How to get to Guadeloupe

As I write this, we have been living in Guadeloupe for just over a month and a half. After introducing you to a few hiking spots, including the Cascade du Paradis in Vieux-Habitants, it is time to start sharing practical articles that will make planning your trip to Guadeloupe a little easier. So, let’s begin with the basics: how do you get to Guadeloupe?

The question may sound obvious, but it is the first one we ask before any vacation or road trip: how do we get there? In this article, I will cover the main ways to travel to Guadeloupe, whether you are coming from mainland France, another French-speaking region, a neighboring island, or farther afield. The article was originally written for French readers, but I have added more information for travelers coming from the United States and Canada.

Since publishing this guide, we have also put together everything you need to know to budget for your stay in Guadeloupe.

After four years of blogging, we still receive this question regularly for many destinations. We will look at the different options, whether you travel by plane or by boat, as well as the airlines serving the Guadeloupe Islands.

Travel conditions changed frequently during the Covid period when this article was first written. Those temporary vaccination and compelling-reason requirements are no longer presented here as current rules. Before traveling, always check the latest entry and health requirements with the relevant authorities and your airline. Prices also vary considerably with the season, which is the subject of another guide: when is the best time to visit Guadeloupe?

The former Covid information page remains available on the official website of the Prefecture of Guadeloupe, but it should be treated as an archive rather than as a source of current entry requirements.

There are two main ways to reach Guadeloupe: by plane or by boat. Unless you are terrified of flying or genuinely want to spend around 10 days at sea instead of roughly eight hours in the air, very few travelers come by boat from mainland France. Sea travel is more realistic from nearby Caribbean islands, although transatlantic options do exist. I will cover them later in the article.

Because this article was originally written in French, many readers will be traveling from France, Quebec, or another French-speaking country such as Belgium or Switzerland. I will therefore focus mainly on those departure points.

Guadeloupe’s main international airport is Guadeloupe Pôle Caraïbes Airport, formerly known as Pointe-à-Pitre–Le Raizet Airport. In 2019, before the Covid pandemic, it handled around 2.5 million passengers and was the busiest airport in the French overseas territories.

If you want to visit Guadeloupe from France, here is some general information you should know:

• There are three airlines that fly to the island of Guadeloupe: Air France, Air Caraïbes, and Corsair.
• Most flights from Paris are nonstop, but depending on the season and the company, it is possible to stop over for a few hours in Fort-de-France in Martinique or Cayenne in French Guiana.
• The cheapest and most frequent flights usually depart from Paris airports.
• However, you can find competitive fares from many provincial cities, and, depending on the season, some nonstop options.
• Air France schedules may include services from Paris-Orly and Paris-Charles de Gaulle; routes can change by season,
• Corsair and Air Caraïbes generally operate their Paris services from Paris-Orly.

From Paris and the surrounding area, you can compare the three airlines mentioned above. Fares change with the season and can vary considerably from one day to the next, even when the airlines appear broadly similar. My usual advice applies here: avoid fixing an exact departure date or choosing an airline too early whenever possible. Even one or two days of flexibility can make a noticeable difference to the price.

Depending on where you live, taking the TGV to Paris may be more practical or affordable than booking a connecting flight from another French city.

Not everyone lives in Paris, of course, so the best option will depend on your departure city. Based on my research, here are the main points to keep in mind:

Direct routes from regional French airports change from one season to another. Links from cities such as Bordeaux and Lyon have been offered at certain times, but they should not be assumed to operate year-round. In many cases, travelers will still connect through Paris, so check the current schedule for your dates before making plans.

