How to Get to Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico’s international gateway is Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU), located 5km (3 miles) southeast of downtown in the neighborhood of Isla Verde. There are frequent, daily connections to the U.S. and Caribbean with improved routes from Canada and Europe. Regional airports at Aguadilla and Ponce are increasingly accepting direct flights from the U.S. mainland and nearby islands. Departure gates are located on the second level of the airport; as always, having TSA PreCheck® is a boon for expediting the security process.
Since 2016, rideshare drivers have been permitted to drop off and pick up passengers at the airport. There is a designated area for rideshare pick up on the ground floor of Terminals A and B. Taxi ranks (Taxi Turístico) are located just outside the arrivals area in Terminal A and after you exit Terminal B and C. Rates from the airport to Condado and Old San Juan start at $25.
Flights from the U.S. and Canada
The cheapest and most frequent flights to San Juan depart from Miami, Orlando, Raleigh/Durham, Boston and New York (JFK and Newark). American Airlines is the market leader in the Caribbean, offering convenient flight schedules and the most competitive fares in the region. Prices start at $120 from Philadelphia (4 hr.); $150 from Miami (2 hr. 30 min.); $180 from Houston/Dallas (4 hr. 30 min.); and $160 from Charlotte (3 hr. 45 min.). Budget airline JetBlue offers daily flights (from $80 one way) to San Juan from its gateway cities: Philadelphia; Fort Lauderdale; Boston; Orlando; Raleigh/Durham.
There are also direct flights with JetBlue from New York (Newark) and Orlando to Aguadilla (from $110 one way) and from Orlando to Ponce (from $120 one way). From the East Coast, it’s also worth checking out flight deals with Spirit and Southwest.
Air Canada operates direct services to San Juan (SJU) from Toronto and Montreal (4 hr. 35 min.; Can$900). Prices fall significantly if you route through the U.S.: fares from Montréal and Toronto via New York (Newark) and Chicago (O’Hare) start from $480.
Flights from Europe
Virgin Atlantic operates seasonal flights (Delta codeshare) from London and Manchester to San Juan via Atlanta and New York (JFK) from around £975 (10.5 hr.). Iberia offers daily nonstop flights to San Juan (SJU) from Madrid (MAD) from €700.
Flights from the Caribbean
San Juan is one of the Caribbean’s largest regional hubs. Many travelers from the U.S. mainland and abroad find it financially beneficial to fly into San Juan, combining a Puerto Rico itinerary with exploration of the Antilles.
American Eagle’s San Juan hub offers flights all over the Caribbean. Seaborne Airlines merged with Silver Airways in 2018 and operates daily across the Caribbean from its San Juan hub, including Anguilla, Dominica, Saint Maarten, Saint Kitts, Tortola, Nevis and the Dominican Republic. Jet Blue, Frontier and Cape Air link San Juan with the U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Thomas and St. Croix) for as little as $48 return. Smaller, regional airlines also link Vieques with St Croix.
