If you are looking to escape to a lovely and relaxing tropical vacation, the United States Virgin Islands is sure to fit the bill perfectly. Here, you’ll find an enviable climate, pristine sandy beaches, tons of snorkeling opportunities and the greenery of places such as Virgin Islands National Park. Getting there is a cinch too since a variety of flights are operated from the US to Saint Croix and Saint Thomas on a regular basis.
Is the US Virgin Islands a Domestic Flight?
No, You Don’t Need a Passport
Fortunately, flights from the mainland to the USVI are treated as domestic journeys. In essence, that means that Americans don’t need to carry their passport with them to this US territory. However, if you are traveling to the USVI and plan to visit the nearby British Virgin Islands at some point, know that a passport is required.
Some of the airlines that offer services connecting the mainland to the US Virgin Islands include American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, Spirit Airlines and United Airlines. Cities serviced by the airlines include Miami, Dallas and New York.
Flights to Saint Croix
Saint Croix is a relatively large island that is 35 miles to the south of Saint John and Saint Thomas and home to Henry E. Rohlsen Airport. Although many of the flights servicing this airport are from other Caribbean locales, some originate in the mainland United States. These include routes from Miami and Charlotte, N.C., via American Airlines, from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., via Spirit Airlines and from Atlanta via Delta Air Lines. In addition, you could fly to Saint Thomas and then take a 25-minute connecting flight to Saint Croix via Cape Air or Air Sunshine.
Flights to Saint John
Unfortunately, flights to Saint John, the smallest of this territory’s three most visited islands, do not exist, as it is not home to an airport. However, flying to Saint Thomas and taking a ferry from there will get you here. The boat ride takes 40 minutes from Charlotte Amalie and 20 minutes from Red Hook on Saint Thomas’ east end. Both will drop you off at Cruz Bay, in the western part of Saint John. Do keep in mind that the ones leaving Charlotte Amalie only depart a few times a day, while the boats leaving Red Hook generally depart hourly.
Flights to Saint Thomas
Saint Thomas’ Cyril E. King International Airport is where most of the air travelers visiting this tropical territory are introduced to it. The main reason for this is its convenient location, as it is just 2 miles west of downtown Charlotte Amalie, the USVI’s capital and largest city.
Those looking to travel from Florida to this airport have three options:
- Miami (American Airlines and Frontier Airlines)
- Fort Lauderdale (Spirit Airlines)
- Orlando (Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines)
Several other airports from throughout the mainland US offer service here as well, including:
- Atlanta (Delta Air Lines)
- Boston (Delta Air Lines and JetBlue)
- Charlotte, N.C. (American Airlines)
- Chicago (American Airlines and United Airlines)
- Dallas (American Airlines)
- Houston (United Airlines)
- Minneapolis (Delta Air Lines)
- New York (Delta Airlines and JetBlue)
- Newark, N.J. (United Airlines)
- Philadelphia (American Airlines)
- Washington (United Airlines)
Each of these flights takes off at least every few days with some operating on a daily basis.
Flights to San Juan
Travelers should also take note of the significant number of flights that depart the mainland US for Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It may be easier to fly direct to here and then catch a short connecting flight to Saint Croix or Saint Thomas. What’s also convenient is the fact that Puerto Rico is a territory of the US as well, meaning that all flights between the mainland US and Puerto Rico are also treated as domestic flights. In other words, no passport is required when you go this route.
Here are some of the cities that service Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport but do not offer any flights directly to the USVI:
- Baltimore (Southwest Airlines and Spirit Airlines)
- Detroit (Delta Air Lines)
- Hartford, Conn. (JetBlue)
- Nashville, Tenn. (Southwest Airlines)
- Raleigh, N.C. (Frontier Airlines and JetBlue)
- Tampa, Fla. (JetBlue, Southwest Airlines and Spirit Airlines)
Virgin Islands Airports
There are two main public airports in the USVI:
- Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX/TISX): Named in honor of WWII Tuskegee Airman Henry E. Rohlsen, this airport is located six miles southwest of Christiansted, St. Croix.
- Cyril E. King Airport (STT): Located four miles east of capital city Charlotte Amalie on the island of St. Thomas is Cyril E. King Airport, also known as CEKA.
Experience the Virgin Islands
Regardless of how you get here, we are looking forward to having you! Vacation VI offers luxury vacation rentals in St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John, and our expert and helpful staff will be glad to help you with your USVI itinerary. Simply contact one of our agents, and they can assist you with booking your flight, arranging for the pre-arrival of groceries, boat rentals and other fun things to do in the US Virgin Islands.
