of St. Barth, while seats on the left offer a view of Colombier on St. Barth and St. Maarten as you depart. Both are gorgeous and it feels like you’re getting a helicopter view of the 9.7 square mile island, so it’s up to you which you prefer!

What terrifies people about this short 15-minute trip is not so much the journey there, but the landing. The commuter planes are known for their jaw-dropping landing. The commuter plane floats above Gustavia’s airport roundabout just enough that it skims the below cars and tucks itself nicely behind the hill landing quickly in front of St. Jean beach. This time around, the North winds were in our favor, so we tucked behind a mountain and landed from the water on St. Jean Beach.You truly feel like an old school VIP (hence my old school filter in the second video). See below for videos on how the plane lands in both directions.

Given the size of the island, you can imagine that the St. Barth “airport” isn’t exactly big. It’s super tiny, maybe the size of an American supermarket. The difference between the St. Maarten and St. Barth (SBH) airport post-hurricane is huge. Whether you are landing or departing, there is no need to get to the airport 1 hour and a half before departure time. 45 minutes is more than enough. The island is so secure that security checks are not a thing. The only process that gets done on the island is the customs and boarding pass check. On the top floor is an open aired air-conditioned lounge area with a coffee bar, small boutique store and St. Barth souvenir shop. Below you’ll find all the islands latest magazines (which are also scattered throughout the island) and the car rental shop. Quick, speedy, and unique, in my opinion commuter planes are the best way to get to the island!

Myth Buster: The high-speed ferry is actually SCARIER than the commuter plane

What to expect: People will tell you that if you are scared of the commuter plane, then the high-speed ferry is the way to go. It will take longer, but doesn’t require flying. Once you land in St. Maarten, you take a $20 taxi or ferry van through the Dutch side of the island into the French side where you are dropped off at a dock. Most high-speed ferry companies offer a transportation service from the airport to the dock so you can book through them. It will take you about 20-30 minutes depending on traffic.

Once there, we boarded the Dreamliner ferry from Great Bay Express. There are seats inside, outside and on the roof. I recommend staying outside downstairs to avoid the scorching sun and nausea from staying indoors. On a calm day the ride there is fine, but on a windy day…be prepared to get washed and to experience some very rough waves and bumps along the way. The crew made us feel completely calm, but Pat and I couldn’t help but panic and hold on for dear life praying that we wouldn’t get sea sick or that the ferry wouldn’t tip over. After 45 minutes, the high-speed ferry pulled into the main town of Gustavia. Finally on land, you can catch a taxi, meet your villa manager, or hotel concierge who will drive you to your property or to the airport (2 min away) to pick up your rental car. The prices are roughly the same if not a bit cheaper as the commuter plane once you include the taxi transfers. The one benefit of traveling by high-speed ferry is that on days when it’s too windy, such as was the case when I traveled, the commuter plane cannot make it to the island, but the ferry…can! It will be a bumpy and nauseating ride, but you’ll get there.

Ultimately, I recommend that you go with the iconic commuter plane experience that offers splendid views, a quick trip, and a taste of the high life among the stars (literally!).

Get insider travel tips and lifestyle content on the world’s most exceptional destinations, experiences and products directly to your inbox. Don’t miss out–sign up for travel blog SVADORE on the right hand side to stay up-to-date on where to go, what to do, what to see, where to stay, and where to eat around the globe.

Follow Svadore on Instagram: @SVADORE

Follow Svadore on Twitter: @SvadoreTravels

Follow Svadore on Pinterest: SVADORE

Follow Svadore on Facebook: SVADORE