Nonstop Flights From Orlando To The Caribbean

By Islands Staff
A plane flying over a beach jpbarcelos/Shutterstock

There's tons of fun to be had in the sunny city of Orlando, Florida. It's not hard to see why, as City Beautiful boasts an array of world-renowned theme parks, including Disney's Magic Kingdom, Universal Studios, EPCOT, and Legoland. However, while Orlando is rich in theme park adventures, it does not have direct access to beaches due to its landlocked setup. And, although the city has beautiful lakes, those in search of sandy shores must drive roughly an hour away to get to the nearest beach.

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If you want to venture beyond Orlando's many amusement parks, you'll be happy to know that the beautiful Caribbean is just a brief flight away from Orlando International Airport (MCO); no layovers necessary! You can find yourself in Nassau, the vibrant capital of the Bahamas, in just a mere hour and 30 minutes. That's less time than some people spend in line at Disney World! If you want to go a bit farther, Trinidad and Tobago's capital, Port of Spain, is 4 hours and 5 minutes away from Orlando. Whether it's chilling on the pristine beaches of Montego Bay or immersing yourself in the rainforests of Saint Croix, a fun Caribbean getaway is within easy reach.

From City Beautiful straight to paradise

Aerial view of Isla Caja De Muertos in Ponce, Puerto Rico Maria T Hoffman/Shutterstock

Orlando residents looking to fly with well-known airlines will be pleased to know that both Southwest Airlines and JetBlue offer nonstop services from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to a combined seven Caribbean destinations. From MCO, you can head straight to Aruba via Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA), Jamaica via Sangster International Airport (MBJ), and the Bahamas via Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS).

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If you wish to head to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, you've got options as to where to touchdown. For Puerto Rico, you can either fly into San Juan via Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) or to Ponce via Mercedita International Airport. If you're flying to Dominican Republic, you can disembark from either Punta Cana via Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ), or Santo Domingo via Las Américas International Airport (SDQ).

Southwest

  • Aruba – 3 hours and 5 minutes (MCO-AUA)
  • Jamaica – 2 hours and 10 minutes (MCO-MBJ)
  • San Juan – 2 hours and 45 minutes (MCO-SJU)

JetBlue

  • Jamaica – 2 hours and 6 minutes (MCO-MBJ)
  • Nassau – 1 hour and 22 minutes (MCO-NAS)
  • Ponce – 2 hours and 55 minutes (MCO-PSE)
  • Punta Cana – 2 hours and 44 minutes (MCO-PUJ)
  • San Juan – 2 hours and 47 minutes (MCO-SJU)
  • Santo Domingo – 2 hours and 32 minutes (MCO-SDQ)

Budget and international airline options are available at your disposal, too

Aerial view of Maracas Bay in Port of Spain Shameel Hosein/Shutterstock

Those who want to minimize their expenses might be surprised to discover that Spirit and Frontier also offer direct flights to various Caribbean spots. To illustrate, a direct flight from Orlando to Santo Domingo costs $296 with JetBlue but only $186 with Spirit. That's $110 difference in savings! In addition to the Dominican Republic, both airlines offer direct flights to Saint Croix via Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX), Saint Thomas via Cyril E. King Airport (STT), and Sint Maarten via Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM).

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Travelers looking to experience what it's like to fly with local Caribbean carriers can also try Bahamasair or Caribbean Airlines. Bahamasair takes you to two spots in the Bahamas: Nassau via NAS or Freeport via Grand Bahama International Airport, while Caribbean Airlines provides one direct flight from Orlando to Trinidad and Tobago via Piarco International Airport (POS).

Spirit

  • Jamaica – 2 hours and 8 minutes (MCO-MBJ)
  • Punta Cana – 2 hours and 39 minutes (MCO-PUJ)
  • Saint Croix – 3 hours and 2 minutes (MCO-STX)
  • Saint Thomas – 2 hours and 53-56 minutes (MCO-STT)
  • San Juan – 2 hours and 47 minutes (MCO-SJU)
  • Santo Domingo – 2 hours and 31 minutes (MCO-SDQ)

Frontier

  • Ponce – 2 hours and 49 minutes (MCO-PSE)
  • Punta Cana – 2 hours and 54 minutes (MCO-PUJ)
  • San Juan – 2 hours and 54 minutes (MCO-SJU)
  • Sint Maarten – 3 hours and 23 minutes (MCO-SXM)

Bahamasair

  • Freeport – 1 hour and 10 minutes (MCO-FPO)
  • Nassau – 1 hour and 30 minutes (MCO-NAS)

Caribbean Airlines

  • Trinidad and Tobago – 4 hours and 5 minutes (MCO-POS)

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