For someone who can’t read Dutch, booking flights to and from Suriname can be a real pain. That’s why we’re going to help you out with a few tricks we’ve learned to make it easier. Here are a few things you should know:

1. There are many flight routes to Suriname.  There are direct flights between Amsterdam and Paramaribo and connecting flights to other cities in the Caribbean and the United States (New York and Miami).   All flights coming and going between Suriname and the U.S. go through a refueling point in Aruba, Curacao, or Trinidad and Tobago. Some airlines, like Jet Blue, travel directly to Aruba and Trinidad from certain cities in the U.S. (Jet Blue offers a direct flight from Boston to Aruba) .

Since the “journey” to Suriname can be a long one,depending on where you are coming from, you may want to look into the option of spending a day or two on the island beaches before catching a flight to Suriname or coming back to the U.S.  Such “transit vacations” can do a lot for making long trips more fun and less tiresome.

2. Use the links we give below to determine what flights are available, but keep in mind that you do not necessarily need to book your flights through these online booking sites/ travel agencies. We find it is easier and less costly to book directly through the airlines (once you use the web links to find out what flights are available).

3. Most airlines do not offer connection flights with international carriers that fly to Suriname.  That means that if you miss your international flight because of a travel delay with your domestic carrier, you will NOT get reimbursed for the loss. For example; You fly from Chicago to Miami on CDF airline and two hours after your arrival in Miami, you are scheduled to depart with an international carrier headed for Suriname.  If your flight to Miami is delayed due to weather and therefore causes you to miss your flight to Suriname, CDF airline will not reimburse the missed flight.  The best way to protect yourself from such a situation is to get travel insurance. Whether it’s through your credit card company, insurance company, AAA, or through an agency, we highly recommend protecting your ticket and baggage.

4. Make sure you have the proper travel documents to visit Suriname.  Citizens of some countries are required to purchase Tourist Visas or Tourist Cards (Travel Info).

Click on this link for entry/exit requirements for American citizens: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1030.html#entry_requirements

5. Not many  online booking engines list Paramaribo as a destination. Here are some that do: http://www.traverustravel.com/flights.asp, www.booking.com, http://www.expedia.com, and http://www.slm.firm.sr.

Check out more Suriname travel tips on our online ebook (coming soon)

4 comments

  1. Here are the airline websites:
    – USA via Aruba (AUA) / Curacao (CUR)/ Trinidad (POS)/ (Georgetown (GEO) in April 2012): Surinam Airways – http://www.flyslm.com
    – USA via Curacao (CUR) / Paramaribo (PBM): Insel Air – http://www.fly-inselair.com
    – USA via Port of Spain, Trinidad (POS) / Paramaribo (PBM): Caribbean Airlines – http://www.caribbean-airlines.com

    Here is the website for the Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport (PBM): http://www.japi-airport.com

    I hope this helps!

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