Attention Texans! Advise needed

krand1

SBH Insider
Hello, I have noticed that there are a number of Texans on this forum. We ourselves are from NYC and getting St Barths is (relatively) straight forward from here and we have been doing it for years. However, my daughter has recently moved to Dallas and we are considering inviting she and her boyfriend to join us in St Barths next March. Before I get into the weeds of planning flights, is there any advice forthcoming regarding particular routes. I already know it is not simple! One of my arguments when trying to convince my daughter to stay in New York was "But it is so much harder to get to St. Barths from Dallas!" :wink2:
 
We're from Houston and we have the following options, of which we have done each. SXM via Charlotte/Miami on AA or Atlanta on Delta. The best, and pricier, is direct to SJU on United and then Tradewind. I imagine that DFW is about the same, except it is more AA-centric.
 
Thank you PeterLynn,
I did get into the weeds and it appears American through Atlanta (UGH) is the best option. I would prefer for them to go through Charlotte but the layover is only an hour and I think that is too tight and risky. So a 5am out of Dallas thru Atlanta looks to be the best option price wise (they are young and "poor" and we are all pooling our resources, miles/cash) to try to make this happen. I guess I thought there would be more options but it became very clear, very quickly what has to happen!
 
We've done the 5am-ish to CLT/MIA/ATL -> SXM and UGH indeed. Short nap before heading out to the airport before 3am. Long day. Last year did the 1hr transfer in ATL (or could have been CLT/MIA) and NOT doing that again. Still catching my breath from the inter-terminal sprint. This past May we did Tradewind and that is definitely the way to go, but next year the schedule doesn't quite work out, so it looks like SXM again.
 
Even if you make a 1 hour layover, the worrying, hurrying and aggravation isn’t worth it. If the Dallas-Atlanta-SXM is on AA beware as they will change times, flights and sometimes days on you which can be quite frustrating.
 
I agree, booking them with a one hour layover is too risky, not worth the agitation (that I would have sitting by the pool at the villa because I would have already gotten there :biglaugh:) I wonder, since we are talking about March, which is only about 4 months away, we would have to worry abut American Airlines changing the schedule at this point? I do wish that Tradewind was an option but this is already a splurge for all involved.
 
We live in Austin. We leave in 16 days.

We can't get there in 1 day. After AA schedule changes galore, we now will get to SXM via MIA on the 26th.

Stay in Grand Case that night and fly on SBC from Grand Case Wednesday the 27th.

The good news is as of now, the Villa is empty the week preceding our stay so we get to check in by 10AM.
 
Without looking at any schedules, I'm wondering if Delta would work better via ATL...depending on price/connection times ? Couple things come to mind...flying AA from their territory/hub into Delta territory at ATL...wonder how much attention AA flights get for gates etc., i.e. priority, bad weather either city. Check rome2rio to see if any other options. Just thinking as a retired travel consultant.
 
we only fly delta and jetblue, they normally keep their schedules and when they are overbooked, they offer a tidy sum to volunteers.
 
Yes, Delta is my airline of choice also but unfortunately they are $250 more each person and the Atlanta connection is less than an hour so I think I am stuck with American.
 
We live in Fort Worth, and have taken the 5:00 a.m. DFW-MIA to connect to SXM many times. However in the past 10 years or so, we have lowered our stress levels
significantly by flying to MIA or CLT the evening before and staying near the airport. We then take the flight to SXM in the morning. No stress that way!
 
Is there a reason no one does the FLL layover instead of Mia or CLT? The few times I checked the early flight out of FLL was pretty cheap and while the time changes throughout the year, usually arrives somewhat early as well
 
We live in Fort Worth, and have taken the 5:00 a.m. DFW-MIA to connect to SXM many times. However in the past 10 years or so, we have lowered our stress levels
significantly by flying to MIA or CLT the evening before and staying near the airport. We then take the flight to SXM in the morning. No stress that way!

For a true lower stress level, we are overnighting in Grand Case for the ealry flight to SBH. Hard for anything major to go wrong when you're that close. (just jinxed myself)
 
Jim A: which city in Florida besides Miami are you referring to? I will check it out, although I would think that the airline websites would have showed another option?
 
Jim A: which city in Florida besides Miami are you referring to? I will check it out, although I would think that the airline websites would have showed another option?

Ft Lauderdale is an option on Jet Blue to SJU...or SXM
 
We live in Houston only option for us is IAH-MIA-SXM we leave at 6.00 AM 1 hour connection in MIA then to SXM we have been doing it for years and it has worked for us. Other option is United overnight to EWR then EWR -SXM, yes we have done that too several years ago with kids . No easy way to get from Texas
 
We live in Houston only option for us is IAH-MIA-SXM we leave at 6.00 AM 1 hour connection in MIA then to SXM we have been doing it for years and it has worked for us. Other option is United overnight to EWR then EWR -SXM, yes we have done that too several years ago with kids . No easy way to get from Texas

United has a nonstop Houston > San Juan but it looks like it gets in too late to make the Tradewind flight....
 
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