TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin July Airfare NYC Delta or Jetblue

Last July was our first trip (other than cruise port) to SXM and we flew on Jetblue. Looking to return again July 2017. Looking at booking Delta NYC JFK. Jetblue schedule not released yet for July but should be soon. What is everyones preference flying JFK-SXM Delta or Jetblue?
Thanks!

I've flown both Delta and JB. No preference....I usually choose whichever one arrives first!

Mjc,

I just read yesterday JB will be releasing their fares for the Summer/Fall season through some point in September this coming Sunday.

As far as when to book, or who to book, if it was me, I'd wait until next Tuesday or Wednesday and compare the fares before I acted either way. We usually find the very best fares within a few days of the fares being posted.

Case in point, our April fares were sky high (pun intended) on both AA and DTA so we held off for JB. We booked at $219.00 each one way. Shortly after we booked the fares started to go up for our Easter Saturday flight and today its up to $459.00 pp down and has actually been higher.

As to which one to fly, IMO, an airline is an airline (unless you're booking First or Business) but the good thing about JB is they seem a little roomier in Coach and you can pay for the extra room seats up front if you want early boarding and the other percs involved.

And all of that's not to say there won't be sales and possibly even better prices down the road, but I consistently find my best fares within a week of them being first offered. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

we've flown both out of JFK. I prefer JetBlue for a few reasons:
Leg room is better on JetBlue
The walk to the gate is VERY LONG for Delta flights
If the price of the flight goes down, the change fee on JB is only $80 vs $200 for Delta. We have gotten travelbank credit several times on JB to use for future flights.
At least in the Fall, on weekend flights, JB has a late flight leaving SXM at around 6pm, allowing us extra island time.

I just spoke to Jetblue and they stated summer schedule will be released Nov 13th but adelta has decent fare today. Guess i can wait and see

Has anyone used two different airlines (jetblue one way and Delta the other)? It is cheaper but probably a hassel with security.

We have flown both and in the last couple of years for our timeframe Delta has been cheaper. We were able to upgrade to comfort class for a mere $49 which gave us more leg room, priority seating and TSA-precheck on the outbound. JetBlue typically has later inbound flights which we prefer.

Having said that we are happy with either so would probably select the airline based on price and upgrade options going forward.

We have frequently split our travel arrangements between two carriers, usually AA down and JB home and have never had a problem. They suggest you carry a copy of your return trip itinerary and we always do, jic, but have never been asked for it or any info regarding our return trip home.

Yup, do it all the time.... most recently for Grand Cayman and St. Kitts.

SXM used to be USAir/JetBlue but now JB both ways

We come down to SXM about every other month and would only fly JetBlue! We made the mistake of booking two trips down this year on Delta because the price was better. What a headache! We flew down with four friends and they changed all our seats so we weren't sitting together ...we asked to have them changed to sit us all together...response was sorry flight is full! We booked our seats months in advance!

The next flight was with my family ..including young grandchildren....had to fight about getting those seats together.

The legroom on JetBlue is much roomier...even in regular priced seats!

I fly quite a bit and take a legal size carry on. Boarding Delta I'm stopped and told my bag must be checked! I argued with the crew member tha my bag was legal size....she could even measure it if she wanted. Nope, told me sorry it has to be checked! Again, I fly a lot ....never been told to check my legal size carry on!

After the last trip I will NEVER fly Delta...not even for free!

Alysonma,

We don't fly but usually 2-3 times a year but I've experienced all you've mentioned over the years. 'Stuff' happens on all carriers.

Last April we were among the first few passengers booked on our SXM flights. No problems going down but coming home JB gave away our extra room up front seats that we paid an extra seventy dollars each to purchase and placed us further back in the plane in exit row seats. We went from row 2 to row 11 without any say in the matter. Not the end of the world but basically they told me tough luck - stuff happens. We were checked in at PJIA hours early and upstairs in the Exec Lounge when we heard our names being paged and we were advised of the change, and when we asked for our original seats back, they told us it was a full flight and they couldn't do it. Huh?! Really?!

We have often had to gate check our legal carry-ones when traveling on heavily booked flights or utilizing regional airports and smaller planes. Again, not the end of the world but still annoying.

What I do absolutely love about JB is theirT5 at JFK - it sure beats the long walk we typically had to make when arriving back in NY on AA from our SXM trips to clear C&I. Having their own convenient international arrival hall is the best!

My theory has long been, if you fly often enough and/or long enough, this sort of thing will happen with virtually all the carriers and all you can do is make the best of it. Friends who flew Delta to SXM recently were disappointed in how tight the seating was but with SXM waiting for them in the end, it was doable. Basically, the 'end' justified the means. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

JB is my favorite airline and LOVE the optional extra room seats

It was a long time since we flew Delta but have flown with them twice in the last two months (Delta Comfort seats) and it was fantastic. Excellent flight, brand new entertainment touch screens, usb/[power plugs in the seats.

I have added a co-favorite airline...JB and Delta now. Booked Delta for our next Paris flight...Delta Comfort of course.

100% correct.

While I have never flown Jet Blue, I would say there are as many complaints pertaining to them as with any other carrier and that is regardless of where you are flying to or from. Jet Blue is not at all the darling they were are few years ago.

Interesting article about airlines with the most complaints (for the year 2015...Fortune Magazine)

Ranking airlines by the number of passenger complaints

Interesting article. Since this was the year of the AA/USAir merger I'm really not too surprised. My only wish with an article of this type - along with the number of complaints received, I wish they'd given the number of tix sold for an over-all percentage comparison. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Table 3

Passenger numbers

Info overload <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> but thanks for providing it..... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

They are both good, but if we fly Delta we always choose to fly Delta Comfort.