Our upcoming (Q2 2024) will be our first trip since we moved from Maryland to Jacksonville, FL. Are there any other First Coasters out there willing to share travel tips from JAX and/or compare notes?
Thanks!

Haven't done it from Jax (Orlando here), but can't imagine its much different than most other places once you leave home! Flying into STT or EIS? Tons of info about both paths (and SJU).

Wondering anything specific?

Hey, thanks for responding, TWT! Yes, we just haven't flown much since we moved here, so trying to figure out what path those who live around here find most efficient. We tried pretty much all the routes from BWI and had it pretty much down to where we enjoyed taking SW direct to SJU and then Seabourne, now Silver, to EIS. Since JAX is a smaller airport without the benefit of being a Southwest hub, it just seems less clear cut on what the best flight combination is when weighing dollars and time.

Our objective is the least amount of money that reasonably minimizes our travel time. We don't mind paying a little bit more to shave off lots of hassle and add fun time to our vacation, but of course there is a limit. For us, it is very much about the destination, not the journey! We don't mind flying through SJU, we don't mind STT and taking the ferry, but if it's only a few bucks more, fewer stops, fewer customs lines, and flying straight into EIS is the preference.

One option for us is driving to and flying out of Orlando. What's your favorite path to take?

Also wondering if people think the fares for the AA nonstop from MIA-EIS will come down once the flights begin? That would likely be our favored route JAX-MIA-EIS, but not at $1,300 per person.

Like TWT, we are Orlando people. For the purposes of travel to the BVI, I think we have it easier than most. We have tried just about every option at one point or another. The last 4-5 trips, we have found JetBlue to be the best intersection of convenience & value. They have several direct flights a day to SJU, and they codeshare with Silver. We are usually able to get round trip for around $600 pp. Yes, you have to deal with SJU and Silver, but our luck has been pretty good overall.

For our upcoming trip next month, we purchased the new AA route EIS-MIA-MCO on the way home. We booked the tickets the day after they released them, and got them for $320 pp one-way. They are now showing $1400+ one-way for our same flight. I am hopeful that the rates will come down something closer to what we paid months ago. If not, we will stick with the JetBlue/Silver codeshares.

Southwest also flies direct to SJU from Orlando, but it necessitates a separate Silver ticket. We have never found the rate savings to justify the risk of having separate tickets, and all that entails in the way of connections & baggage.

I have gotten into a semi-comfortable routine getting to the boat in the past couple of years. For instance, in a few weeks (5/20), we will be headed to the BVI for 10 days. The travel plans look like this - Spirit Air direct flight MCO-STT, be met at the airport by a taxi that will take us to Red Hook to take a Water Taxi (Island Time) to West End (likely West End, anyway, but have done it where we checked into Road Town), then be taken to the dock that Time Will Tell is tied up to. There is no standing in line for C&I (we sit in the boat while the Captain deals with C&I). Reverse on the way home on the 30th (except we actually have to talk to C&I in St John - but no real lines involved).

I do say semi-comfy specifically because of relying on Spirit Airlines (they cancelled a flight home on us once and their communications was a friggin' nightmare - booked a flight via Miami with American and THEY cancelled the MIA-MCO flight! Ended up renting a car to drive home. Annoying, but we survived). If anyone else had a direct flight, I'd likely book them. The Water Taxi is a fabulous experience. Fast, everything just works well. Great way to start and end a trip.

Cost - first, you have to understand that the Admiral is a Princess! So the airfare for this trip is $1600, round trip for two. It also includes the upgrade for the front of the plane (bigger seats), luggage, etc. Cost would have been MUCH less if I hadn't gotten the bigger seats, etc. Call it about $500 each r/t. The Water Taxi for a group (over 5 I think) comes out to right around twice what the ferry costs including C&I fees, tip for the Captain, etc. More for fewer people, but as long as you have 4, I think its worth it (and I have done it with just 2 of us, but then I start to really debate the value proposition).

Again, by and large this plan has worked out really well for us to get to and from the boat. In fact, if you're free for the 20th-30th this month, let me know - we have an open cabin, and you can dry run the whole process! lol

I am looking forward to trying out the whole AA MCO-MIS-EIS thing, but until the prices settle a bit, it ain't happening!

