Getting to St Barts

How to get from St Maarten to St Barts

Three options: a private helicopter from SXM or Grand Case (about 15 minutes, for up to five passengers, booked and cancelled online), a regional airline flight, on set departure times at a per-seat fare, or the ferry, allowing for the transfer to the port and the crossing. Here is how they compare and which one fits your trip.

Quick answer

How do I get from St Maarten to St Barts?

15min

By private helicopter, straight from the airport

1 to 5passengers

One helicopter for your group, taxes included

Book online

Exact price before you pay, then change or cancel from your Helishift account

Three ways to cross

Time, timetable, baggage and weather, side by side. Arriving on a long-haul flight? Start with the last row: it shows which option connects with your landing at SXM.

See all helicopter prices

Helishift

Private helicopter

Door to door timeAbout 15 minutesin the air, straight from the airport you land at

Departure pointsPrincess Juliana (SXM)or Grand Case (SFG)

TimetableYou chooseyour takeoff time, from the slots open in real time

PriceWhole aircraftone to five passengers, exact price shown before you pay

BaggageDeclared as you bookand a dedicated baggage flight takes whatever does not fit

WeatherFree cancellationwhenever the weather rules out a safe flight

Works with a long-haul arrival at SXMYesAdd your flight number and we tell you if the connection is too short

Book the helicopter

Scheduled

Regional airline

Door to door timeCheck-in, then the flightallow for the airline's check-in time

Departure pointsPrincess Juliana (SXM)Airline terminal

TimetableFixedSet departure times

PricePer-seat fareper passenger

BaggageAirline allowanceper seat, weight limits apply

WeatherAirline policyapplies to delays and cancellations

Works with a long-haul arrival at SXMDependson the connection time between flights

By sea

The ferry

Door to door timeTransfer, then the crossingallow for the transfer to the port and the crossing

Departure pointsPortsPhilipsburg or Marigot, check the operator's timetable

TimetableFixedSet crossing times

PricePer-person fareper passenger

BaggageFerry allowanceper ticket

WeatherOpen seaThe crossing can be rough

Works with a long-haul arrival at SXMWith a transferfrom the airport to the port

From New York, Miami, Paris or London: land at SXM, fly on by helicopter

St Barts has no direct flights from the US or Europe. Land at St Maarten (SXM) and a private helicopter takes you the rest of the way, airport to airport.

New York

In the air to St Maarten (SXM)about 4 h
Then by helicopter to St Barts15 min

Miami

In the air to St Maarten (SXM)about 3 h
Then by helicopter to St Barts15 min

Paris

In the air to St Maarten (SXM)about 8 h 30
Then by helicopter to St Barts15 min

London

To St Maarten (SXM), usually with one stopabout 10 h
Then by helicopter to St Barts15 min

Your connectionPick a slot after your long-haul lands, pay online, and change the date yourself up to 24 h before departure.

Book your connection

Which option for you?

Three common trips, and the option we would pick for each.

Our advice: the helicopter

A family of five landing at SXM in the afternoon

From arrivals, head to the meeting point in your confirmation and touch down in St Barts before dinner. One aircraft for the five of you, and no port transfer.

Book the helicopter

Our advice: the ferry

A couple with time and a small budget

The ferry is the most economical crossing. Allow time for the transfer to the port and plan around the schedule.

Compare the options

Our advice: round trip or tour

A day trip from St Maarten

Spend the day in St Barts: fly over in the morning and back in the evening, or add a scenic flight over its bays.

See the tours

Landing at SXM: your connection, step by step

Five steps take you from the aircraft door at Princess Juliana to the runway at Gustaf III.

Land at Princess Juliana
Immigration and baggage
Go to the meeting point in your confirmation
Take off, about 15 minutes
Land at Gustaf III, St Barts

Flight number

Enter your airline flight number when you book: you see its scheduled time, and we warn you if the connection is too short for your slot.

Before sunset

St Barts airport closes at nightfall: no night flights.

When you book, only the slots that land before closing are offered. Enter your airline flight number and you know before you pay whether a late long-haul still fits, not at the airport.

More about St Barts airport

Three airports, one short hop

Whichever side of St Martin you start from, St Barts is about 15 minutes away: Princess Juliana (SXM) and Grand Case (SFG) on St Martin, Gustaf III (SBH) on St Barts.

To St Barts

From Princess Juliana (SXM)about 15 min
From Grand Case (SFG)about 15 min

Frequently asked questions

Is there a ferry from St Maarten to St Barts?

Yes. Ferries cross to Gustavia on a fixed schedule: check the operator's timetable and fares. The crossing is on open sea, and you need a transfer from the airport to the port.

How long is the helicopter flight?

About 15 minutes between Princess Juliana (SXM) and Gustaf III (SBH), and about the same from Grand Case (SFG). Your confirmation tells you where and when to meet us.

Can I fly the same day I land at SXM?

Yes. Pick a takeoff time that leaves room for immigration and baggage; your confirmation tells you where and when to meet us. With your flight number entered at booking, you are told if the connection is too short.

What happens if my airline flight is late?

Leave yourself a comfortable margin: the booking flow flags any connection that is too short. Your flight number helps us organise your welcome, but it is not a guaranteed tracking service, so if your plane lands too late for your helicopter slot, the booking counts as a no-show and our cancellation terms apply.

How much does the helicopter cost?

You pay for the whole helicopter, not by the seat: one way, one to five passengers, airport fees and taxes included. You see the exact price before any payment.

Can I leave from Grand Case instead of SXM?

Yes. Select Grand Case (SFG) as your departure airport when you book, and you reach St Barts in about 15 minutes, just as from SXM.

St Barts, about 15 minutes from St Maarten

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