Anguilla has no long-haul flights, and the way you actually get there — a short hop from St Maarten, or a boat across an international border — is the part of the trip people plan last and should plan first. Get it wrong and you spend a night on the wrong island. Here is how the routes really work.
The two ways in
Fly into Anguilla directly. Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport (AXA) sits near The Valley. It takes considerably larger aircraft than neighbouring St Barts, and in recent years has seen scheduled direct service from US hubs alongside the regional operators. Routes and carriers change from season to season, so confirm what is flying for your dates rather than assuming — we check this as part of the booking.
Fly into St Maarten and cross by water. The more common route. Princess Juliana International (SXM) has non-stop service from most East Coast hubs and several European cities, and from there you cross to Anguilla by boat. It works well, and it is where the planning matters.
The border nobody mentions
St Maarten and Anguilla are different countries. St Maarten is Dutch, St Martin is French, and Anguilla is a British Overseas Territory with its own immigration. Whichever way you cross, you clear immigration on arrival in Anguilla, and again on the way out.
In practice this means a valid passport for everyone, and enough time built into the connection for two sets of formalities rather than one. It is routine and usually quick, but it is not a domestic transfer and should not be planned like one.
The boat options
The public ferry runs between Blowing Point in Anguilla and Marigot on the French side of St Martin, a crossing of roughly 25 minutes. It is inexpensive and frequent through the day, but it departs from Marigot rather than the airport, so you need a taxi across the island first — and the sailings stop in the evening.
Private boat charter collects you much closer to the airport and runs direct to Blowing Point, which removes the cross-island taxi and the ferry timetable in one step. For a family with luggage, or for anyone landing late, it is usually worth the difference, and it is what we arrange for most guests.
The timing rule
Do not book the last inbound connection of the day. The ferries stop in the evening, the small aircraft into AXA stop earlier than a big airport would suggest, and a delay on the long-haul leg turns a same-day arrival into a night in St Maarten and a villa night you paid for and did not use.
A mid-morning or early-afternoon arrival at SXM gives you room to absorb a short delay and still reach the villa in daylight. This matters most over the festive fortnight, when everything is full and there is no slack anywhere in the system.
Once you are there
You will need a car. Anguilla is small and flat but genuinely spread out, and only the Meads Bay and Barnes Bay areas really let you walk to a restaurant. Driving is on the left — a British Overseas Territory habit that surprises Americans more than it should — and a temporary local licence is generally required, which the hire company handles on arrival.
Distances are short: from West End to Shoal Bay East is about twenty-five minutes, and most villas are ten or fifteen minutes from a good restaurant.
Which villas are easiest to reach late
If your flights are tight or your group is arriving in waves, the west-end areas are closest to Blowing Point and the simplest to reach after dark — Meads Bay, Barnes Bay and Lockrum among them. The Beach House (sleeps 16), Cerulean (18) and Kandara (16) all sit in that part of the island.
The eastern end — Sandy Hill Bay and Shoal Bay East — is quieter and more private, at the cost of a longer transfer at the end of a long day. Worth knowing rather than worth avoiding.
What we handle
We book every villa directly — no platform fees, one point of contact — and the connection is part of the booking rather than an afterthought: the boat charter or ferry, the transfer at both ends, the car hire, and a realistic look at whether your flight times actually work. If they do not, we will say so before you book the villa.
For the island itself, see the Anguilla travel guide and where to stay in Anguilla.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get to Anguilla?
Either a short flight into Anguilla’s own airport (AXA), or a flight to St Maarten (SXM) followed by a ferry or private boat across to Blowing Point.
How long is the ferry from St Martin to Anguilla?
The public ferry from Marigot to Blowing Point takes roughly 25 minutes. A private charter runs direct from closer to the airport and skips the cross-island taxi.
Do you clear immigration between St Maarten and Anguilla?
Yes. They are separate countries — Anguilla is a British Overseas Territory — so you clear immigration on arrival and departure, and everyone needs a passport.
Can you fly direct to Anguilla?
Anguilla’s airport takes larger aircraft than neighbouring St Barts and has had direct scheduled service from US hubs in recent years, alongside regional operators. Routes change seasonally, so confirm what is flying for your dates.
Should I book the last flight of the day?
No. Ferries stop in the evening and the small aircraft finish earlier than you would expect, so a delayed final connection can cost you a night on St Maarten.
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