How to get to Grenada: airports, flights and border crossings

Maurice Bishop International Airport (GND) sits at Point Salines on the south-west tip of Grenada, a short drive from the main beach strip. It handles the scheduled international flights and the small regional services to Carriacou and other islands. The terminal is small, so immigration and baggage usually move quickly outside peak arrival banks.

Taxis wait outside arrivals; there is no rail or public bus link aimed at arriving passengers with luggage. Agree the fare before you get in, or confirm a hotel transfer when you book. If you land after dark, pre-arranged pickup is the simplest option, since street lighting on the coastal road is patchy.

A departure tax is normally included in your ticket price; confirm with your airline if you are unsure.

From the United States, the common pattern is a nonstop from Miami or a connecting flight through San Juan, Charlotte, New York or Atlanta. Nonstop time from Miami is roughly 4 hours; routings through the US east coast hubs add a connection but often widen the choice of dates and fares.

From the United Kingdom, most travellers connect through a European or Caribbean hub rather than fly nonstop; total travel time is usually 10–13 hours including the stop. From Canada, expect one connection through Toronto, Montreal or a US hub. From Australia and New Zealand, the trip runs through the US or Europe and typically takes 25 hours or more door to door.

Regional hops from Trinidad, Barbados, St Vincent and Carriacou are short and frequent enough to build into an island-hopping route. Fares and schedules change by season, so treat all times here as planning figures and check live schedules before booking.

Grenada has no land border, so the only alternatives to flying are ferry and private boat. Inter-island ferries and small aircraft link Grenada with Carriacou and Petite Martinique, and seasonal services have run between Grenada and St Vincent in the past; schedules change, so confirm before you plan around them.

Cruise ships call at St George's, and yachts clear in through the ports at St George's and Prickly Bay. If you arrive on a private vessel, you must clear immigration and customs at an official port of entry rather than anchoring and going ashore.

Grenada is an independent Commonwealth country, and most visitors from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland arrive visa-free for short stays. Passport validity rules and any entry fees change from time to time, so confirm the current requirements with an official source before you fly. Carry proof of onward travel and an address for your first night; both are commonly asked for at check-in or on arrival.

The currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar, fixed at 2.70 to the US dollar, and US dollars are widely accepted. Plugs are UK-style three-pin at 230 V, so bring an adapter if you are coming from North America. Driving is on the left on steep, narrow roads, which is worth remembering if you plan to pick up a car at the airport.

Travel insurance that covers medical evacuation is worth arranging before departure, since serious cases are often transferred off-island.

The dry season from January to May is the busiest window, and flights from the US and UK fill earliest around Christmas, New Year and the Easter break. Booking two to four months ahead usually gives the best mix of price and schedule; last-minute seats in peak weeks are expensive and often require an extra connection.

The wet season from June to November brings lower fares and fewer crowds, with the trade-off of afternoon showers and the Atlantic hurricane season running roughly June to November. If you travel then, build in flexibility and check your airline's change policy.