St Barts private flight car service with BlaakLane.com starts at Remy de Haenen Airport (SBH), a short airstrip that takes small turboprops and piston aircraft rather than jets. Book a fixed fare for your villa or hotel; the chauffeur meets you at the terminal door, and ramp-side pickup is possible only with the handler's and aircraft operator's approval.
Why St Barts needs a different plan
Remy de Haenen Airport has one of the most talked-about approaches in the Caribbean: a runway of roughly 650 metres, a hill and a road on one end and St Jean beach on the other. Pilots need a specific local qualification, and the aircraft that use it are small: Twin Otters, Cessna Caravans, Pilatus PC-12s and similar types. Business jets do not land here. The airport operates in daylight only, so the last arrivals of the day land before sunset.
That shapes the ground plan. Most private jet passengers fly into Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) on Sint Maarten, then continue by a short commuter or charter flight of about 15 minutes, or by ferry to Gustavia. BlaakLane.com books the car at the St Barts end, and if you want help on the Sint Maarten side too, see our Sint Maarten country page.
How to book an SBH pickup
Use the reservation engine on this page or book. Choose SBH as the pickup, enter the connecting flight or the aircraft registration and the expected arrival time, then add your villa or hotel. If your connection depends on the jet's arrival at SXM, put both times in the notes; the chauffeur on St Barts is timed to the actual landing of the island hop.
Trips on the island are driven by a vetted local affiliate operator from the LimousineWorldwide.Directory network, contracted to the BlaakLane.com written standard. The confirmation names the operator, the chauffeur and the vehicle.
Terminal door or ramp side?
The small terminal at SBH is only a few steps from the apron, and the standard pickup is at the terminal door. Meeting the aircraft ramp side needs approval from the handler and the aircraft operator, and at an airfield this compact the answer often depends on what else is moving on the apron. We ask when you request it; we cannot promise it.
Entry formalities on arrival
St Barthelemy is a French overseas collectivity. Its entry rules follow French law for the territory, which is not the same as mainland France or the Schengen area, and French border police check passports on arrival from Sint Maarten or further afield. Arrivals from the Dutch side of St Maarten still clear formalities at SBH. Check the entry requirements for your nationality on the Collectivite de Saint-Barthelemy site or with your travel adviser before you fly.
Distances on the island
St Barts is about 25 square kilometres, so no drive is long, but the roads are narrow, steep and slow, and parking in Gustavia is tight in high season.
| From SBH to | Typical drive |
|---|---|
| St Jean beach and hotels | 2-5 minutes |
| Gustavia harbour | 5-10 minutes |
| Lorient | 8-12 minutes |
| Flamands and the north-west villas | 10-15 minutes |
| Grand Cul-de-Sac | 10-15 minutes |
| Toiny | 15-20 minutes |
| Gouverneur and Saline beaches | 15-20 minutes |
Which vehicles work on St Barts?
The island rewards smaller cars. On the booker's nine fleet classes, the realistic choices are the Standard Sedan (2 passengers, 2 bags), the Luxury Executive Sedan (S-Class class, 2/2) where available, and the Standard Black SUV (Suburban class, 6/6) for a family with luggage. Full-size SUVs and vans are uncommon on the island, and a Luxury Stretch Limo, Party Bus or long Sprinter is not suited to the hairpins above Colombier or the driveways of hillside villas. The booker only shows classes that can be supplied for your date.
Luggage deserves a thought: the island hop from SXM carries limited weight, and large bags sometimes follow on a later flight. If that happens, tell the desk and a second short pickup can be booked to bring the bags to your villa.
Discreet villa arrivals
St Barts guests often rent private villas with gated drives and a villa manager who meets them. Add the manager's name and phone number to the booking so the chauffeur can call ahead, and add any gate instructions. The chauffeur uses the passenger name you provide, does not display signs at the terminal unless you ask, and does not photograph passengers.
Getting around during the stay
An hourly chauffeur (three-hour minimum) is useful for dinner in Gustavia and a late return up the hill, for a beach lunch at Saline or Gouverneur, or for a day that includes shopping on Rue de la Republique. New Year's Eve, the Bucket regatta in spring and the Caribbean Film Festival season are the busiest times; book early for those dates.
Leaving St Barts
For departures, set the pickup around the island hop's check-in time, not the jet's wheels-up time at SXM. Because SBH closes at sunset, afternoon departures are the norm. The fare is fixed when you book; waiting beyond the included time runs in 15-minute blocks. Cancellation is free more than 72 hours out, then 10% within 72 hours, 50% within 48 hours and 100% within 24 hours or on a no-show. See rates for planning ranges.
Planning the connection through Sint Maarten
The jet-to-island link is where most St Barts arrivals lose time. Your aircraft lands at SXM, you clear formalities on the Dutch side, and then either walk to a waiting commuter aircraft or transfer to the ferry terminal in Philipsburg or Marigot. Handlers at SXM can often arrange a direct transfer between aircraft, but that is agreed between your flight department and the handler, not by us. What we need is the expected landing time of the final leg into SBH, or the ferry's scheduled arrival in Gustavia. If you arrive by ferry, choose Gustavia harbour as the pickup instead of the airport and the chauffeur will meet you at the quay.
Weather also matters. Crosswinds and passing squalls sometimes hold island flights for half an hour or more. Because the chauffeur is timed to the actual landing, a delay on the hop does not cost you waiting time; included waiting starts from touchdown at SBH.
Related pages
- Chauffeur service on St Barts for local trips.
- Private airport transfers and the full list of services.
- HNWI and family office travel and other industries.
Island visitor information is on the St Barth tourism site, and background on the airstrip is on Wikipedia.
