why are flights to aruba so expensive?

[fattypatty]

any thoughts? from jfk to aua = average $500+

from jfk to other Caribbean islands are about $350+

[Linda VH]

The more popular the destination, the more expensive the ticket.

[fattypatty]

Originally Posted by Linda VH

The more popular the destination, the more expensive the ticket.

but surely the islands are as popular as aruba is. no? i just can't understand why they're so much more expensive. paying $500+ is a lot, considering the room rates are also on the higher end compared to the other islands. i guess that's why aruba is so safe - everyone visiting is somewhat wealthy per se.

[Tom and Stanley]

This is why I fly during the week. I can usually get a round trip from Boston for about $400.00 non-stop. Once in a while I find a cheapy for about $300.00 round trip. Weekends are just out of the question. They got you and they know it. . . . .

Tom and Stanley

[Andrea J.]

imo and i may be wrong.....aruba is the most popular of the caribbean islands.

the reason the flights are as expensive as they are is because the demand for air warrants the price. (folks are willing to pay the fare for such a great destination. also too, the airlines knows that many of us are "married/locked in" to their timeshares and again, the demand for those air seats dictates the price of the seat/flight.

i do not think the visitors are particularly wealthy. maybe some of course, but many others use their timeshares or rental of timeshares and cook and eat in.

aruba definitely has a reputation of being safe and that causes some/many to visit aruba as opposed to acapulco, cancun, dominican republic or jamaica. in aruba one can leave their resort and feel comfortably safe.

the folks flying from the northeast always seem to have the better selection and the better fares than the folks traveling from other parts of the country.

in prior postings i think that you have mentioned that you exclusively fly jet blue to aruba. i have found that jet blue is a lttle too pricey for my wallet and AA typically has more reasonable fares.

in 33+ aruba trips dh and i have only paid over $500 each once, and most of the time we are in the $400 pp range. also too, we find that 8 or 10 years ago the flights were just as high as they are today.

one of our members, works for an airline, and he seems to think that the fares to these vacation destinations are fairly priced or even underpriced.

have a good holiday
andrea

Originally Posted by fattypatty

but surely the islands are as popular as aruba is. no? i just can't understand why they're so much more expensive. paying $500+ is a lot, considering the room rates are also on the higher end compared to the other islands. i guess that's why aruba is so safe - everyone visiting is somewhat wealthy per se.

[fattypatty]

for some reason jetblue has now come to dominate the northeast corridor flights to aruba. american has retrench drastically from this route - at least from jfk they have. american doesn't offer direct flights from nyc anymore during the weekdays - but only on sat/sun. after jetblue cornered the route here, they've slowly raised their prices every year. they were once the cheapest....now they are one of the most expensive. i just paid 174 (departing) and 234 (return) + 80 tax for a 10 day thur-sat traveling in mid june.......a few years ago that would cost me 400 or less.

perhaps, i shouldn't be complaining.....aruba is an hour further than the other islands.

trying to move the family breaks the buck....

[Andrea J.]

re: moving the family breaking the bank!
yes indeed.
our son has not traveled with us to aruba since christmas 2007 and prior to that was in 2004.
now that he is grown and on his own it is just paul and me.
considerably less expensive than paying for kevin and girlfriend (now wife).
i do not envy those days of buying 4, r/t tickets.

[qlaval]

You can add to the equation that Aruba is much farter to the south compare to the other Caribbean destinations in consequence the added cost of fuel is a major factor.

[arubamark]

I don't believe it's because it's the most popular place traveled to. Cancun and the Bahamas have many more travelers so I don't believe that's why the air is more expensive. Maybe to keep some of the rift raft out? Also it is one of the furthest south islands so it costs more in fuel. Just some thoughts.

All I know is whenever I talk to friends or people we meet it seems like Bahamas, Mexico, and Jamaica are the most common places traveled to. You will here Aruba once in a while especially for a honeymoon.

[rob o]

Originally Posted by fattypatty

i guess that's why aruba is so safe - everyone visiting is somewhat wealthy per se.

What makes Aruba safe is not the income of visitors.....bad people come in all income brackets.

What makes Aruba safe is the quality of the Aruban people.

Why is it expensive to fly to Aruba? Market conditions.....they charge what people will pay.