Airplane beaches are a major draw for both avgeeks and travelers. One of the most famous spots is Maho Beach on the island of St. Maarten, best known for its close-up views of planes landing just overhead. Notably, many airlines serve this destination, ranging from European carriers to US airlines. This guide will explore the airlines flying to the planespotters’ island and the ways you can use miles to get there.
The planespotters’ paradise
Located in the northeastern Caribbean, St. Maarten is divided between the French Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and it is called Saint Martin and Sint Maarten, respectively. The French side of the island is larger, covering 20 square miles, compared to the Dutch side’s 13 square miles. However, the Dutch side is more densely populated and is home to Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM), the island’s main airport.
Photo: Skycolors | Shutterstock.com
While there is also an airport on the French side, SXM airport serves as the primary aviation hub, connecting to other islands in the region.
Airlines serving St. Maarten
According to aviation analytics company Cirium, 21 airlines will operate in St. Maarten in November 2024, with a total of 2,210 flights. Among these, Winair will have the highest number of flights to SXM this November. This comes as no surprise because Winair operates as a Dutch regional carrier based in St. Maarten.
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Airline |
Routes |
Number of flights in November 2024 |
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American Airlines |
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United Airlines |
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Delta Air Lines |
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Spirit Airlines |
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Frontier Airlines |
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Air Canada |
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Air France |
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Air Transat |
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Caribbean Airlines |
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COPA Airlines |
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Arajet |
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Golden Air |
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Silver Airways |
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JetAir Caribbean |
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Sunwing Airlines |
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Anguilla Air Services |
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Pan Air |
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Winair |
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Air Century |
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WestJet |
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Sunrise Airways |
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How to fly to SXM with US airline miles
Notably, a total of six US airlines are currently operating flights between St. Maarten and US destinations. Here, we will examine how to fly to St. Maarten using American airline loyalty miles.
The Delta case
In November 2024, 
Delta Air Lines
will operate two routes to St. Maarten (SXM): one from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and another from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL). Delta will operate only four direct flights from JFK, compared to 28 from ATL.
Photo: Mayskyphoto | Shutterstock
Starting December 19, 2024, Delta will launch flights from Minneapolis–St. Paul Airport (MSP) to St. Maarten using its Boeing 757. Delta flights to St. Maarten (SXM) will operate on Thursdays and Saturdays.
Delta’s SkyMiles loyalty program allows members to earn points by flying and redeem them for flights. For example, Delta states that a round-trip flight between Atlanta (ATL) and SXM would cost around 83,000 SkyMiles points, plus an additional $91 for a seat in Delta’s basic cabin. Meanwhile, a round-trip between MSP and SXM would cost approximately 62,000 SkyMiles points in the Delta’s basic cabin.
Notably, the Atlanta-based airline will also launch a flight between MSP and Aruba (AUA) around the same time.
The American Airlines case
American Airlines
will offer 83 flights to St. Maarten from three US destinations — Miami International Airport (MIA), Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) — in November 2024. If you’re a member of the American Airlines AAdvantage loyalty program, you can redeem AAdvantage miles to book flights to St. Maarten.
A round-trip flight from Miami (MIA) to St. Maarten (SXM) will cost approximately 43,500 AAdvantage
miles plus an additional $90 in the main cabin. A round-trip from Charlotte (CLT) to St. Maarten (SXM) will cost about 52,000 AAdvantage miles plus an additional $96. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia (PHL) to SXM round-trip would cost between 50,000 and 57,000 AAdvantage miles.
Photo: Thiago B. Trevisan I Shutterstock
The United case
United Airlines
will offer 52 flights to St. Maarten from three US destinations, including Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), New York Newark International Airport (EWR), and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD).
According to United’s website, a round-trip flight from St. Maarten (SXM) to New York (EWR) costs just 10,000 MileagePlus
points in the economy cabin. A round-trip from Washington, DC (IAD) to SXM ranges between 20,000 and 22,000 points, while the journey from Chicago (ORD) to SXM costs around 28,000 points.
The Spirit case
Spirit Airlines
route network offers flights from Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL) to Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM). In November 2024, the low-cost carrier will operate 18 flights between the two destinations using its fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft.
Although Spirit is a low-cost carrier, it offers a frequent flier program called Free Spirit. Award flights start at just 2,500 points, and the program guarantees that members can redeem points for any seat on any flight with no blackout dates.
The JetBlue case
The New York-based carrier offers flights to Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) from two US airports, including Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and New York (JFK). In November 2024, JetBlue will operate a total of 81 flights: 68 from JFK to SXM and 13 from BOS to SXM.
The round-trip journey from JFK to St. Maarten costs TrueBlue points, while for the flight from BOS to St. Maarten, you’ll need TrueBlue points.
The Frontier case
Frontier Airlines, another US low-cost carrier, offers flights to St. Maarten from its hub at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) in Puerto Rico. A flight from SJU to St. Maarten (SXM) costs 30,000 FrontierMiles.