Cost to Leave SXM

Looking for tickets for Regatta (high as usual with a connection from where I live) but I was a little shocked to see what it now costs to leave SXM. I still thought it was $30 but I guess I am behind the times. More like $52+. Between this and air approaching $900 with virtually all day travel, it makes one wonder if it continues to be worth it.

For the record, the US costs/taxes on the ticket are over $76.

Sint Maarten Passenger Screening Fee (FG)
$10.91
Sint Maarten Airport Departure Tax SXM (FH)
$36.00
Sint Maarten Airport Improvement Fee (IW)
$5.50

For my upcoming January 2017 flight, in CAD$.

Netherlands Antilles Passenger Screening Fee $14.42
Netherlands Antilles Airport Departure Tax $47.57
AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT FEE - NETHERLANDS ANTILLES $7.27

I took a quick look at my most recent JB tickets for our April '17 trip home and while I don't know the exact breakdown, the total fees and taxes per person came to $68.87 for JB free points seats - SXM to JFK.

I do remember when our departure fee was only $2.00 per person, but that was in 1973. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

Currently 1 USD = 1.32 CAD so that sounds about right.

I was still in diapers back then! I am thinking something around $10 the first time I flew from SXM.

Liar, liar ........ Pants on fire!!

Don't forget, My Friend, I know you!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

I was looking for a return trip for a week. Air fare was nuts. Anyhow going on a cruise BUT 1 day in SXM. $800 less for air and board for the week than going to SXM for 7 days.
Wendell

I think unless you are on the East coast or happen to be in a small area with a great sale, air is out of sight.

East coast fares aren't all that terrific so far this year either unless you get lucky.

For the longest time I was tracking AA for the nonstop on April 15, #1596 I think, and they wanted $869.00 one way and this was coach. It was fully refundable - if that did anything for you. We ultimately booked JB for considerably less but I did notice the one way fare we booked is currently over $400.00 pp ONE WAY. The airlines have us all over a barrel so you either have to be very patient ~ or ~ very lucky. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Oh, gee, that's really sad that you are confessing that you still wore diapers when you were a senior in high school!!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Devil.gif" alt="" />

These fees are one of the reasons why I recommend that day-trippers to St Barth fly out of Grand Case. I don't have anything at hand which lists the fees, but they're significantly lower than the fees at SXM.

We are flying down non-stop (11/6 - 11/20) from EWR and back on United for $550.00 per. I know a lot of folks would jump at those fares but it is the most we ever paid for a round trip ticket to SXM and fuel is cheap. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />

$300 to $400 less than what myself and many other face and we make connections. What do you typically pay? I thought most East coast non-stop fares had been in the $450 range.

With the price of oil, air travel, diesel fuel and gasoline should be much less than what the price currently is. Something just doesn't add up. Based on when oil went to $140/barrel and gasoline was $4/gallon, with oil around $50/barrel now gasoline should be no higher than in the $1.50 to $1.70/gallon range and it is way higher than that.

The whole ticketing structure is crazy these days, and the airline parent companies will always find a way to justify their costs. The extraordinarily high price of aviation fuel was a good excuse while it lasted........

We used to consider $450.00 a 'reasonable' fare out of the JFK general area and $400.00 or less a really good one. Today if you can get a 'good fare' it's probably going to be in the $550.00 range or more, based of course on when you're flying. And one of the reasons for the usually higher connecting fares, so it was explained to me, is that every time a plane lands anywhere the local fees and taxes increase the prices, sometimes drastically.

If we had bought our next April JB tickets round trip we were looking at $480.00 r/t within days of the fares being uploaded. Today those same fares are in the $680.00 range for weekend round trip travel in high and shoulder season.

The airlines started charging for luggage when fuel prices skyrocketed but now that prices are down, anyone see them giving back the fees? It's crazy in every way and the only constant seems to be, whatever the increases, we keep on flying, and will continue to do so and they know this. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Our US/SXM fees/taxes are over $85 from SXM to Chicago. Breakdown:

Airfare: $199.00
U.S. Customs User Fee: $5.50
U.S. Immigration User Fee: $7.00
U.S. APHIS User Fee: $3.96
U.S. Transportation Tax: $17.80
St Maarten Pax Screening Fee: $10.91
St Maarten Airport Departure Tax: $36.00
St Maarten Airport Improvement Fee: $5.50 Per Person
Total: $285.67

These will vary depending on departure and return city. Bigger cities/airports I am sure will have higher taxes.