Bonaire Airfare - EXPENSIVE

[elbee]

I have been looking into airfares to Bonaire and it is expensive! More then the damn trip! Has anyone found any affordable airfares flying out of the Wash/Balt area?

 

[diversteve]

When would be good.

Most (all) fares can be found here: Matrix - ITA Software

Some options to check: http://www.infobonaire.com/airlineinfo.html

 

[sammy631000]

Had planned my first one week trip to Bonaire late August, but now thinking two weeks to justify airfare costs. My start is Toronto, Canada with typical air quote of $1250. Then I started poking around the various travel portal engines and direct to carrier websites (including the ABC Island Hoppers).

The larger US carriers typically depart midnight or early morning, so my departs are Friday night into Saturday morning from Toronto. Also ensure minimum 2 hours layovers for connections to maximize baggage transfer to next plane leg happens. May help to know flight numbers through best hub for you, e.g. Continental Saturday to Saturday Bonaire is Flight# 1898/1899..when using search portals. Main carrier websites also option.
American daily flights from hub= Miami (connects via Curacao to Bonaire).
Continental Saturday flight hub=Houston; Sunday flight hub=Newark.
Delta Saturday flight hub=Atlanta.

Then island hoppers; Insel Air has the larger planes with roundtrip prices Aruba/Curacao to Bonaire of $150. Other island carriers like Divi have really small prop planes so baggage (yeah the scuba gear bag most likely) may not arrive until later flights, Insel seems recommended to make sure all bags come with (subject to excess bag fees).

Charter flights on large carriers to Aruba or Curacao seem to be 60-70% of Bonaire flights. I can do Toronto to Aruba or Curacao for $750.

So doing the math I can save $500 going to Aruba or Curacao, then connect to Bonaire. I can do this same day since Insel has 6 or so flights daily OR I could spend a week on Aruba or Curacao, then Bonaire for a week with Insel return and international carrier flight back via A or C. When you are looking at the accomodation/scuba package options available on A or C that 'found' $500 goes along way.

This being my first Bonaire trip, with the option of splitting my two weeks to also get a week's taste of Aruba or Curacao (since I have to connect through one of them anyways) seems appealing.

But then I must now decide Aruba (highly ranked for wrecks) or Curacao (a close second or third to Bonaire's shore diving). OR do I get really greedy and fly one-way from my arrival ABC, bounce through the remaining A or C for a couple days prior to Bonaire for a week (trading a return Bonaire for three one-ways between the ABC islands).

 

[theduckguru]

Given your math, I'd dive Aruba or Curacao and skip Bonaire.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Had planned my first one week trip to Bonaire late August, but now thinking two weeks to justify airfare costs. My start is Toronto, Canada with typical air quote of $1250.

Fly out of Buffalo. Saves you several hundred per person including parking etc.. I have done it twice and will do it again given the opportunity.

 

[sammy631000]

and further down the rabbit hole I go....what factors to consider on choice of Aruba or Curacao as dive destination? I can find great dive hotels and packages on both, Aruba seems to get high marks for wrecks whilst Curacao 'wins' for shore diving reefs.

 

[sammy631000]

Thanks, good idea on Buffalo departure.

Toronto to Bonaire $1143 (via Buffalo $810)
Toronto to Curacao $691 (via Buffalo $637, no real savings)
Toronto to Aruba $843 (via Buffalo $533, hot diggity dam!)

 

[DeputyDan]

Aruba is a vacation destination with diving.
Bonaire is a diving destination
Curacao is in the middle but closer to Boanire than Aruba.

If diving was the goal and the choices were Aruba or Curacao I would do Curacao.

 

[DandyDon]

I have been looking into airfares to Bonaire and it is expensive! More then the damn trip! Has anyone found any affordable airfares flying out of the Wash/Balt area?

WHEN is always an important factor, but July is cheaper than June - $717.60 RT including taxes most weeks. Now, tell us what & when you really want to do...?

 

[pdive]

I don't know what prices are like given the cost of fuel these days but what I felt was a good trade off for the cost of getting there was the fact Bonaire is not an expensive place once you are on the island. I.e., if you are going to do the shopping and cooking yourselves like we did (twice).

For anyone who has been to the other islands... are prices the same on Curacao and Aruba?