5 October 2023
This winter, ditch the cold weather and head for the palm trees and crystal clear waters of Guadeloupe in the French Caribbean. American Airlines and Jetblue are offering round-trip flights to the archipelago for as low as $316 from multiple U.S. cities.
Flights land in Pointe-a-Pitre, a city on the island of Grande-Terre known for its lively markets, fresh seafood and French colonial buildings that may remind you of New Orleans. From here, you can head to beautiful beaches such as Sainte-Anne and Saint-Francois.
Deal basics
Airlines: American and Jetblue
Routes: Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco to Guadeloupe
How to book: Browse Google Flights and book directly through the airline
Travel dates: December 2023 through March 2024
Book by: As soon as possible
Blackout dates: Most dates around the holidays
Sample flights
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to Pointe-a-Pitre International Airport (PTP), starting at $379
Denver International Airport (DEN) to PTP, starting at $379
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to PTP, starting at $389
New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to PTP, starting at $316
New York City’s LaGuardia International Airport (LGA) to PTP, starting at $331
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to PTP, starting at $387
There is plenty of availability from JFK in January and February, according to Google Flights.
GOOGLE FLIGHTS
These $316 are operated by Jetblue. The price applies to the airline’s Blue Basic tickets, which don’t come with a carry-on bag.
GOOGLE FLIGHTS
Unless you can fit a week’s worth of clothes in a small backpack, you’ll have to pay $50 to upgrade to Blue (which comes with a carry-on) or $60 to check a bag.
Or, you can fly American from LGA for $331 and get a carry-on included. However, these flights have a layover in Miami which isn’t ideal.
GOOGLE FLIGHTS
Maximize your purchase
If you want to take an American flight, book with your Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® to earn 2 AAdvantage miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases.
If you don’t have an applicable airline card, use a credit card that earns bonus points on airfare purchases, such as:
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: 2 points per dollar on travel
American Express® Gold Card: 3 points per dollar on airfare when booked directly through the airline or American Express Travel
The Platinum Card® from American Express: 5 points per dollar on airfare when booked directly through the airline or American Express Travel on up to $500,000 of these purchases per calendar year
Citi Premier® Card (see rates and fees): 3 points per dollar on airfare
Chase Sapphire Reserve: 3 points per dollar on airfare
Bottom line
The islands of Guadeloupe are well worth a visit, and with flights starting at just $316, a French Caribbean vacation is hard to pass up. However, when you’re booking, pay attention to baggage fees that may add to your overall cost.
Related reading:
The 22 best Caribbean resorts, from boutique literary haunts to exclusive private-island escapes
8 best overwater bungalows in the Caribbean
Bahamas bliss: What it’s like staying at the Rosewood Baha Mar
The best travel credit cards of October 2023