Keep Smiling!!!


-Peter

OnlyMedication:

Fellow JAX guy here. I PM'd you my phone contact if you'd like more info.
We've done BVI 6-times from JAX. Though last BVI trip was 2016, so I'm not too current other than reading here on TTOL periodically.

Typically from JAX, your only option is Delta, American or Jet Blue to STT or SJU. We've always opted for SJU and flew SJU/EIS, sometimes with an overnight in SJU or one night in Road Town. Personally, I don't think driving to Orlando, possible overnights there, parking, returning and then a late drive from MCO-JAX, etc. is worth the hassle.

We just returned Friday from a 10-day Windwards Trip, o/way St. Lucia to Grenada. Wonderful sailing! Great water, beaches, restaurants, etc. I'll post more on that later.
We're thinking of returning to BVI but have greatly enjoyed sailing Greece, Croatia, Italy, and now Windwards since our last BVI trip. It is big world out there!

TWT - I wouldn't fly Spirit on a free ticket. YMMV

Thanks for all the feedback everyone! JP, I'll reach out soon, much appreciated! While we are well out from our trip, 1) I am a planner, and just enjoy having a trip like this on the agenda to look forward to; and 2) I travel for work occassionally, and if there's a tie to be broken, I'll book where I can earn some miles to help pay for the trip.

As you all have said, hopefully the pricing on that AA MIA-EIS route settles down in the next few months. If the pricing was reasonable, JAX-MIA-EIS would be the no brainer for us, but we can't afford to spend $1,200 pp each way if that's what it's going to cost. MK, congrats on nabbing those $320 tickets! If you think of it, let us know here about the flight experience.

Again, thanks for your descriptions of all of those options. This is super helpful in giving me some directions to look and probably set up some fare alerts to see what pops up. At the end of the day, I'm looking for the fewest connections possible, the least amount of travel time possible, and ideally save a few bucks that can be spent on painkillers and/or water taxi, etc.

Thanks again!

Tampa here: sounds like all flights out of Florida are about the same; best to look for a way to get direct to STT and then ferry. That is what we usually do. Have a land based trip coming up late May and doing a whole bunch of options because of Jet Blue Credit. Flying out of Tampa non stop to stt then ferry to Tortola. On the way home intercaribe out of EIS to SJU then another Jet blue from SJU to Tampa. Pretty easy except heard nightmares regarding both Intercarib and silver airways. They are the most inexpensive ones from EIS to SJU.

Sometimes in the past I would pay a little more at least one way and do a cheapo way either there or back.

Just looked at the AA flight options from Tampa to EIS and now looks like they stop in SJU and then use Silver to continue on to EIS and there is only one flight that is not 16hrs long $1920RT for 2ppl. Also checked AA straight from MIA and they only have one flight under 15hrs and still stops in SJU and then uses silver onward to EIS $1710RT!. Both of these were for early November. Looks like the AA thing is not working out too well at least from Florida.

We’re from St Johns and will be going in June. We’re trying out the new direct flight from Miami, so early morning flight out of Jax to Miami, then on to EIS and finally a ferry to Jost Van Dyke. It was pricey, but not too much more than flying into STT and staying overnight or doing a private water taxi.

You may find inexpensive flights from MCO to STT . Also look at round trip flights on AA from Miami. One way is about the same cost as round trip. I just booked round trip from MIA to STT from about $400

You may find inexpensive flights from MCO to STT . Also look at round trip flights on AA from Miami. One way is about the same cost as round trip. I just booked round trip from MIA to STT from about $400

Silver has new planes form SJU to EIS. They seem to be very reliable. Intercaribbean has planes that I can't even get my feet in front of me. Had to sit sideways. Never again.

Thanks for the input everyone! @jphart, I haven't forgotten your offer - much appreciated, and I may well reach out yet - we're still working on locking in dates, etc.

Now that schedules are opening up for our trip date and I've done a bit of research and thinking, it seems pretty clear at the moment that our best dollars and time option is looking to be JAX-MIA-STT and then a ferry ride, or maybe the water taxi.

I'll try to post follow ups to the extent any of this information may be helpful to someone else. Cheers