Fly to Aruba for as low as $314 from 5 US cities

Spend your next big trip sailing on sunset cruises, riding all-terrain vehicles on white sand and marveling at colorful Dutch colonial architecture: Round-trip fares to Aruba start at only $314.

Through this deal, you can fly to Aruba from New York City and Austin as well as from smaller cities such as Hartford, Connecticut. The deal applies to five U.S. cities and all round-trip fares are below $380.

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Better yet, this deal runs in the winter — one of the most ideal times to visit Aruba. Since Aruba is always such a popular island destination, we recommend booking your trip as soon as possible.

Deal basics

Airlines: Delta Airlines, American Airlines and JetBlue.
Routes: New York, Newark, Baltimore, Austin and Hartford to Oranjestad, Aruba.
How to book: Find your best dates through Google Flights, then book directly through the airline.
Travel dates: Varies by city, but generally from November 2022 to July 2023, excluding holidays.
Book by: ASAP.

Thanks to Scott’s Cheap Flights for finding these deals. Scott’s Cheap Flights has discounts up to 90% with its Premium membership, which includes a 14-day trial and costs $49 each year. Upgrade to the site’s Elite Tier membership for $199 a year to receive Premium deals and premium economy, business-class and first-class deals.

Sample flights

The only nonstop flights to Aruba’s Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA) depart from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Every other flight in this deal includes layovers in cities such as Charlotte, Miami and New York City. Here are a few flights that stood out:

• American: From Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (ATX), starting at $314.
• Delta: From JFK, starting at $330.
• American: From Hartford Bradley International Airport (BDL), starting at $338.
• American: From LaGuardia International Airport (LGA), starting at $341.
• American: From Newark International Airport (EWR), starting at $341.
• JetBlue: From JFK, starting at $370.

Note that these deals only apply to basic economy fares. We suggest using Google Flights to first determine your availability and then book directly through the airline. Booking directly through the airline provides a better cushion in the event your flight is suddenly canceled or delayed, or if the booking details change.

Prices on Google Flights may also differ slightly from those displayed on airlines’ websites since Google Flights sometimes provides third-party booking options. When booking a weeklong trip from Austin on March 21 to March 28, 2023, the fares on Google Flights are around the same as those on American Airlines; both platforms say the flight costs about $314.

American Airlines' basic economy fare does not let you select a seat without paying an additional fee and leaves you to board in the last group. However, the fare allows you to bring one free carry-on for the flight.

Even if American Airlines’ basic economy does not have many perks, Google Flights shows that the $314 fare from Austin is $312 cheaper than normal.

For an extra $80, you can upgrade to American Airlines’ Main Cabin, which lets you choose a seat and assigns you to general boarding. Both economy options charge $60 for the first checked bag.

En route to Aruba, you can pay anywhere between $12 and $41 to select a seat. The more expensive seats tend to have more legroom and complimentary beer, wine and spirits. Seat selection prices for flights back to Austin range from $9 to $45. Note that both flights include a layover in Miami.

Maximize your purchase

Make sure to use a card that earns you bonus points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express (5 points per dollar on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel), on up to $500,000 on such purchases per calendar year, Citi Prestige® Card (5 points per dollar on airfare), Citi Premier® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve (3 points per dollar on airfare), American Express® Gold Card (3 points per dollar on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2 points per dollar on travel). See this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.

The information for the Citi Prestige Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Bottom line

With this deal, you can enjoy an island getaway without shelling out tons of money on airfare. Since this deal runs through Aruba’s peak tourism season, we recommend booking your trip as soon as possible — seats are sure to fill up.

Fares to Aruba typically run between $550 and $650, so with discounts of at least 50%, this deal is definitely worth it.