Bonaire Flights

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ScubaVing

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Location
Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, USA
# of dives
100 - 199
I'm going to Bonaire with a group in June 2015, and our local flights are outrageous. We're trying every combination of airports, but we're not having much luck (I live in PA). There's a flight out of Charlotte on Insel Air. It stops at Curacao before going on to Bonaire. Unfortunately, every flight we find gets to Bonaire later in the day.
My questions:
1) Does anyone know of a flight that arrives in the morning or at least early afternoon?
2) Has anyone ever flown with Insel? I read reviews, and people complain of delays. There is only a 45 minute layover in Curacao before going to Bonaire.
3) Does anyone have any secrets to making this work in a cost efficient way?
 
We flew from DFW airport to Miami to Curacao. Then Insel-Air to Bonaire... The important thing we discovered is, if you have checked bags (all divers probably do), you MUST check your bag 2 hours prior to the flight. In our case it meant we had to get to Curacao as early as possible and wait for 4-5 hours for the last flight to Bonaire.

We did it in a day, but it was tough. The return trip was almost as bad, taking the first flight out and getting home about 1:30 AM.

Total cost was something like $800 round trip. I think the Insel-Air port was $55 per flight.

Jim
 
E.g. June 13-20 out of Newark on United non-stop to Bonaire $648. Arrives in BON at 1:37pm.
 
That flight ^ exists the week before also.

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I can't find any way to get there cheaper - and direct.

If something else exists it will probably be found here: http://matrix.itasoftware.com/
 
The only direct flights to Bonaire are from Atlanta and Houston. From here in Colorado, you basically have to fly on Sat/Sun to get a flight with decent times.
 
I'm going to Bonaire with a group in June 2015, and our local flights are outrageous.

For a dive trip, the bulk of total cost tends to be airfare + hotel/resort + dive package (+ vehicle rental, if any).

As a dive destination, Bonaire tends to be expensive on airfare (from much of the U.S., compared to say flying to Fort Lauderdale, FL, to drive to Jupiter or Key Largo), but a great buy on the rest of the above.

I flew Insel for the Curacao to Bonaire & back segment last May. Due to flight delays I found it a bit nerve wracking, but prayed and me and my luggage got there & back with no major complications aside from my stress level. I did save hundreds vs. flying Delta. Normally I fly Delta and round trip out of Nashville runs around $1,100, give or take, but last May I was looking at $1,400+ and that's why I tried the Insel approach.

Oh, and I hope this was a one time glitch back then, but a lot of the listings I found on Orbitz for that trip weren't actually bookable when I tried to book them, despite repeated efforts on different days of many listings, and I ended up booking through Cheap-O Air and was glad to finally get a ticket. I've never had a problem like that with Orbitz before or since. But just to be on the safe side, if you're looking at options, check Travelocity and Expedia and make sure they, too, have listings for flights you're interested in.

I still use Orbitz. That one episode just made me a bit paranoid.

Richard.
 
I am looking at flights on AA from Miami to Curacao in May 2015 and the return fares are around £250 ($400). From Curacao there is a late evening Insel Air flight to Bonaire leaving at 20:05 and arriving in BON at 20:30. This allows some 5 hours between the AA and Insel flights.

This is a part of a very complicated flightplan that takes me (on Delta) from London via Atlanta to Los Cabos for a Socorro liveaboard. On the return leg I continue on Delta beyond Atlanta to Miami. Staying overnight at MIA Hotel and connecting to the aforementioned AA flight next morning to Curacao and then onto Bonaire on Insel. Return by the same path to Atlanta and back to London.

This entire flightplan - London to London - and involving several international return flights, is coming up to a grand total £1400 (about $2200) on the respective airline websites. Not bad IMO considering that I once had to pay £650 ($1050) to fly from Manila to Truk Lagoon and back via Guam.
 
The only direct flights to Bonaire are from Atlanta and Houston. From here in Colorado, you basically have to fly on Sat/Sun to get a flight with decent times.

not true - see my post above e.g. Newark - Bonaire is direct.
 
You guys are confusing "direct" with "non-stop." Lots of the former, not many of the latter.
Getting there early in the day is no longer possible....United stopped its red-eyes.
Look at Delta fares through ATL for Fri-Fri trips...Sat-Sat prices are higher.
Insel does not have the greatest reputation, but it's far better than its predecessors!

What does the OP mean by "outrageous"? $700-800 is not outrageous; $1000+ is.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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