When Only an Insider Can Help You - Which airport in Jamaica should you fly into for your vacation?
Which airport in Jamaica should you fly into for your Jamaica vacation
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We get so many questions about the airport in Jamaica.
“Which airport do you fly into for Jamaica?”
“Which airport in Jamaica is close to Ocho Rios?”
“Which airport do you fly into for Ocho Rios Jamaica?”
“What is the name of the airport in Ocho Rios Jamaica?”
“Where do you fly into to get to Negril?”
“What is the closest airport to Discovery Bay Jamaica?”
What is the main airport in Jamaica?
There are three international airports in Jamaica – Montego Bay’s Donald Sangster International Airport, Kingston’s Norman Manley Internation Airport and Boscobel’s Ian Fleming International Airport, just east of Ocho Rios.
Since most tourists stay on the northern coast of Jamaica, Montego Bay is the main airport that tourists use.
So, which airport do you fly into for Ocho Rios or Discovery Bay Jamaica
… or anywhere between Ocho Rios and Negril for that matter?
The answer – Montego Bay’s Donald Sangster International Airport, airport code MBJ.
Many people staying on the South Coast also use Montego Bay’s airport.
Even most people going to Port Antonio fly into Montego Bay. Kingston may appear closer on a map but you are forgetting one major obstacle – the glorious and immovable Blue Mountain range, which makes it not a straight and easy drive from Kingston.
From Montego Bay’s Airport, you can get intra-island flights via Timair and or International Airlink to Norman Manley’s airport in Kingston, Tinson Pen Aerodrome in Kingston, Ken Jones Aerodrome in Port Antonio, Ian Fleming Airport in Boscobel outside of Ocho Rios, Negril Aerodrome. and Treasure Beach Airstrip.
If you want to splurge and or have money to burn, you could take one of the local domestic flights or charters instead of taking ground transportation. Most people take a car or bus ride and enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way.
But what if you can’t get a flight to Montego Bay, especially if through no fault of your own? Which airport in Jamaica should you fly into?
Suppose your flight is delayed or canceled or you miss your connection? Do you have any options?
Yes, you might …. depending on where you are staying.
And if you think the answer is the Ian Fleming International Airport in Boscobel, 9 miles east of Ocho Rios, you would be out of luck, unless you are coming by private charter plane. The options there are very limited.
The other international airport in Jamaica, which accepts commercial flights, is the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, airport code KIN.
Usually, Kingston’s airport is mostly used by locals and or people living or staying on the south-southeastern side of the island, between Mandeville in the middle of the South Coast area and St. Thomas to the east.
Even though Kingston’s airport would not be the best option for most tourists, there are times when it can save your butt.
When online travel agencies or even the airlines can’t help you …
Read my story. See how our insider knowledge of Jamaica saved our vacation and can save yours too.
I had three days of vacation and decided to make a quick trip to Jamaica.
I had a connecting flight through Atlanta and was due to land in Montego Bay at about noon. I fell asleep in flight only to awaken to the voice of the stewardess saying that we would be landing in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Chattanooga, Tennessee?!
What?! Am I dreaming? Did I get on the wrong flight? Holy moly! What is going on? Whatever this, somebody got it wrong. I’m going to Jamaica.
As it turns out, I had slept soundly through the bad weather that had caused the pilot to change course.
Unfortunately, that meant that there wasn’t enough fuel to land in Atlanta.
The stewardess went on to assure us that this was simply a refueling stop. We would only be on the ground for a few minutes then we would be on our way to Atlanta.
I had barely finished breathing my sigh of relief when there was another announcement.
The crew would have timed out by the time we landed so we would have to wait for a new crew to fly in before we could leave.
I could see the minutes until my connecting flight to Atlanta slowly ticking away. I knew there was no way I would make my connection.
I called the airline’s helpline and was told to go to the counter because I had already been rebooked on the next available flight.
In retrospect, I should have known that was code for “I’m not going to be the one to tell you that you are screwed.”
Feeling lucky, I went up to the ticket counter only to feel sheer panic as the agent said,” Ma’am, we have rebooked you. I can get you to Montego Bay tomorrow. We will fly you to Atlanta today, then to New York with a flight to Montego Bay tomorrow. You will be there before noon tomorrow.”
