Getting to Anguilla: Flights, Ferries and Transfers

Getting to Anguilla comes down to two routes: through St Maarten, or direct to the island’s own airport. For the first, fly to Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM), then cross the channel either on the public ferry from Marigot on the French side to Blowing Point, or on a shared or private boat from the dock beside the airport. The alternative is to fly into Anguilla’s own airport, Clayton J. Lloyd International (AXA), which has a limited set of direct and regional services. This guide sets out each route stage by stage so you can plan a connection that actually works.

The gateways: SXM, San Juan and AXA

The Anguilla Tourist Board lists three air gateways: St Maarten (SXM), San Juan in Puerto Rico (SJU) and Antigua (ANU). SXM is the busiest and the closest, sitting only a few miles across the water, and it is the one most European and North American itineraries use. San Juan connects to Anguilla by small aircraft. Antigua is mainly useful for travellers already in the eastern Caribbean.

Anguilla’s airport, AXA, is beside The Valley in the centre of the island. It has a single runway of about 1,665 metres, which limits it to regional jets and turboprops. American Eagle has flown Miami to Anguilla with Embraer regional jets since December 2021, Tradewind Aviation operates a daily round trip from San Juan, and BermudAir announced seasonal direct services from Newark, Boston and Baltimore starting in December 2025. Check the airline sites for your dates, because seasonal routes change year to year.

Option 1: SXM then the public ferry from Marigot

The traditional route. From SXM, take a taxi across the island to the ferry pier in Marigot, the capital of French Saint-Martin. The public ferry to Blowing Point runs through the day on a timetable published by the tourist board, with separate adult and child fares, and cannot be reserved in advance. The crossing itself takes about 20 minutes.

• Suits: travellers on a budget, those arriving early in the day, and anyone comfortable handling luggage through two customs halls.
• Drawbacks: you pay for a taxi on the Dutch side, clear French immigration in Marigot and Anguillian immigration at Blowing Point, and the last sailing means a late-afternoon flight arrival can leave you stranded in St Martin overnight.

Option 2: SXM airport boat direct to Blowing Point

Several operators run shared shuttle boats from a dock beside the airport straight to Blowing Point, avoiding Marigot entirely. The tourist board lists Funtime Charters, Calypso Charters and GB Express, each of which publishes its own shared fares and operates a daytime schedule that varies by season. Funtime describes its dock as a two-minute shuttle ride from the arrivals hall and the crossing as 15 to 20 minutes; Calypso runs a daily airport fast ferry to and from Blowing Point.

The process is straightforward: a representative meets you at arrivals, takes passports for check-in, hands you an Anguilla customs form to complete on the boat, and porters move luggage from the shuttle bus to the vessel and off again at Blowing Point. Private charters are available from the same operators if you want to set your own time or arrive at a resort dock on the West End, which one resort quotes at 25 to 30 minutes by boat from SXM.

• Suits: most visitors, families with luggage, anyone with a flight landing after mid-afternoon, and villa guests who want a fixed booking.
• Drawbacks: higher fares than the public ferry, limited operating hours, and the need to ask the operator for a complete written quote and to confirm accepted payment methods when booking.

Option 3: fly into AXA

Flying direct removes the boat altogether. Beyond the Miami and San Juan services, Anguilla Air Services and Trans Anguilla Airways connect SXM to AXA in a few minutes’ flying time, and one West End resort quotes a shared air shuttle from SXM as an alternative to the boat. Small-aircraft connections are sensitive to weather and to baggage weight, so pack accordingly.

Departing AXA, ask your airline or boat operator for a complete written quote and confirm accepted payment methods before travelling.

Arrival stages and documents

Whichever route you take when getting to Anguilla, all visitors clear customs and immigration at either the Blowing Point terminal or the airport. A passport valid beyond your departure date and a return or onward ticket are required. Yachts and private boats clear at Sandy Ground rather than Blowing Point.

From Blowing Point, taxis wait outside the terminal on a fixed tariff; the West End is 15 to 20 minutes away by car and Shoal Bay East about the same in the other direction. Car-hire companies will deliver to the terminal or the airport if you book ahead. Which base you choose affects the transfer, so read where to stay in Anguilla with the arrival point in mind.

Getting to Anguilla: realistic connection planning

• Morning long-haul arrival at SXM: either route works; the public ferry is the cheaper choice.
• Arrival after about 3pm: book a shared airport boat in advance, or plan a night in St Maarten.
• Arrival after dark: the boats have stopped; stay in St Maarten and cross in the morning.
• Departure day: work back from the airline’s check-in deadline at SXM, then add the boat crossing, the Anguilla-side formalities, the Dutch-side taxi and a margin for weather and high-season queues; the boat operators will advise which sailing suits a given flight.

SXM also serves as the gateway to St Barts, and our guide to getting to St Barts explains the same airport from that side if you are combining the two islands. For background on the island you are heading to, start with our first-time introduction to Anguilla.

To summarise getting to Anguilla: fly to SXM and take a pre-booked airport boat to Blowing Point if you value simplicity, use the Marigot public ferry if you value economy and land early, or fly to AXA if your origin has a direct service. Get a complete written quote when you book and treat the last boat of the day as a hard deadline.