So you’ve settled on Anguilla as your Caribbean getaway, that seductive British Overseas Territory at the top of the Leeward Islands. Great choice!
Now — how do you get there?
Our team of Caribbean and Anguilla travel experts will walk you through the entire process below. We’ve compiled the following guide to reaching Anguilla — by plane, boat, or both!
WIMCO Villas’s travel department can assist you in securing and scheduling every step of your transportation to this picture-perfect island. Simply decide which route (literally and figuratively) you want to take. And there is no cost for this service when you book a villa with us.
Table of Contents:
The Best Ways to Get to Anguilla – Commercial Flight, Private Charters, Ferry, and Yacht
Let’s look at each of the options available for traveling to Anguilla's white sand beaches.
Wondering how to get to Anguilla from the U.S. by commercial aircraft? Read on to learn more about your choices! (Note: European travelers can also fly to the island via St. Maarten or Antigua.)
Departing From: Travelers embarking from the U.S. can reach Anguilla by a direct flight via American Airlines itineraries out of Miami (MIA). For travelers from Canada, Europe or South America, look for a flight to St. Maarten (SXM) and hop over to Anguilla by boat or plane.
Most trips to Anguilla will involve one or two connecting flights. Many airlines have flights from the top cities in the US to San Juan Airport (SJU), Puerto Rico. Several regional airlines fly from there into Anguilla directly.
These depart from:
Travel Time: Direct flights between Miami and Anguilla are about three hours long. Total travel time for the one-stop itineraries varies depending on departure cities and layovers in either Puerto Rico or Saint Martin.
Flight time from San Juan’s Luis Muñoz International Airport to Anguilla is about an hour. From Princess Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten, it’s only a seven-minute flight to Anguilla.
Good to Know: Seaborne Airlines and Tradewind Aviation run commercial flights between San Juan and Anguilla. Anguilla Air Services flies out of St Maarten.
Private Charter Flight Via Tradewind Aviation © https://www.flytradewind.com
The sky’s the limit, basically, if you want to arrange a private air charter to Anguilla!
Departing From: Private air charters are available from any number of departure points, including other Caribbean isles as St. Martin, St. Kitts, and Antigua and Puerto Rico.
Travel Time: From St. Maarten, you’re looking at a seven-minute flight to Anguilla via private air charter. Obviously travel times range widely depending on where you’re coming from.
What to Know: Whether using your own plane or another private charter, bear in mind that Anguilla’s airport can only accommodate mid-size to super mid-size and smaller jets due to the size of the runway.
© https://www.portdemarigot.com
Many travelers would rather come to Anguilla via boat than plane. The ferry from Saint Martin to Anguilla offers a delightfully short — and scenic — on-the-water ride.
Public Ferry Schedule Between St. Maarten/St. Martin and Anguilla
| Daily Departure times From Anguilla: Blowing Point Port (AXA): | Daily Departure times From St. Maarten: Marigot Port (SXM): |
|---|---|
| 8:30 AM | 9:30 AM |
| 9:30 AM | 10:30 AM |
| 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM |
| 12:30 PM | 1:30 PM |
| 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM |
| 3:30 PM | 4:30 PM |
| 4:30 PM | 5:15 PM |
| 5:15 PM | 6:00 PM |
Departing From: Public ferries run multiple times a day from Marigot — the capital of Saint Martin’s French side — to Anguilla’s Blowing Point Ferry Terminal. And a variety of private operators, including G.B. Ferries, Calypso Charters, and Gotcha, offer ferry trips from the terminal in Sint Maarten. That ferry facility is just a stone’s throw away from Princess Juliana International Airport.
Travel Time: From Marigot, the ferry ride across the Anguilla Channel to Anguilla is about 20 minutes. From the St. Maarten Ferry Terminal, it’s only a few minutes longer.
What to Know: The public ferry out of Marigot is cheaper than the private ferries on the Dutch side. Remember to factor in the taxi ride cost to Marigot from Princess Juliana International Airport.
