Non-Stop flights to SJU from West Coast

Hi all, hoping you could help. I'm based in Oz & have been dreaming about visiting the S Caribbean from San Juan. I am flying into LAX & looking to find the most direct (non-stop / least travelling hours) & economical way to get to San Juan. We are very flexible in terms of dates. In addition to LAX, we are also thinking to going to San Fran & Houston.

Any ideas / suggestions? Many thanks in advance!

No non-stops from the west coast. Most direct would likely be AA through MIA, DL through ATL or UA through IAH.

ITA Software is a good search tool that can help you see many options.

Might also look at AA through DFW which might cut off some time compared to Miami depending on the schedules.

If you don't already have your ticket to the states booked, I would recommend taking QF7 to DFW from SYD and connecting on from there, instead of flying through LAX as it would cut out a stop.

Adding to the other posts, the return Qantas flight from DFW stops in BNE then continues to SYD. So you could connect to a domestic flight home from BNE.

Back here in the US, JetBlue is another airline to check. From LAX or LGB (Long Beach) you can fly to SJU via JFK, BOS or FLL. Many of the flights are redeyes, which may or may not be what you want.

AA used to run a nonstop LAX-SJU using a 757 SlAAveship, discontinued at present.

Jet Blue is a great option, for only a few dollars more you can buy premium economy. They have a connection LAX>FLL>SJU. I'd much rather connect through the manageable FLL than the insanity of MIA.

One other option you may consider depending on timing: Air Canada has a seasonal non-stop from Toronto to SJU. In theory, you could fly nonstop from SYD to YYZ, then YYZ to SJU. This might be an option with the fewest layovers (again, if the seasonal service is going when you need it).

If you don't already have your ticket to the states booked, I would recommend taking QF7 to DFW from SYD and connecting on from there, instead of flying through LAX as it would cut out a stop.

RTW tickets are priced differently depending on where you begin and end the trip. For example a 4-continent Oneworld Explorer ticket (which would more than meet your needs) is around US$4100 if purchased in Oz but almost $1000 less if purchased in NZ; you could probably get over the Tasman and back for under a grand.

Looking at January, a return trip Sydney - San Juan is right around A$3100 as it is, so the extra cost might be worth it if you're planning to visit other places in N. America (or for that matter, Europe, Asia or Australia.) If you purchased the ticket in NZ, you could return to Oz and use the same ticket for a domestic return flight before needing to finish the circle in NZ.

Here's one example of an RTW route, starting in NZ. There are thousands (millions?) of alternatives possible:

Auckland - Hong Kong - London - San Juan - New York - San Francisco - Los Angeles - Houston - Dallas - Honolulu - Sydney - Cairns - Sydney - Auckland

(Or v.v. of course. You need to keep going in a general westbound or eastbound direction between continents, and have to cross both the Atlantic and Pacific once each, and in the same direction.)

One other option you may consider depending on timing: Air Canada has a seasonal non-stop from Toronto to SJU. In theory, you could fly nonstop from SYD to YYZ, then YYZ to SJU. This might be an option with the fewest layovers (again, if the seasonal service is going when you need it).

There is no nonstop from Sydney to Toronto. The plane would run out of fuel long before reaching YYZ.

Any ideas / suggestions? Many thanks in advance!

Try searching options with hipmunk.com. Sort the search results by duration. You will confirm, as others have pointed out, that there are no non-stop flights from LAX to SJU, but you can easily see where else you must transfer. If your dates are flexible, you can also specify that in conducting a search. (Note that it does not include Airtran. If interested, do that separately at their website.)

Lots of Web sites, such as Expedia, Travelocity, Kayak, etc., etc., that will show you the options you have. No need to guess what route will be most direct (not non-stop) and economical. Input using your exact dates, and times (whether continuing on to LAX the same day or stoppng over). Between LAX and San Juan you'd have to change planes at least once, but many airlines do offer one-stop service (United, American, US Airways, Jet Blue). If you're going all the way from Oz to San Juan, best to just input from your starting city, to get the best fare and be under the higher international flight baggage weight limits all the way. You'd still have to go through Immigration and Customs at your U.S. port of entry. If you went SYD to DFW and then SJU (Qantas and AA), that would be awfully direct.

However, have you already booked a flight to LAX and are now looking at how to continue on to SJU? Then you have lots of options, but will have at least one stop betweeen LAX and SJU. If going on the same day, be sure to allow plenty of time to go through Immigration, etc. and get to your next flight (may need to check-in again if booking that leg separately).

