Flights to Curacao from Canada?

[Fab]

Planning to stay at Sunset Waters Curacao (July 14 - 28)

Has anyone had any experience booking flights from Canada to Curacao?
I called Skyservice,..and they don't fly to Curacao in the summer months.
I've found flights through American Airlines (stops in Miami) Price is aprox. $1000 plus.
Hoping to figure out a better deal, somehow...Pipe dream?? Maybe?

We're willing to fly out of Buffalo if we have to,...not too far away from us. But, I don't think it's that much cheaper.

We've been spoiled with All-inclusive packages...flights included! Now the flight costs just as much as our trip!

 

[Cecil]

Not sure what to tell you other than maybe find a cheap way to Miami then the AA flight from there. Jet Blue lists around $230 to Fort Lauderdale. The AA flights from there are about $523, so some savings but will cost you a night both ways in south Florida.

 

[chachita]

Planning to stay at Sunset Waters Curacao (July 14 - 28)

Has anyone had any experience booking flights from Canada to Curacao?
I called Skyservice,..and they don't fly to Curacao in the summer months.
I've found flights through American Airlines (stops in Miami) Price is aprox. $1000 plus.
Hoping to figure out a better deal, somehow...Pipe dream?? Maybe?

We're willing to fly out of Buffalo if we have to,...not too far away from us. But, I don't think it's that much cheaper.

We've been spoiled with All-inclusive packages...flights included! Now the flight costs just as much as our trip!

Unfortunately there aren't many options... In the winter you can get a flight-only ticket Toronto-Curacao direct on Skyservice which is great because you're in Curacao by 1 pm. the rest of the year you have to go through Miami/Ft Lauderdale or New York.

Through Miami you can do the trip in one day, but you eat up the whole day arriving in Curacao in th early evening. Through NY you have to spend the night in New York. Going through Ft. Lauderdale saves a bit of money but then you have to haul your luggage and drive down to Miami International which is a pain...

 

[diversteve]

Going through Ft. Lauderdale saves a bit of money but then you have to haul your luggage and drive down to Miami International which is a pain...

Some years ago we did this and there were shuttles that ran between the two airports. Mostly because one of the cruise lines left out of Miami but returned to Lauderdale. Not sure if they still do this, but it was pretty reasonable.

Another little tip about Lauderdale we found out last summer, you can't check your bags there more than 2hrs. before your flight. It's a pretty small place...

If you have to rent a car they're all in a new building just across the street from the terminal. I think there's a bus also but we just walked.

If you've got time to kill either way, there's a great Divers Direct store on the I-95 just south of the FLL airport. You'll see it off to the right next to the Cabela's Superstore. (can't miss it)

 

[stu_in_fl]

try Kayak.com and see what pops out (it checks the main internet travel sites) - looks like the cheapest is around $800 (simetimes a cheaptickets.com one comes in under that) but the more you pay the better the flights

 

[Fab]

Thanks for the tips!

So, this is the cheapest deal, and best travel time I found:

$ 1, 090 CAD (tax included) each

Leave Toronto 6:30am - Arrive Miami 9:30am
Leave Miami 10:30am - Arrive Curacao 1:30pm

So, 7 hours,..not too bad? By the time we get our luggage, and drive to the resort, it will be just in time for check in,..or close to it. I saw some times that were like 15 hours plus! Insane!

It sucks that we can't get there with Skyservice.....non stop flight,..and cheaper I bet. Ah well.

 

[chachita]

Thanks for the tips!

So, this is the cheapest deal, and best travel time I found:

$ 1, 090 CAD (tax included) each

Leave Toronto 6:30am - Arrive Miami 9:30am
Leave Miami 10:30am - Arrive Curacao 1:30pm

So, 7 hours,..not too bad? By the time we get our luggage, and drive to the resort, it will be just in time for check in,..or close to it. I saw some times that were like 15 hours plus! Insane!

It sucks that we can't get there with Skyservice.....non stop flight,..and cheaper I bet. Ah well.

You have only 1 hour in Miami for the connecting flight to Curacao. Miami airport is a zoo and if you're delayed leaving Canada you could easily miss your flight. As well, if you have to go to a different gate from the one you arrived at you'll have to line-up and pass security again before entering the new gate.

There are later flights to Curacao. I've always taken those to avoid missing the connection. Check and see if the ticket you have enables to hop on a later flight in case you miss the 10:30.

 

[Fab]

Ahh rats! I didn't even THINK of that. We haven't purchased tickets & we haven't booked at the hotel yet, so, we'll have to think about that. But,..geeze...I don't know. It's going to be a long trip there.

Thanks very much for that tip!

 

[crb792]

Not sure I would be to concerned about the hour layover. Miami airport has just finished building a new wing where American is housed. As you will not need to go through customs, it will just mean changing planes. All American's gates are in this wing and you should have time as long as the flight from Toronto arrives on schedule! It is an early flight and the airline should still be operating ok. Besides, American has two flights to Curacao. Hopefully, if things do go wrong you can fall back on the second flight.

Let's face it, airline travel is a crapshoot! I guess you need to ask yourself, "Do I feel lucky?" Curacao is worth it.

 

[bigz]

Fab,
Going through MIA - bring good walking shoes. flying in from TO isn't too bad, but the return trip home is a bear. You have to clear US Customs, get your bags and re-check them, do more walking, endure huge crowds of people, etc. For non-US citizens it is much worse than for Americans. We just did this about 3 weeks ago on a trip to Cayman Brac and last year to Curacao (Sunset Waters - excellent choice!). If you are prepared for all of the challenges, it isn't the worst thing in the world. It is an almost all day trip to Curacao if you give yourself enough time for transfers (highly recommended). The trip to the Brac took an overall time of 13 hours! Tough - BUT well worth the effort!
Enjoy,
Neil