My 3-day vacation was going south really fast. All I could see was a waste of time and money.
I thought fast, “There is an evening flight to Kingston out of Atlanta. Send me to Kingston please?”
The agent scoffed, “Kingston is about 4 hours from Montego Bay. You are going to Montego Bay. Kingston won’t work for you. I apologize for the inconvenience but believe me, I’ve done the best I can for you. You can’t get to Montego Bay today. I have a flight for you for tomorrow.”
I said, “Please. Get me on the flight from Atlanta to Kingston. When the flight from Chattanooga gets to Atlanta, there will be about a two-hour layover before the flight to Kingston leaves. Can you get my bags on the flight to Kingston?”
His lips said, “Sure, ma’am”, but his body language said, ”Stupid tourist who has no idea what she is doing.”
Before he could say anything else, I said, “It’s ok. If anything happens, it’s on me. I know.”
His smile said, “Silly woman, you’ve got that right.”
I laughed to myself because he didn’t know what I knew. I have detailed insider knowledge of Jamaica.
Which airport do I fly into to go to Discovery Bay Jamaica?
Montego Bay’s Sangster International Airport, of course. It is about 50 minutes from the villa. That’s the airport to fly into if you are staying anywhere between Negril and Ocho Rios.
If you would like to learn more about Discovery Bay Jamaica, get answers to the top questions we get asked daily.
What do I do if I can’t fly into Montego Bay’s airport in Jamaica?
If it means that I can salvage my vacation and allow me to arrive in Jamaica the same day, albeit a little later than I had planned, and they can rebook my luggage, I fly into Kingston!
What did I know that the agent and the airline company didn’t know?
Discovery Bay, where I was going, is not as far from Kingston as people think. The North-South Highway, although expensive, makes getting to Kingston a breeze.
The North-South Highway in Jamaica is both beautiful and convenient.
With the toll road, we can be at the Kingston exit in about 1.5 hours and an extra hour for the airport, depending on traffic, of course.
So, for sure Kingston is further from the tourist areas on the North Coast but it depends on where you are staying.
If you are staying in Montego Bay or Negril, it might not be worth the 4-5.5 hours drive, unless you have no choice, for example, if you have a wedding to attend.
But, if you are staying in the Discovery Bay to Ocho Rios area, it is certainly worth considering if you are in a jamb. Or if you happen to come across a steal of a deal.
It does cost more, maybe twice as much, for the bus transfer from Kingston’s airport to Discovery Bay than it does from Montego Bay’s airport.
Only you can decide if it would be worth it to you.
For me, it was worth it to salvage my vacation and not lose a room night.
To make the story even better, I ended up with a free upgrade to first class on the flight to Kingston. Sweet!
I landed in Kingston around 7pm, cleared Immigration and Customs by 8pm, grabbed some food on the way, and was at the villa, in my own bed, by 10:30 pm.
Reading in bed at Mais Oui Villa Jamaica
My vacation was saved …. saved because I know Jamaica well.
Do you see how our insider knowledge can help you as a guest in Jamaica in our home?
That, my friend, is part of our secret sauce. That is what you simply cannot get from Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, Expedia, or any of the online travel agencies.
Book direct. Come and visit us soon. We treat you like family.
If you are visiting Jamaica and are looking for a large villa in Ocho Rios Jamaica region, look no further than the 8-bedroom Mais Oui Villa in Discovery Bay, offering the best of both worlds – close to not only the attractions of Ocho Rios but also to those in other nearby regions like Rio Bueno-Falmouth, 30 minutes closer to Montego Bay’s airport than Ocho Rios, but without all the crowds and hustle and bustle of a large town.
If you love our house and want to stay with us, here is the link to our own website to book directly with us: https://MakeItJamaica.com
If for whatever reason you wish to book through an online agency, here are the links to our listings. We prefer for you to book through them than to not book at all.
We look forward to hosting your group soon!
Til next time.
Think and dream Jamaica!
Sherry, Darrell, and Darrian
Considering a visit to Jamaica with a group? Contact us today for more information about, Mais Oui Tennis & Spa Villa, our boutique 8-BR ocean view Jamaica villa rental experience in beautiful Discovery Bay, Jamaica. Perfect for multi-generational families and groups, retreats, and intimate destination weddings and vow renewals.
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