When is the Cheapest Time to Fly to Oranjestad?
If you want to avoid crowds and find cheap flights to Oranjestad, book your trip for September. The trade winds die, making it feel hotter on the island, and there are fewer tourists. Return flights to Oranjestad in the low season (mid-April to mid-December) will also be cheaper, providing it’s not a British school holiday. The carnival season from January to March is in the middle of the high season and brings more crowds and higher flight prices.
When is the Best Time to Book your Flight to Oranjestad?
If you plan to escape the winter and enjoy Caribbean carnivals, Oranjestad flights in the high season should be booked at least four months in advance. You are more likely to find last-minute Oranjestad flights if you travel in the low season, but for cheap flights to Oranjestad, the key is to be flexible with your travel dates.
Flying to Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA)
AUA is known by three names: Internationale Luchthaven Koningin Beatrix in Dutch, Aeropuerto Internacional Reina Beatrix in Papiamento and Queen Beatrix International Airport in English. It was named after Aruba’s former Queen and head of state, the now-retired Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands.
The only direct flights to Oranjestad from the United Kingdom (UK) leave from London Gatwick with TUI Airways from May to October each year. Most flights to Oranjestad from the UK will have a stopover. The easiest route is through Amsterdam, typically with KLM or TUI Airways. However, if you’d like to fly via the United States (US), there are multiple cities to choose from for your stopover, including Miami, Philadelphia, Atlanta and New York City. Multiple airlines serve the American routes, and it’s easy to fly from most UK airports to any of the previously mentioned stopovers.
On Arrival and Getting Around the Airport
The airport has several amenities available for arriving passengers. There are ATMs in the arrivals hall and baggage claim area as well as a bank, where you can make transactions and exchange money. The airport has free Wi-Fi, duty-free shopping and food and drinks available in the arrivals area. AUA has one terminal. However, when you depart Aruba, there are separate halls depending on where you are heading. To the left of the arrivals hall is where non-US bound passengers should check in and go through security and customs. To the right of the hall is the area for US-bound flights.
Getting to the City from Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA)
Arriving travellers have a number of options available for transport from the airport to Oranjestad. A public bus, Arubus, runs into the city daily and can be found just outside the terminal. From there, you’ll then be able to transfer to many, other locations on the island. Taxi companies adhere to set rates to various hotels across the island; a price list is available from the driver or dispatcher at the airport. There are a number of car hire companies in the arrival hall, but even more companies are accessible through a shuttle bus located outside the terminal.
Why Visit Oranjestad?
Aruba is the smallest island in the Leeward Antilles and lies just 20 kilometres off the Venezuelan coast. It is just 31.5 kilometres long and 10 kilometres wide, at its widest point. Aruba is blessed with excellent, warm weather all year round, averaging a solid 28 degrees Celsius with trade winds helping to make it feel comfortable and cool. Stunning beaches, Caribbean allure and the charming capital Oranjestad make this one of the most popular islands in the area.
Oranjestad is a popular port for Caribbean cruises and can be swamped by day trippers, but, thankfully, their time in the city is short, leaving you plenty of time to stroll around this easily walk-able and cute capital. If you visit between January and March, you’ll be delighted by the annual carnival’s dazzling costumes and lively and colourful processions. For those wishing to chill, the stunning beaches are never too far away.
Don't Forget Before you Fly
The official currency is the Aruban florin (AWG), although you can also use the US dollar, which is accepted as currency on the island. ATMs dispense both AWG and US dollars. Major credit cards are accepted in most tourist establishments. Prices will often be quoted in US dollars, but you will get change in either dollars or florin. British passport holders do not need a visa for stays of up to three months. Your passport only needs to be valid for the duration of your stay in Aruba.
