Fun fact for you. In 2023 The British Virgin Islands had a total of 3 traffic lights. They also had 3 airports. The only flights from mainland USA come from Miami, lately only from June to August.
For us, coming from Utah, the main plan is to fly East and/or South closer to the coast, overnight near an airport (or take a redeye), then continue to EIS or STT in the morning.
Destination Options
- Saint Thomas (STT)
- Tortola Beef Island (EIS) – not a lot of direct flights, part of the year from Miami, some from San Juan Puerto Rico (SJU)
Benefits of St. Thomas (STT) – more flights, cheaper, it’s in the United States
Downsides of St. Thomas – another taxi, then a ferry, customs, then a taxi. Can be tiring after a long trip.
Benefits of Beef Island (Tortola) EIS airport – it’s less than an hour tax from Nanny Cay, there’s buoys at Trellis Bay, so you could walk to the boat if needed.
Downsides of EIS – more expensive, less flight options, and sometimes flights from San Juan are unreliable. We’ve seen a lot of canceled flights, and sometimes your 10 am flight leaves at 5 pm. If you have to move flights, make sure your luggage moves with you, or better yet don’t check any luggage. Don’t mean to scare you, just saying.
Layover Options
San Juan PR (SJU) SJU to STT is less than $100 normally SJU to EIS is around $150-$175
Miami (MIA) MIA to STT is $462 MIA to EIS $660 – $775
Airport Hotels in MIA and SJU are both good overnight options if you want to avoid a red eye
JFK is nice if you want to get in early afternoon, watch a Broadway play, then catch a morning flight direct to STT
The last Miami to EIS (Beef Island) flight leaves at 10:25 am
so if Miami, either overnight or take red eye out of Vegas ($105 to $175 on Spirit [yuck])
Direct to STT options
Chicago ORD
DFW (part of the year)
Houston IAH
Atlanta ATL
Orlando MCO
Fort Lauderdale FLL
Miami MIA
New York JFK
Direct to EIS options
San Juan SJU
Montego Bay MBJ
Santo Domingo SDQ
Miami MIA (June to August)
Airlines and Flight Routing Information
Some of the local airlines between islands and Puerto Rico
Options to get to San Juan (SJU) from mainland USA
Ferries
Normally I fly into Saint Thomas (STT) in the USVI, but the Runny Babbit is docked at Nanny Cay Marina near Road Town, so I have to get a ferry or water taxi over to Road Town on Tortola.
There are four ferries from St Thomas to Road Town
Another option is a water taxi, but those have become increasingly expensive post Covid. Dolphin Water Taxi is one we’ve used a number of times, and they’ve been very good to work with, and will pick you up and drop you off anywhere. They also make customs and immigration a breeze.
Taxi
Once you get to Tortola, if you need a taxi, give Big Mike a call at +1 (284) 496-0959
If for some reason he doesn’t answer, call Al Smith +1 (284) 496-6889
Customs and Immigration
When entering or leaving the BVI you must go through customs. The same when entering the USVI by boat (by plane you’re coming from the US, so no issues). You’ll need a document to prove citizenship, I usually use my passport card (passport book is required by airlines) There’s a fee each direction, usually $10 to $20 per person, each way. It seems like entering the BVI they required the fee to be paid in cash last time.
Currency
The currency of the British Virgin Islands is the US Dollar. A deal was struck years ago to help simplify life in the islands, so people didn’t have to keep exchanging money back and forth. It works.
