Best Island Airfares
At the height of the summer travel season, airfare deals are still to be found to popular island destinations. We've updated our picks below with example airfares for travel in July and August to readers' most clicked-on destinations, from No. 1 Aruba to No. 12 Hawaii. Zoom in on the map below to pinpoint routes and find out much more, or scroll down to see what makes these islands so popular. Then book your next island trip! See more deals in our daily blogs.
1. ArubaAruba has a character and architecture defined by its Dutch heritage and its proximity to South America. As a modern vacation spot, this Netherland Antilles island covers all the bases. Best airfare: $347 to Reina Beatrix (AUA) from Miami (MIA), direct on American Airlines.
** 2. Belize CayesAmbergris Caye and its fellow islands off the Belize mainland have a scattering of low-key resorts. The barrier reef that stretches the length of Belize is the Caribbean's equivalent of Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Best airfare: **$523 to Belize City (BZE) from Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), direct on American Airlines.
** 3. Fiji** Fiji is an island nation of about 300 islands, from small remote islets that seem caught in an old South Pacific time warp to some of the modern world's most exclusive private resort islands. Best airfare: $1,025 to Nadi (NAN) from Los Angeles (LAX), direct on Air Pacific.
** 4. Bahamas** With so many islands, it should be easy to find an accessible, budget-friendly tropical getaway in the Bahamas. From the culture of New Providence to the New England-style villages of the Abacos to the stunning blue water of the Exumas, new discoveries await. Best airfare: $221 to Nassau (NAS) from Miami (MIA), direct on Bahamas Air.
** 5. Jamaica** Many visitors know Jamaica through one of its four major resort areas: Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Negril & Port Antonio. Travelers who explore farther afield find a beautiful island, a vibrant culture that goes far beyond reggae, and endless opportunities to play. Best airfare: $253 to Kingston (KIN) from Miami (MIA), direct on American Airlines.
** 6. BarbadosBarbados, the easternmost of the West Indies, is sometimes called "Little England" for its resolutely British character. Here you can read the cricket headlines over a breakfast of bangers, enjoy afternoon tea at your hotel, even don a jacket for dinner. But those traditions sometimes take on a Bajan twist. Best airfare: **$614 to Barbados (BGI) from Miami (MIA), direct on American Airlines.
** 7. Antigua** Antigua is an island that has always lived by the wind. April's Sailing Week is the Caribbean's premier yachting event — and its most boisterous beach party. As for beaches, Antigua's promoters like to say that the island has 365 of them, one for every day of the year. Best airfare: $739 to Antigua (ANU) from Miami (MIA), direct on American Airlines.
** 8. SeychellesThere in the Indian Ocean, some 600 miles east of Africa, is this dazzling chain of mountainous, verdant granite islands fringed by low coral atolls and possessing what many have since described as the most beautiful beaches in the world. The Seychelles deserves its reputation as a true Eden. Best airfare: **$1,937 to Mahe Island (SEZ) from New York (JFK), one stop on Qatar Airways.
** 9. Bali** Bali is one of a handful of islands whose very name conjures up the exotic. The centerpiece for visitors to Indonesia's 17,000-plus island chain, Bali's landscape is graced with terraced rice fields, volcanic mountains, forests full of monkeys, and sublime beaches. Best airfare: $934 to Ngurah Rai (DPS) from Los Angeles (LAX), one stop on China Airlines.
** 10. Maldives** Here on a far-flung archipelago of low coral atolls in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives have raised the notion of the private island resort to a fine art. Travelers are steered to about 90 small resort islands that cater to the needs of an upscale clientele looking for the perfect tropical getaway. Best airfare: $1,740 to Male (MLE) from New York (JFK), one stop on Virgin Atlantic; SriLankan Airlines.
** 11. TahitiBoth the Tahitian mainland and the outlying Islands of Tahiti have proved to be among the most magical destinations in the world. Travelers can use the main island as a springboard to explore the edges of Tahiti and discover the true heart of this paradise. Best airfare: **$1,098 to Faaa (PPT) from Los Angeles (LAX), direct on Air Tahiti Nui.
** 12. Hawaii** From dramatic natural vistas to high-end luxury resorts, from traditional Polynesian culture to epic personal adventures, Hawaii is where island daydreams come true. All that and more is why Hawaii is so celebrated. And each island has its own aloha spirit. Best airfare: $389 to Honolulu (HNL) from Los Angeles (LAX), direct on Hawaiian Airlines.