Also, public ferries make multiple daily trips at preset times, while the private trips out of Sint Maarten are usually best pre-booked. (But—see below!)
A fully private ferry ride from the St. Maarten Ferry Terminal to Anguilla can be pricey. You can save money by going the semi-private route.
Departing From: Semi-private charters by boat embark from Sint Maarten to Anguilla daily. These are often at preset times.
Travel Time: Again, the ferry time between the St. Maarten Ferry Terminal and Anguilla is roughly 20 minutes or so.
What to Know: The cheaper tickets and preset runs of semi-private charters are an advantage. The catch is that you’ll be somewhat tied to the schedules of fellow passengers.
If you’ve got your yacht or wish to charter a private one, you can sail to Anguilla, naturally, by any number of routes.
What to Know: Regardless of your departure point, you’ll need to clear Customs & immigration at Road Bay in Sandy Ground to enter Anguilla. Private vessels also require clearance with the help of a local yacht agent.
Flying to Anguilla means going through the island’s only airport, Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport. This airport sits conveniently in the center of the island, on the outskirts of The Valley, the island's capital city.
Clayton J lloyd International Airport © https://ivisitanguilla.com
Boasting a 5,463-foot asphalt runway, the airport serves both commercial and private planes. Daily flights to the international airports of nearby islands such as Antigua, St. Martin, Puerto Rico, and St. Thomas link Anguilla’s airfield to the rest of the world.
The Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport honors a pioneering aviation figure on the island: Captain Clayton Lloyd, a pilot who launched Anguilla’s first air service in the 1960s. His Air Anguilla, later branded Valley Air Service, operated until 1977.
Renamed for Captain Lloyd in 2010, the airport was formerly called Anguilla Wallblake Airport.
Everyone entering Anguilla must clear Customs & Immigration. That’s done either at the airport or the Blowing Point Ferry Terminal or in Sandy Ground for those arriving by private boat.
To enter Anguilla, a British Overseas Territory, you’ll need a valid passport that doesn’t expire for at least six months beyond your departure date. U.S. citizens don’t need a visa to enter Anguilla.
As of October 2022, Anguilla has no COVID-19 entry requirements, such as proof of vaccination or a negative test.
Anguilla imposes a departure tax on those exiting the island. As of this writing, the said tax is $28 from the airport and $5 from the ferry terminal. It’s best not to assume you’ll be able to pay this by credit card; have cash on hand just in case.
Here at WIMCO Villas, we make it incredibly easy to reach Anguilla. WIMCO’s Air Department can help book air and sea transportation to this enchanting isle. That includes making commercial airline reservations or arranging for private charters. And the best part: this is a complimentary service when you book a villa with us.
And then there’s our signature concierge service, available to you 24/7 during your Anguilla stay and drawing on our intimate, firsthand experience with the island.
From stocking your private luxury villa with provisions to setting up rental cars, restaurant reservations, and guided excursions, we’ve got your back throughout your vacation!
Whether you want more details on how to get to Anguilla or you’re ready to book the perfect Caribbean villa here, get in touch with WIMCO today! We can’t wait to set you up in paradise in the Leeward Islands.
You can contact the WIMCO team online right here.
While most air itineraries to the island will involve at least one stop, a handful of cities offer direct flights to Anguilla. Along with Paris and Amsterdam (and San Juan, of course), these include Miami, which became an option in 2021 courtesy of American Airlines.
You certainly can! Anguilla is four-legged friendly, so to speak.
To bring your pet to the island, you must fill out the necessary formwork with the Agricultural Ministry of Anguilla. That department can be reached at (264) 437-2615 or agriculture@gov.ai.
Here at WIMCO, we can help you secure your Anguillan Pet Import Permit as part of our across-the-board personalized concierge services.
The 5,463-foot runway at the Charles J. Lloyd International Airport translates to some definite size restrictions on private jet traffic to Anguilla. However, the airfield can accommodate aircraft up to the dimensions of midsize and super-midsize jets.
Larger parties wishing to travel by private jet might consider splitting the group into multiple planes.
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