GETTING TO VIEQUES
The beautiful and unspoiled island of Vieques, Puerto Rico is a small island about 7 miles southeast of Puerto Rico. Getting to Vieques can seem a little overwhelming when you first start to plan your travel, so here’s a simple guide to the options to get you to Vieques.
GETTING FROM SAN JUAN TO VIEQUES
For most visitors, flying from San Juan is the easiest and fastest way to get from the main island to Vieques. There are 3 airports with flights from the main island to Vieques. They vary in both amount of time it takes and the total cost. Check out the 3 options for flying below.
Fly into San Juan International (SJU). Once you arrive in San Juan, you will need to get to Vieques - there are a number of options that vary by cost and time. The easiest option (but most costly) is to fly from San Juan directly to Vieques. The least expensive (but most time consuming) is to take a taxi to the Ferry at the Ceiba ferry port. It's about a 1 hour taxi or Uber ride and a 35 minute to 1 hour ferry to Vieques. Two options in between are to fly out of either Isla Grande or Ceiba, both of which are less expensive than flying from San Juan International, and take less time than the ferry. The option you choose below may also be dependent on the time of your arriving or departing flight to or from San Juan.
FLY TO VIEQUES
FLY FROM SAN JUAN TO VIEQUES
Flying from San Juan (SJU) to Vieques is the fastest way to get to Vieques but also the most expensive. Cape Air flies this route and it’s a 25 -30 minute flight and fares start at $139 one way.
FLY FROM ISLA GRANDE TO VIEQUES
Flying from Isla Grande (SIG) to Vieques is the next fastest and is also a little less expensive. You’ll need to take a cab from San Juan to Isla Grande and fly from there to Vieques. The taxi takes about 20 minutes and the flight is 30 minutes. Vieques Airlink flies this route and fares start at $107 one way.
FLY FROM CEIBA TO VIEQUES
Flying from Ceiba (RVR) to Vieques takes a little longer but the flight is the least expensive. This is also a good option if you are staying on the main island for a few nights before coming to Vieques. The taxi/Uber takes 1 - 1.5 hours and costs $80 - $100. Vieques Airlink flies this route and ares start at $56 one way.
CHARTER A FLIGHT
A final option for flying to Vieques, is to schedule a charter flight to Vieques. We have used Taxi aereo in the past and highly recommend them. They fly from San Juan, Isla Grande and Ceiba to Vieques. Planes hold up to 5 passengers and rates are based on departing airport. Check routes, rates and availability at Taxi Aereo
FERRY TO VIEQUES
TAKE THE FERRY FROM CEIBA TO VIEQUES
The last option is to take the ferry from the Ceiba ferry dock to Vieques. If you choose this option, you will need to take a taxi or Uber from San Juan to the ferry which takes about 1 - 1.5 hours and costs $80 - $100. The ferry cost is $2.00 each way.
Insider Tips and Recommendations
In order to decide which option is best for your trip, there’s a number of things that you need to consider.
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You will ideally want to arrive in San Juan by 3 pm to have the most options for getting to Vieques as the last flights to Vieques typically depart around 6 pm. If you arrive later than that, your only option may be to take the ferry or spend the night in San Juan and fly to Vieques the next morning. The last ferry out of Ceiba is typically around 8 pm.
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If there are only 1 or 2 people traveling in your party, it may make more sense to fly from SJU or SIG to avoid the cost of the taxi or Uber to Ceiba to fly or take the ferry from Ceiba. If it’s a larger party, dividing that cost by the number of people makes the cost per passenger lower and may make it worth the cost of the taxi/uber.
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If your trip to Vieques is less than 5 days, flying in from San Juan or Isla Grande will give you more time to enjoy your time on the beautiful island, cutting 3 - 4 hours of travel time.
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With a larger group and traveling on a budget, taking the ferry is most likely your best option. If the cost is not a major concern, flying from San Juan is definitely preferred.
Insider Tips
Insider Tip: HMS Ferries sells a limited number of ferry tickets online at www.puertoricoferry.com. Tickets are only released a few weeks to a few months in advance so check as your trip gets closer. It’s always best to purchase in advance, if available, however, the majority of tickets are available at the ferry so if you get there early enough, you should be able to purchase at the ticket office.
Insider Tip: Vieques Airlink charges extra for baggage over 25 pounds, including carry on bags and personal items. The extra charge is $2.00 per pound for each pound over 25. This is definitely something to consider when deciding your travel route as the extra baggage fees can easily raise the cost as much as another $25 per person.
About Me
My husband and I own our own slice of paradise on Vieques Island and love to share it with guests when we are not there. We have been coming to the island since 2014 and purchased Villa Destino in 2015, after we fell in love with Vieques. We love to share our insights and knowledge of the island with our guests and anyone who visits. To learn more about Villa Destino, check our our website through this link Villa Destino.
