Puerto Rico deal alert: Nonstop fares from NYC, LA, Chicago & more from $233

Puerto Rico is known for its rich culture, savory food and irresistible beaches. So when you get a chance to book a ticket at a great price, you don't think about it; you just do it and pack your bags!

You can find drastically reduced fares to the popular Caribbean destination from several U.S. cities, including Charlotte, Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland. A good number of routes are nonstop. Most fares are economy class, but the cheapest tickets we found on JetBlue and United did not come with a free carry-on. So keep that mind as you shop around.

These discounted fares are for travel to San Juan and Aguadilla. Availability is fairly widespread, available for travel between December and May 2022, and even next fall, during September and October 2022. This offer does not include travel across Christmas and New Year's Eve.

Want your TPG news delivered straight to your inbox each morning? Sign up for our daily newsletter

Our friends at Scott's Cheap Flights sent this fare deal out to their Elite Membership subscribers.

However, you can still score a discounted ticket if you're not a subscriber. Simply use Google Flights and search for your desired routes and dates. As always, flexibility in your travel plans will help you nab the best prices.

Deal basics

Airlines: American, Delta, JetBlue, United
Routes: ABE/CLT/EWR/JFK/LAX/MCO/ORD/PDX/RDU to San Juan, PR (SJU) and Aguadilla, PR (BQN).
Cost: From $233 round-trip
Dates: December -- May 2022 and September -- October 2022; availability varies

Pay with: The Platinum Card® from American Express for 5x on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), the Citi Prestige® Card for 5x on airfare, the Citi Premier® Card (3x on air travel), Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on air travel), the American Express® Gold Card for 3x on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card for 2x on travel — which you could redeem for as little as 13,000 points.

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.

We found JetBlue fares in February from Los Angeles (LAX) to San Juan (SJU) for just $234. That's for a Blue Basic ticket, JetBlue's most restrictive fare, which does not come with a free carry-on. But it's still more than 50% cheaper than typical prices.

Your first checked bag will cost you $60. Flights include a layover in Newark before heading on to Puerto Rico's capital city.

There are great deals to be had out of Chicago, including this fare to Aguadilla Pueblo. United has a Basic Economy ticket for just $258.

If you're not familiar with Aguadilla, it's a picturesque town on the island's northwest coast which has the most beaches in Puerto Rico. It's also known as El Pueblo de los Tiburones, which means "the town of the sharks."

Some of the best availability we found were from New York City (JFK) and Newark (EWR). That's not that surprising considering the prominent Puerto Rican community in the Tri-State area and the island's ties to New York. Delta has $233 nonstop fares available in January and February.

You'll note that it's a Basic Economy ticket, which comes with a free carry-on. An upgrade to Main Cabin, which comes with a seat assignment, the free carry-on and no-fee changes, only costs an additional $30.

Related: I visited Puerto Rico - here's what you need to know

One of the best deals we found was from Nashville (BNA) to San Juan in April on JetBlue for only $255. That's nearly half off the normal prices we see for that route.

Bottom Line

Whether it's to enjoy the beaches, the nightlife or the Latin food and flavor that the island is known for, Puerto Rico is a destination that's an easy sell. We already saw a lot of the December and January availability dry up as we searched around, so don't sleep on these fares.