How to Maximize on your Travel Time when traveling to Jamaica

You’ve booked your flight and hotel reservation, and now you’re packed and ready for that beach vacation you’ve been dying to take. You board your flight and you hear the pilot says “ready to take off”, you smile and brace for it and off you go. Now you’re staring at the fluffy clouds daydreaming about relaxing on a white sandy beach in Jamaica while having a Bob Marley drink and staring at the mesmerizing blue ocean. You just can’t wait to get there! 

Well, that’s the dream right? But does traveling always go that smoothly? Is it as simple as that? We hate to break it to you, but it’s not always dream clouds and clear blue skies. From jammed packed airports to waiting in long lines, traveling can go from a dreamy state to a wake up call in a flash. That’s why we’re here to help you. If this is your first time traveling to Jamaica or you’ve been before, there are a few things that will help you maximize on your travel time and prevent some nuances, so that most of the time you spend on our island will be spent doing exactly what you want to do- relaxing and having fun! 😁

Book direct flights

We have to admit that layovers can be quite a drag sometimes. Sitting in an airport for hours staring at the time, constantly checking if your next flight is ready (because you sure don’t want to miss it) can quickly take a toll on you mentally and physically. Sometimes this is something that you might not be able to avoid, depending on where you’re traveling from. Don’t lose hope now, we’re happy to let you know that if you’re traveling from the United States, Canada, parts of Europe, UK or the  Caribbean there are some airlines that you can use to book direct flights to Jamaica. 

There’s nothing like flying straight into your dream vacation, so if you’re able to book a direct flight then do that. You can book direct flights to Jamaica from these airlines: 

• Air Canada
• American Airlines 
• British Airways 
• Caribbean Airlines 
• Cayman Airways
• Copa Airlines 
• Delta 
• Frontier
• JetBlue 
• Southwest 
• Spirit 
• Sunwing Airlines 
• Tui Airways 
• United Airlines 
• Virgin Atlantic 
• Westjet

Use Club Mobay / Club Kingston

Don’t you just hate going through long lines at the airport? When you finally land, you just can’t wait to get to the beach! Not stuck in a crowded airport. Jamaica is the top tourist destination in the English-speaking Caribbean, so you can imagine that our airports are usually crowded (especially on weekends). Luckily for you, you can skip the long lines.

Airport lounges are becoming more popular and Club Mobay/ Kingston is no exception. When you use their VIP Airport Service upon arrival, you will get a warm Jamaican Meet & Greet, where a rep meets you and helps with the check- in process. They will take care of everything, from fast tracking you through Immigrations and Customs to helping you retrieve your bags. You can relax in their world-class lounge for a bit and enjoy the luxury of complimentary food and drinks, watch a movie, there’s a play area for the kids and even a shower. 

This is available both at the Sangster’s International Airport in Montego Bay and Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston. 

Pro tip: If you’re traveling to Jamaica on a weekend and would like to use the VIP Airport Arrival Service, we recommend booking your pass at least a month in advance because the passes for weekend arrivals are usually booked out very fast. 

Fill out the Jamaica Immigration Form before you get to the airport

Have you ever been to the airport and you just can’t avoid filling out forms? Sometimes we even forget our pens! 

The Jamaica Tourist Board has made it a bit easier for people traveling to Jamaica, so that when you get to the airport there’s no need to fill out an immigration/customs form. It’s not required that this must be done before you get to Jamaica, but it will surely give you more time to take a nap on your flight, read a book or watch a movie. And the big plus, is that you won’t have to spend time at the airport filling out this form. You can easily fill out the C5 Immigrations/Customs card by going to enterjamaica.com 

Opt for private airport transfers

Yes! You’ve finally made it through Immigration and Customs, you’ve got your bags and now all you want to do is get to your hotel/resort, change into your swimwear and hit the beach. Well, it’s just that there’s one more thing. Your airport transfer is a part of a package that you booked with your travel agent or when you booked online, and now you have another wait. You’re sitting on a big bus waiting for other people who aren’t traveling with you, and are even going to different resorts to go through the same process you’ve just felt relieved about getting over and done with. After waiting for minutes to hours, if your resort is not the first stop, you’ll be stopping at a few other resorts to drop off other guests. Now, you’ve just lost at least 2 hours of your travel time. 

If this doesn’t sound like the kinda thing you want to be doing, then you can book private airport transfers before you get to the island. As soon as you’re done with the Airport process and you’re ready to get to your hotel your driver will take you and your travel party straight to your hotel/resort/villa. Everything is done on your timing, so even if you want to make a quick stop along the way to get some local food, then go for it. 

Land at the nearest airport

There are 2 main airports in Jamaica- Sangster’s International Airport (MBJ) in Montego Bay and Norman Manley International Airport (KIN) in Kingston. Whether or not you book your flights before your hotel, or as a package, it’s best to land into the nearest airport to where you’ll be staying on the island. This will save you hours of traveling from the airport to your hotel/resort/villa. 

If you’re staying on the North, West or South coast of Jamaica (Montego Bay, Trelawny, Ocho Rios, Hanover, Negril or St. Elizabeth), choose a flight that lands at the airport in Montego Bay. If you’re staying in Kingston or Portland, book a flight that lands at the airport in Kingston. 

And that’s a wrap

We can all agree that traveling is fun, but before you’re actually on a beach somewhere, the other aspects of travel can be a bit hectic. We hope this will help you maximize your travel time and make the most of your trip. If there are any other tips and tricks you normally use to save time when traveling, we’d love to hear it.

Until next time- live, laugh and explore!