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Have you been dreaming about the lush island of St. John in the US Virgin Islands, only to discover it has no airport? Oh, and that large cruise ships don’t stop at St. John either? Believe it or not, getting to St. John to enjoy the unspoiled beauty and beaches of Virgin Islands National Park is not as complicated at it seems.

In theory, the journey involves three main steps, beginning with a flight to St. Thomas (STT). However, it’s not so much how to get to St. John that is tricky, so much as how to efficiently get to St. John.

Case in point: on my very first visit to the island, my 6:00am connecting flight out of Cleveland got delayed because of a broken tail light. This delay caused me to miss my connection in Atlanta (ATL), or the one flight from ATL to STT that day.

I was thankfully able to get rebooked from ATL to Miami, FL (MIA), and then from MIA to STT. However, I didn’t get to our villa in St. John until about 11pm, resulting in a 17 hour travel day!

While a circumstance like this is not typical, this is just one example of a frustration my husband, Aaron, and I have encountered over ten years of visits. That said, we’ve also become pros at anticipating and avoiding potential problems. Below, I’m sharing all our expert tips on getting to St. John to help you plan a smooth travel day.

How to Get to the Island of St. John: 3 Simple Steps

After more than a decade of trips, the three steps required to reach St. John USVI have practically become second nature to us. While they are not always easy (3:30am wake up call anyone?), I promise they’re worth it!

Below, I will lay everything out for you in simple terms, as well as share mistakes to avoid.

Step 1: Fly to St. Thomas

While St. John does not have its own airport, its big sister island, St. Thomas, has both an airport and busy cruise port. Conveniently, St. Thomas and St. John are only about six miles apart, so it’s easy to take a short ferry ride between the two.

The first step of your trip is to book a flight to St. Thomas’s Cyril E. King Airport (STT). It’s a fairly small airport with essentially one terminal and a handful of gates.

There are several airlines that fly to St. Thomas. Many major American cities have a direct option, although some go through San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Here are some of the airlines that offer direct flights to St. Thomas:

• United: Newark, Houston, Chicago (O’Hare), and DC
• American: Charlotte, Miami, Philadelphia, New York (JFK)
• JetBlue: Boston
• Spirit: Ft. Lauderdale

Tips for Booking Your Flight

Getting to St. John efficiently starts by arriving into STT by late afternoon. These tips will help:

• Embrace the early wake-up call. Book a morning flight to ensure an afternoon arrival into St. Thomas. If you need a connecting flight, this might require a 6:00am departure.
• Avoid tight connections. A one-to-two-hour layover provides a buffer in case your first flight gets delayed. It’s no fun scrambling to get rebooked in time to catch the ferry to St. John.
• Check in ASAP. Flights in and out of St. Thomas are often oversold, meaning the airline sells more tickets than there are seats on the plane. Check in for your flight as early as possible for the best chance of getting a seat.
• Be patient. Mistakes and delays happen, even with the best intentions. Plan for what you can; otherwise, it’s best to go with the flow.

If you are not likely to arrive in St. Thomas in time for the ferry to St. John, I recommend an overnight layover in the states rather than in the islands. Last minute lodging options (or what the airline is willing to pay for) on St. Thomas are not always the nicest.

Step 2: Cross St. Thomas to Red Hook

Your next step is to cross St. Thomas over to the town of Red Hook, where the ferry dock is located. You could do this one of two ways:

1. Picking up a rental car at the airport and driving to Red Hook to catch the car barge
2. Hiring one of the many taxis sitting outside the airport to the Red Hook ferry terminal

Either way, it takes about thirty minutes to get to Red Hook from the airport. Be ready for winding roads that reward you with pretty views over the Caribbean.

Renting a Car from the St. Thomas Airport

If you are renting a car for the trip (which I totally recommend) you could pick it up right at the airport on St. Thomas. That said, Aaron and I usually don’t rent from the airport when we travel to St. John. Here’s why:

• We often need a Jeep to access vacation rentals with steep, unpaved driveways. Sometimes, the airport has not had the Jeep we reserved (or suitable alternative) available upon arrival, even with having preferred status with the rental company.
• The people ferry is shorter and more comfortable than the car barge
• The car barges do not run as late as the people ferry. This means that if your flight is overly delayed, you could potentially get stuck on STT for the night.
• There is not a huge time/money difference for renting on St. John vs St. Thomas

So, who should pick up their rental car on St. Thomas? This option is best for those who prefer working with well-known companies like Budget or Avis, don’t want to take a taxi, don’t need a Jeep, or are spending a few days on St. Thomas. Just remember to drive on the left side of the road!

