St Lucia flights

[matureAZdiver]

Flying to St Lucia (UVF) from Phoenix, AZ in Sept., 2006 and am having a problem finding "affordable" flights under $1000 and less than 23-24 hrs travel time!! Anyone know of some options? The flight schedules are attrocious: with routings through Chicago and even DC!! HELP!!

 

[diversteve]

Try Delta through Atlanta. 12 hours out, 10 hours back. It's about $820 on Travelocity. It's a red-eye outbound though, you can't get there from here same day.

 

[Perrier]

You might try playing w/the days of departure & return. I found that by changing the day of departure just by one day helped tremendously w/not only the price but also the itinerary as well. But it wasn't w/o a headache first, though! Good luck!

 

[rje634]

Try going thru Puerto Rico, that is how we flew a couple of years ago and the flight was around $450 each from Newark NJ..

 

[caymaniac]

You might be able to use Spirit Air for a portion of the trip to keep the cost down. They don't fly to St. Lucia so you would need to change airways for a portion of the trip which is usaully inconvienient. Otherwise expedia or like type travel bargains will be your other option.
good luck.

 

[matureAZdiver]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I've discovered that flying from PHX to the eastern carribbean islands is nearly impossible, and a couple of travel agents here with whom I tried to work something out, threw up their hands as well. I may have to stay overnight in Miami or Atlanta each way. Delta is a possibility but they charge close to $1200!!! (When I flew from L.A. to Cairns, Australia (to dive the Barrier Reef) it only cost me $900!!) Its cheaper for me to pay the layover hotel costs each way than flying Delta. So I'll probably do that. Thanks again for all the help. Bill

 

[Scubagal]

I feel your pain. We ended up spending the night in Miami, then taking an early flight out, connecting in San Juan. The great part was we arrived in St. Lucia before noon. It's a hassle getting there, but it's worth it. The island is beautiful, and we were pleasantly surprised with the diving. Lots of healthy coral.

Where are you staying/who are you diving with? Have a great trip!

 

[rje634]

As I (and Scubagal) said, try some flights going through San Juan also there are 2 airports on Saint Lucia UVF and SLU. SLU is for smaller aircraft and is located near Castries. When I flew there we landed at SLU and stayed at the Wind Jammer. If you hotel is on the northwest side you may do well to consider SLU to aviod a long ride to and from the airport.

 

[matureAZdiver]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions... I've made my reservations through Charlotte NC on a red eye flight out of PHX and will stay overnight in Charlotte on the way back... Don't know why I moved here... seems so difficult to get to the Caribbean from here!!! And its 104 degrees as I speak!!! I long for the cool waters of lake superior and diving wrecks (at 40 degrees!!)

 

[diversteve]

Don't know why I moved here... seems so difficult to get to the Caribbean from here!!! And its 104 degrees as I speak!!! I long for the cool waters of lake superior and diving wrecks (at 40 degrees!!)

You moved here so that in the dead of winter, when your buddies are freezing their *****es off, you can call them from the golf course while working on your tan. At least that's what keeps me going June-Sept.

Actually, except for St. Lucia and places further east like Tobago etc. most Caribbbean destinations are accessible in one day. We've recently gone to Cayman, Bonaire and the BVI's that way. Try American through Dallas, Continental through Houston or sometimes on the America West/Southwest morning flight to Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, you can get to some locations by as early as 4pm depending on your final connection.