For other cities outside Paris, you have several options (in my opinion). Whether it is Bordeaux, Lyon or other large cities, you will always have the same dilemma. You can therefore choose between:

• Doing the first part of your trip by train to get to Paris, and then follow it up with a flight from Paris -> Pointe-à-Pitre. This is sometimes more economical depending on the departure station, but you need to allow enough time to reach your departure airport. Think about it carefully, for example if you go from Montpellier to Paris by TGV, you will arrive at the Gare de Lyon and your flight will leave from Paris Charles de Gaulle – the journey can quickly become complicated,
• Finding a flight with a stopover in Paris, which I think is the easiest. I did my research, and whether it is from Bordeaux, Lyon, Montpellier or other cities, you will almost always find flights with a 2 to 4-hour stopover in Paris. The easiest way is to buy the whole trip together and not two different tickets. Ideally, stay with the same company between these two flights. If there is a problem with your first flight (delay), the second company will not be responsible for the missed connection if you miss the second one. If I look closely, I see that it is very often flights with Air France for a stopover in the capital, since the company offers a large number of flights from provincial cities to Paris airports.
• Pay close attention to the airport details as well. I’ve looked at an example of Nantes – Pointe-à-Pitre, and I noticed that the majority of the cheapest flights make a stopover in Paris Charles de Gaulle, but the second flight leaves from Orly. So, you may need to change airports between your two flights, which is clearly not practical, knowing that with the Covid crisis, the “Bus Direct” no longer operates and you will have no other choice than taking a taxi (about €80) or the RER B (cheaper but time-consuming with luggage). Be careful to compare the flights in detail!

Of course, not everyone is traveling from mainland France. Guadeloupe can also be reached from other French territories. Here is a quick overview, with links you can use to compare current fares:

• Going from Martinique to Guadeloupe: Air France, Air Caraïbes, and regional airlines operate the route. Prices are around around €150 round trip,
• Going to Guadeloupe from Saint-Martin: Air Antilles Express and Air Caraïbes fly to Guadeloupe from Saint-Martin. Expect to pay between €120 and €160 round trip,
• Going from Saint-Barthélemy to Guadeloupe: service may be available with regional carriers. €120 to €140 round-trip ticket
• Traveling from French Guiana to Guadeloupe: Air Antilles Express and Air France are the only airlines serving Guadeloupe, with prices between €400 and €500 round trip.

I also wanted to include a few details for travelers coming from outside France. Guadeloupe is reasonably well connected internationally. I will not list every country or island with a possible route, but these are some of the most useful options to explore:

• Air France now offers direct flights from New York and Miami. From New York, JetBlue may offer competitively priced flights, depending on the season and operating schedule,
• For Canadians, it is possible to visit Guadeloupe directly from Montréal,
• Travelers from Belgium can fly from Brussels, but with 1 or 2 stopovers,
• Finally, it is also possible to reach Guadeloupe from many Caribbean islands (Antigua, Dutch Antilles, Haiti, Barbados, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic or Saint Lucia).

It may sound like an unusual idea, but searches for traveling from France to Guadeloupe by boat come up surprisingly often. I did quite a bit of research, and this is what I found:

• There are cargo boats from several companies that cross the Atlantic Ocean to get to Guadeloupe. I found operators such as Mer & Voyages, as well as voyagesencargo (prices vary and should be checked directly),
• Allow roughly 10 days for the crossing,
• There are also boats between Martinique and Guadeloupe, including Express des Iles which offers round-trip tickets from €80, or the company Jeansforfreedom (from €70 round-trip ticket).

Here are a few practical points to keep in mind while planning your trip:

• French citizens can normally travel to Guadeloupe with a valid national identity card or passport,
• Entry requirements vary by nationality. EU, EEA, and Swiss travelers should check the document rules that apply to their situation, while other travelers may need a passport and, depending on their nationality, a visa,
• Obviously, if you are planning a stopover (for any reason) in the USA, you will need a passport and the famous ESTA,
• No Covid vaccination requirement is currently stated here; check current health recommendations before departure.

That brings us to the end of this guide to reaching Guadeloupe by plane or by boat. The main options should all be covered here, but feel free to leave a comment if you think there is something useful to add.

In the meantime, start dreaming about your trip with our guide to the beautiful Pointe des Châteaux.

See you soon for the next article!

Written by Sylvain PONS

Since 2021, I've been living in the Guadeloupe archipelago with Mélanie and our two children. We are exploring these beautiful islands and discovering the treasures that we are happy to share with you!

Despite our care, a mistake may have slipped into this article. If you find any, please don't hesitate to let us know so we can correct it as soon as possible and keep our information up-to-date!