Taking a Taxi from the St. Thomas Airport

As I mentioned, Aaron and I prefer to take a taxi from the airport and rent our Jeep on St. John. Taxi vans are readily available right outside the airport, although you may not leave for a few minutes.

Most drivers wait to fill up their vans, unless you are in a hurry and willing to pay them a little extra. If you are traveling in a large group, it might even be more efficient for you to hire a private shuttle, rather than pay the per person taxi price.

The ride between the airport and Red Hook ferry dock costs $25 per person in cash (extra cost for additional bags). I recommend bringing cash from home; we’ve had an instance where the St. Thomas airport’s ATM was out of order.

Step 3: Take the Ferry to St. John

Both of the below options drop you off in St. John’s Cruz Bay, where you can eat, shop, or grab your rental car.

The Car Ferry: What to Expect

Renting a car on St. Thomas means you will need to take the car ferry to St. John. These barges depart from Red Hook every half hour until around 7:00pm, but times vary seasonally. Check schedules in advance here.

First, you pay the $3-$4 port fee upon lining up your car about thirty minutes before the next barge’s departure time. After packing the vehicles in like sardines, an employee will come around to collect ticket fees. Tickets do not need to be purchased online in advance.

A one way trip costs $50 per car, while roundtrip costs $65. Just be careful with roundtrip tickets, as there are three car barge companies, and you’ll need to return on the same one on which you came.

The ride takes about a half hour, and you are permitted to leave your vehicle if you’re craving some fresh air. If you wish to dine in Cruz Bay upon arrival, you’ll most likely need to park in a paid lot, unless you get lucky and find a spot behind Mongoose Junction.

The People Ferry: What to Expect

Aaron and I prefer to rent our car on St. John and take the “people ferry”. The ride takes about 20 minutes and (mostly) leaves every hour on the hour until 11:30pm. I find the people ferry more comfortable than the car barge and I like to sit on top for breezy island views (just remember sunscreen!).

You can purchase tickets upon arrival at the Red Hook ferry terminal; it is not necessary to buy them in advance. Fares cost $8.15 for adults and $1 for children ages 2-11, and $4 to check each bag that will not fit on your lap.

Boarding doesn’t usually start until 10-15 minutes before departure. In the meantime, you can purchase your first vacation cocktail at the bar in the ferry terminal.

Once you get to Cruz Bay, you will have to wait as workers unload your bags onto the dock. After this, you can feel free to pick up any rental cars or walk to a nearby restaurant. High Tide is a casual beach bar right next to the ferry dock that is used to accommodating travelers with luggage.

If you are not renting a car, there will be taxis available at the ferry dock to shuttle you where you need to go.

Renting a Car on St. John

We prefer to rent a car on St. John, especially when we definitely need a Jeep. Here are the rental car companies we normally use, which are located in Cruz Bay:

• St. John Car Rental
• Mr. Piper’s Jeeps

Other Tips for Getting to St. John

• Flying to St. Croix: St. Croix is another US Virgin Island with an airport. However, it is not an ideal option for getting to St. John, as this island lies about 40 miles south and does not consistently have a direct ferry connection.
• Try Twitter: If you run into an issue with your flights, you might find a faster solution through Twitter. Be proactive while waiting at an airport customer service desk by simultaneously DM’ing your airline’s Twitter account. You’d be amazed how many flight dilemmas I’ve resolved this way!
• Purchase Wi-Fi: If a connecting flight gets delayed and you’ll likely miss your connection, consider getting a head start on rebooking mid-flight. Purchase the plane’s Wi-Fi to find an alternative route before you even land.

• • •

In summary, in takes three steps to reach St. John in the US Virgin Islands: fly to St. Thomas, taxi or drive to Red Hook, and ferry to St. John. It might seem like a lot, and the occasional mishap does happen, but I always find the journey totally worth it. Any lingering stress will melt away as you settle into island time.