I agree with you on a direct flight to SXM versus a flight with connections. We have used WestJet out of Toronto but lately have been using Air Transat direct, it all depends on the day of the week they fly out of YYZ. Rather than book multiple flights to get there for our first day of our reservation we will arrive earlier on a direct flight and book a short stay at a different resort until our main resort is available. Same applies for leaving as we have done for our 2023 Spring visit. With both of us being retired we are pretty flexible for travelling. Getting the resort for the time you want is more of a problem than flights. We are already thinking of our reservation for the Spring of 2024.