Flights to Bonaire

[jjach]

I am getting ready to book a weeks stay in Bonaire for the middle of April. We usually fly on United on most of our trips. So I start looking at flight times for a Saturday to Saturday trip. It looks like the only flights coming from Chicago don't get into Bonaire until 6:50PM.They have gone from the red eye flight, to a morning flight, now arriving in the evening. Looks like the only way I can get there early is to spend the night in Newark then catch a 9:00am flight to Bonaire. Does anyone know why United keeps changing their flights. Besides, they can if they want to. I really don't want to do the puddle jumper from Aruba. Any suggestions
Thanks
Jeff

 

[KathyV]

I got the information below in a newsletter from Den Laman last fall (or late summer?). I don't know how much of it will be pertinent to your situation, but maybe you will find something that will help you out. We also fly out of Chicago so I would be interested to learn if you find any good options, good luck!

Airline Updates: Delta Air Lines and United Airlines will be adding additional non-stop flights to Bonaire
Non-Stop Options From North America:

Year-round, Delta Airlines offers one non-stop flight from/to Atlanta, Georgia. Delta will add two more non-stop flights to Bonaire from Atlanta beginning December 19, 2015. The southbound Delta flight DL665 will depart Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) at 9:45am and arrive at Bonaire International Airport (BON) at 2:45pm every Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday. The northbound return flight DL482 will depart Bonaire at 3:42pm and arrive at Atlanta at 7:05pm everything Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday. The Tuesday flight will be removed for the winter lull (January 5 - February 9, 2016); then back to 3 times a week on February 13, 2016. The three weekly non-stop flights are slated to run through March 2016.

For United Airlines, their Newark non-stop flight to Bonaire will return early from hiatus on Saturday, September 26, 2015. During the holiday season, United will be adding extra flights to their Houston and Newark schedules. From November 20 - December 1, 2015, the southbound United flight UA1402 will depart George Bush International Airport (IAH) every Friday and Saturday at 1:00pm and arrive at Bonaire at 7:45pm. The northbound return flight UA1401 will depart Bonaire every Saturday and Sunday at 7:30am and arrive at Houston at 10:25am. From December 11, 2015 - January 4, 2016, the southbound United flight UA 1422 will depart EWR every Saturday and Sunday at 9:00am and arrive at Bonaire at 2:37pm. The northbound United flight UA 1420 will depart Bonaire every Saturday and Sunday at 3:32pm and arrive at Newark at 7:27pm.

North American Carriers Connecting in Curacao:
Jet Blue offers non-stop jet service from JFK to Curacao on Tuesdays and Saturdays at very competitive prices. American Airlines offers non-stop jet service from Miami to Curacao twice daily, and as of Saturday, December 19, 2015, American Airlines will commence weekly service from Charlotte, North Carolina to utilizing an Airbus 319 aircraft with 128 seats. Frequently scheduled, 20 minute onward flights to Bonaire are available on Divi Divi Air and Insel Air. Be sure you schedule at minimum 2 hours between any connecting flight to allow time to pass through immigration, claim baggage and check-in with your connecting carrier.

Insel Air also offers non-stop jet service daily from Miami (MIA) to Curacao, with connecting flights to Bonaire. Insel also offers a non-stop flight to Curacao from Charlotte, North Carolina (CLT) with a connection to Bonaire on Saturday's. No baggage claim is necessary as this is handled by Insel in Curacao for any of their connecting flights.

North American Carriers Connecting in Aruba:

Jet Blue offers non-stop jet service daily from both JFK and Boston (BOS.) American Airlines offers non-stop jet service from Miami to Aruba several times daily. Delta Airlines offers daily non-stop jet service from Atlanta and JFK. United Airlines offers service several times each week from Newark, IAD/Dulles, ORD/Chicago and IAH/Houston. Seasonal carriers from the US include Southwest Airlines with flights from Atlanta, Orlando and Baltimore. WestJet offers non-stop Sunday flights from Toronto (YYZ) to Aruba on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and Air Canada flies from Toronto to Aruba on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Insel Air also offers non-stop jet service daily from Miami (MIA) to Aruba, with connecting flights to Bonaire. No baggage claim is necessary as this is handled by Insel in Aruba for any of their connecting flights.

Frequently scheduled onward flights to Bonaire are available either direct or via Curacao on Divi Divi Air and Insel Air and Tiara Air. Be sure you schedule at minimum 2 hours between any connecting flight to allow time to pass through immigration, claim baggage and check-in with your connecting carrier.

Flights from Europe

KLM offers direct flights on a daily basis from Amsterdam (AMS) to Bonaire. There are also seasonal flights available on Tuesday's and Thursday's on Arkefly. Both airlines also offer flights into Curacao and Aruba, for onward connections on Divi Divi Air and Insel Air and Tiara Air.

Flights from Latin America

There are no direct flights at present to Bonaire from South or Central America, however flights are available to Curacao or Aruba on Avianca , Copa Airlines, Suriname Airlines, and Insel Air.

For the most up to date information please visit www.infobonaire.com or www.tourismbonaire.com

 

[tursiops]

Does anyone know why United keeps changing their flights.

I understand United had to eliminate their redeye because it didn't meet the requirements for crew work/rest hours.

 

[KeithG]

we just returned home to toronto via houston. that connection got us into bonaire even later (8pm ish) on a Saturday night. the flight crew overnighted at the divi and flew out the next morning. we returned the next sunday.

unless you live in newark or houston, it takes a full day to get there from here. you can split the travel time across 2 days or jam it onto 1 and arrive late.

 

[Doctorfish]

No it doesn't take all day from Toronto. There is a 6 AM flight Toronto to Atlanta that gets there at 8.30 allowing time to catch the Atl-Bonaire flight at 9.30. US customs is cleared in Toronto and bags can be checked through to Bonaire. At the hotel by 2 PM and diving same day. Return Bonaire-Atl-Toronto is even easier as there is a late flight Atl-Toronto so that you have plenty of time to clear US customs, immigration and re check bags in Atl.

Done this route 5-6 times and never had a problem with connections either direction.

 

[jjach]

I ended up booking a flight from Chicago to Newark on Friday afternoon. We will fly out of Newark on Saturday morning. Getting to Bonaire at 1:45. Seems like all of the other flights don't get me on the island until about 7:00PM. At least this way, we get into our room early enough to still have time to go get some groceries.

 

[shrkdive]

I've been recently searching flights from Boston for a trip in August. All flights seem to be ~$1200 on either United or Delta. I've never paid more than $800 before for this same trip. Tickets this spring are still going for about $530 R/T.
I'm tempted to try Curacao this time just because of the cost of buying 5 tickets for my family.

 

[tursiops]

I've been recently searching flights from Boston for a trip in August. All flights seem to be ~$1200 on either United or Delta. I've never paid more than $800 before for this same trip. Tickets this spring are still going for about $530 R/T.
I'm tempted to try Curacao this time just because of the cost of buying 5 tickets for my family.

When are you planning to go? I just checked and flights are $642 the last week of Aug, Sat-Sat.

 

[shrkdive]

Our preferred week is actually Aug 13-20, Sat - Sat due to family member schedules. I normally fly United through Newark and that week the flight is currently $1202. Delta through Atlanta is also the same price. I could fly through Houston for $1000 but it is a lot longer flight and we wouldn't arrive until 7pm on Saturday night. surprisingly like you said the costs come considerably down later in August and Sept after kids go back to school.

 

[Jersey]

I found booking a Saturday to the following Sunday saved almost $300 per ticket on Delta during Spring Break.