New scheduled flights from several Caribbean carriers means that the tiny island retreat of Anguilla is now more accessible than ever to travellers from across the world.
UK travellers are most likely to access the stunning white sand beaches and sun-kissed shores of Anguilla via Antigua or St Maarten, the latter of which requires a final journey by boat to Anguilla.
Flying with British Airways or Virgin Atlantic from London to Antigua, visitors then transfer onwards to Anguilla via a 50-minute inter-island flight with one of a number of regional carriers.
This winter sun season, Anguilla Air Services announced three scheduled flights per week between Antigua and Anguilla from 3 November 2023. Flights on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays will run until April 2024, dovetailing with arrivals from the UK via British Airways.
With international flights scheduled to arrive in Antigua at 14.30 and AAS’s transfer departing at 16.30, total journey time from London Gatwick to Anguilla comes in under 12 hours.
Similarly for the return journey, same day transfers with Anguilla Air Services will see travellers arrive in Antigua early afternoon, in good time for the 19.40 departure of their flight back to London Gatwick.
AAS flights are integrated in the Global Distribution System (GDS) in partnership with Hahn Air Systems so agents should note that it may therefore appear as Hahn Air Services (H1), operated by Anguilla Air Services (AAS).
The company also offers charter flights on a range of aircraft including a Britten Norman Islander (9 pax), a Britten Norman Tri-Islander (18 pax), a Beechcraft King Air B200 (corporate seating, 13 pax) and a Cessna 414 (corporate seating, 6 pax).
In more good news for travellers, in October 2023, regional airline Tradewind announced a new codeshare with British Airways enabling interline booking. Flights between Antigua and Anguilla will operate from mid-January 2024 to early April, on Saturdays and Sundays. The Saturday flight departs Antigua three hours after the BA flight’s arrival, landing passengers in Anguilla by 18.30.
The carrier will also run a scheduled service from St Barths to Anguilla three times per week between 18 January and 8 April 2024.
An alternative route for travellers from the UK and Europe is with KLM/Air France via Amsterdam or Paris to St Maarten (SXM). Most travellers then opt for the 30-minute private boat charter to cross the sea to Anguilla, but it is also possible to fly with Anguilla Air Services – on the shortest commercial flight in the world no less, at just ten minutes long!
Passengers through Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) will benefit from recent upgrades including a fully renovated Departure Hall and Check-In opening late 2023, as well as a new Arrivals Hall due to open in spring 2024, improving transition times and offering an enhanced traveller experience.
American Airlines also operates a service from Miami International Airport (MIA) into Anguilla, with connections from/to the UK available. Daily direct flights from Miami International to Anguilla, which started on 5 November 2023 (two flights on Saturdays), increasing to twice daily from 20 December 2023 to mid-April 2024.