There is no nonstop from Sydney to Toronto. The plane would run out of fuel long before reaching YYZ.

The 777-200LR could probably do SYD-YYZ but doubtful the other way around.

The 777-200LR could probably do SYD-YYZ but doubtful the other way around.

The confusion is my fault. I'm sorry. We've been looking at flights for next year. I'd made a comment about how long that flight (air Canada ) would be, poor DH thought I meant a nonstop flight. It is a direct flight with refueling/layover in Vancouver (also customs clearance on the NAbound flight). The layover is about three hours.

The confusion is my fault. I'm sorry. We've been looking at flights for next year. I'd made a comment about how long that flight (air Canada ) would be, poor DH thought I meant a nonstop flight. It is a direct flight with refueling/layover in Vancouver (also customs clearance on the NAbound flight). The layover is about three hours.

Why would you fly all the way to Canada and then to the US from Australia? Makes no sense. Look at the globe. The quickest route is through LAX to MCO or MIA. Flying through Canada adds over 2000 miles to the trip and an additional immigration process. Completely illogical.

Why would you fly all the way to Canada and then to the US from Australia? Makes no sense. Look at the globe. The quickest route is through LAX to MCO or MIA. Flying through Canada adds over 2000 miles to the trip and an additional immigration process. Completely illogical.

Probably. But it is another option to look at. It also would depend on what the connect times are. Also, while we tend to get soaked flying from Toronto, Air Canada fares from outside of Canada, through Toronto, to other parts of the world, are quite often very competitive.

Why would you fly all the way to Canada and then to the US from Australia? Makes no sense. Look at the globe. The quickest route is through LAX to MCO or MIA. Flying through Canada adds over 2000 miles to the trip and an additional immigration process. Completely illogical.

It is an additional option, no need to throw a hissy fit about it. When I'd been pricing flights out it was over $1k pp cheaper for that flight than going though LAX. Which I understand can vary by destination, you avoid the possible 22 hour layover in LAX.

Hissy fit? Hardly. On our recent cruise a couple tried to save money by taking out of the way routing, it didn't work out very well for them when their luggage disappeared for almost 10 days.

Hissy fit? Hardly. On our recent cruise a couple tried to save money by taking out of the way routing, it didn't work out very well for them when their luggage disappeared for almost 10 days.

And of course that never happens on short haul non-stop flights.

Might also look at AA through DFW which might cut off some time compared to Miami depending on the schedules.

 

 

If you don't already have your ticket to the states booked, I would recommend taking QF7 to DFW from SYD and connecting on from there, instead of flying through LAX as it would cut out a stop.

I was hoping to stick to Virgin & partners (Delta) - so that I could redeem points, but this Qantas route seems to tbe the most direct which may be worth paying for

Or have a look at a round the world (RTW) ticket with which you could include all the North American stops as well as the Caribbean in one ticket.

 

RTW tickets are priced differently depending on where you begin and end the trip. For example a 4-continent Oneworld Explorer ticket (which would more than meet your needs) is around US$4100 if purchased in Oz but almost $1000 less if purchased in NZ; you could probably get over the Tasman and back for under a grand.

 

Looking at January, a return trip Sydney - San Juan is right around A$3100 as it is, so the extra cost might be worth it if you're planning to visit other places in N. America (or for that matter, Europe, Asia or Australia.) If you purchased the ticket in NZ, you could return to Oz and use the same ticket for a domestic return flight before needing to finish the circle in NZ.

 

Here's one example of an RTW route, starting in NZ. There are thousands (millions?) of alternatives possible:

 

Auckland - Hong Kong - London - San Juan - New York - San Francisco - Los Angeles - Houston - Dallas - Honolulu - Sydney - Cairns - Sydney - Auckland

 

(Or v.v. of course. You need to keep going in a general westbound or eastbound direction between continents, and have to cross both the Atlantic and Pacific once each, and in the same direction.)

Round the World.... now we are talking! That's a great idea! I would love to see my family in europe who aren't able to make it to the wedding.

Very interesting about the NZ pricing. I def keep that in mind when looking into alternatives.

Everyone has been so helpful! I heart Cruise Critic!

And of course that never happens on short haul non-stop flights.

It's much rarer. And the less countries involved, the easier it is to track it down.