Why Are Flights To St. Lucia So Expensive? (Fly Cheap)

Airlines charge higher award rates for routes to St. Lucia, The average cost of round-trip flights to St. Lucia can be anywhere between $900 to $1200 for economy class. 

St. Lucia is famous for its majestic Piton Mountains, drive-in volcano, refreshing waterfalls, spectacular hiking trails, beautiful beaches, and super expensive but exclusive restaurants.

Are flights to St. Lucia expensive? If so, what is the average cost of a week-long trip to this paradise, and how to cut down all the extra costs?

This is what we will be discussing in this article. We will also try to find what airlines propose the best offers on their flights, and how long it takes to get through Hewanorra International Airport.

We will not be going too much into why are the flights so expensive but try to provide you with a definitive guide on the subject including the cheapest months to fly to St. Lucia. Let us dive deeper into this topic.

Is The Airfare To St. Lucia Expensive?

St. Lucia is one of the most expensive holiday destinations in the Caribbean. The average round-trip airfare to St. Lucia can be anywhere from around $900 to $1200.

The cost of living in St. Lucia is relatively low compared to that of the United States and the United Kingdom.

However, if you’re going to the country as a tourist, you are going to pay more than what you pay in the US.

The average cost of airfare to St. Lucia is more expensive than the Bahamas and Anguilla. These are some of the more expensive destinations in the Caribbean, with a higher cost of living too.

The round-trip airfare can range from somewhere around $900 to $1200 or more during the peak seasons.

What Is The Average Cost Of A Trip To St. Lucia?

The average cost of a week-long trip to St. Lucia can be between $2000 to $2800 per person, even if on a budget.

The cost of vacationing in St. Lucia is as expensive as it is in other Caribbean destinations.

Daily expenses like food, travel and sightseeing can cost anywhere around $30 to $80, depending on what you eat and how to travel.

Milk and meat are more expensive than they are in the US. Fruits are mostly imported so they’re also double the price you pay in the US. 

Even a 1-star hotel room can be available for as low as $30 to $40 per night. However, if you wish to stay in a 1 bedroom vacation rental, it can cost up to $140 to $180 per night. 

The cost of the rental depends on whether they are in the centre of the island or outside the city centre. 

What is most expensive are the flights to St. Lucia. An economy class round trip ticket can cost you anywhere between $900 to $1200.

This is higher than flying to most other Caribbean Islands.

Even on odd seasons when not many tourists travel to St. Lucia, round-trip tickets will only go as low as $700.

How Long Does It Take To Get Through St. Lucia Airport?

It usually takes about 45 mins to 1.5 hours to get through the security, customs, and covid screening at the airport. Customs alone can sometimes take more than 30 minutes.

Hewanorra International Airport boasts of its fast track services to get passengers through customs and covid screening efficiently.

It, however, operates a single terminal for both domestic and international arrivals and departures. It can get chronically overcrowded on weekends.

To avail of the fast track services, all you need to do is provide your exact flight details, including the flight number, date, and time of arrival to the staff. They will take you through it after that.

What Airlines Fly In And Out Of St. Lucia?

American Airlines, JetBlue, Delta, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, and Qatar Airways all fly in and out of St. Lucia.

Hewanorra International Airport primarily serves international flights. SLU, located on the outskirts of Castries on the north, serves all the inter-island flights.

Direct service in St. Lucia is available on many American flights. American Airlines from Miami, Charlotte, and Philadelphia; JetBlue from New York and Boston, and United Airlines from New Jersey and Chicago all provide direct services.

Direct flights are available from the US, Canada, UK, Germany, France, and the Caribbean all year long.

All US citizens need to provide with a valid passport when travelling to St. Lucia. Proof of anticipated departure is also needed.

What Is The Cheapest Flight To St. Lucia?

Travelling off-season to St. Lucia is cheaper compared to the peak season. So, consider travelling in October or January, to beat the price surge as well as the crowd.

The best time to visit St. Lucia is in November-December or March-April. This is also when everything, from flights to hotels and food is at least 16% more expensive than usual.

Flying from the east coast is also cheaper than flying from the west coast.

The cheapest trip to St Lucia is about $131 per person per day for travellers willing to take standby flights, deal with the inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses.

American and Delta also offer $300 economy flight tickets to passengers flying from New York and Philadelphia, who get to take a carry-on but have no seat assignment. An upgrade is possible based on availability.

Final Remarks

In this article, we tried to understand why the flights to St, Lucia are more expensive than other Caribbean islands and how can one fly there for cheaper.

Here’s a quick recap.

Why are flights to St Lucia so expensive? In addition to the extra taxes and fees, airlines also charge higher award rates for these routes. Thus, the average cost of round-trip flights to St. Lucia can be anywhere between $900 to $1200 for economy class.