Delta Airlines From Newark to BONAIRE Too!

[dvrliz1]

I was doing some searching around and found out that you can connect with the Delta flight direct to Bonaire from Atlanta, beginning in Newark. Remember, service starts 7 Feb 2008, but you can book now.

I thought I would let those who don't like the "red eye" flight on Continental, that Delta has a truly viable solution from Newark!

You can leave Newark at 6am and be in Bonaire by 3:20 in the afternoon. The layover in Atlanta is only 1 hr 44 minutes to Bonaire and 1 hr 55 minutes back to Newark.

You don't have to worry about handling baggage, they check is straight through from Newark to Bonaire, you basically get off one plane and get onto another in Atlanta, and you are in Bonaire just after 3pm!

Prices are similar to Continental, and sometimes a couple dollars less or more.

Hope it helps.

Liz

 

[RJP]

I'd worry about what could potentially end up being a "too short" connection in Atlanta, and the potential that you and/or your gear don't make it to Bonaire the same day you depart.

Besides, arriving at 3:20pm means you've missed that day of diving. (Unless you already have a valid park tag.)

Gimme a direct flight any day - or NIGHT as the case may be!

 

[phelana]

Liz, I too was checking to see how this could work for East Coast Divers. The Boston flight leaves 6 AM meaning a 4 AM check in and then a 2 AM ride for many from Maine, VT and NH to Logan in Boston. Phooey...it's an alternative but not great. I would LOVE to see a flight added from Toronto as I am getting more and more inquiries from Canada.

Ann Phelan
Caribbean Wind & Sun Vacations--Your Caribbean Travel Specialist

 

[tedtim]

If the time of the flight is the main consideration then I guess a connection or two is required. We looked at the redeye from Newark, but the connections from Ottawa/Toronto are not terrific because of the lengthy stopover in Newark. This will add a day to our travel.

Instead, we booked Continental from Ottawa - Newark - Curacao, then DAE Curacao - Bonaire on a Saturday. Departure from Ottawa is 6:00 AM with arrival in Bonaire at 4:45. Stopover in Newark is a bit tight at one hour ten minutes. Even if they somehow do not get our bags onto the flight we would hope that they would arrive on the redeye. This is a risk we are willing to take rather than travel on the redeye and arrive exhausted.

The return is Continental Bonaire - Newark - Ottawa on Sunday with the early morning flight. Arrival in Ottawa is 4:47 PM

We don't have many other options except to travel through Toronto or Montreal.

A good friend of mine who flies for a charter airline explained that they don't get overnight in a resort destination. Their departures are all early morning so that they can return the aircraft in the afternoon. He regularly flies Toronto - Caribbean or Montreal Caribbean. It is a zoo out of Toronto on 6-9 AM vacation flights in the winter months.

 

[dvrliz1]

Ted,

We have done this for our guests as well. Also, when arriving in Curacao and hopping over, you actually get a extra time on Bonaire when you leave on Sunday. The cost was no different, arriving and leaving different destinations.

Annie, I agree it can be difficult from other places than Newark, i.e. Boston. What about Spirit Air from Boston Area direct to San Juan the AE to Bonaire? Ed and I have done 3 times to and from Bonaire, from Atlantic City. The layover times in SJ are varied depending on the flight you want, but with SA, it was about 2 hours (I think it is the same with BOS) and the return was longer, but we went to the Tourism Board at airport, got a safe taxi, had lunch in Old San Juan and a little shopping, not bad for SJU. Also, it was really easy changing luggage is SJU. We got a porter who took our stuff, went up the back way (stayed inside the terminal instead of going out and around) and Spirit was excellent, checking our bags immediately both ways. Prices are cheap too. I've seen them for as little as $99.00 from Boston to SanJuan.

Liz

 

[CUunderH2O]

TedTim: I recently took the red-eye out of Newark (drove from Ontario to Newark), and while I liked the fact that I got 6 full days of diving, I ended up not sleeping much and arriving really cranky. The way back was similar, having to get up at 4AM and then drive home after the flight. Last spring we took Skyservice out of Toronto to Curacao then DAE to Bonaire, arriving around 4:30. At least we were well-rested, but we only got 5 days of diving for a one week trip and the flight cost was at least 500 more. The red-eye was much cheaper and direct, which is nice, but not sure I'd be willing to do it again.

If only WestJet would start direct flights to Bonaire, like they used to do for Roatan!

 

[tedtim]

<snipped>Last spring we took Skyservice out of Toronto to Curacao then DAE to Bonaire, arriving around 4:30. At least we were well-rested, but we only got 5 days of diving for a one week trip and the flight cost was at least 500 more. The red-eye was much cheaper and direct, which is nice, but not sure I'd be willing to do it again.

If only WestJet would start direct flights to Bonaire, like they used to do for Roatan!

Our first trip to Bonaire we took the route through Aruba with Air Canada. They lost our luggage between Ottawa and Toronto. Lots of fun dealing with their call centre in India where they though Bonaire was in the Netherlands, not the Netherlands Antilles.

We too miss the WestJet flight to Roatan. It was too simple to book that one.

My wife is not willing to go to Bonaire for just one week. Thus, we booked two. This time she wanted a place to stay on the water.