Cheap Flights From New York (JFK) to Nantucket (ACK)
It’s almost summertime, and vacationers looking to escape the concrete jungle and head to a sandy beach or wide-open space are starting to look for ways to get there. JetBlue, Delta and United Airlines are all planning to fly between New York City and Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard this season, and small regional carriers like Cape Air, Tradewind Aviation and Elite Airways are also offering semi-private flights to the Massachusetts islands.
Getting to the islands on a commercial flight will take about an hour and a half from JFK, LaGuardia or the Westchester County Airport north of New York City. Direct flights are offered by JetBlue from all three, and one-way fares start at $75. Delta and United will each offer some nonstop service as well on their Bombardier CRJ550 aircraft. They’ll feature 10 first class seats, 20 “Economy Plus” extra-legroom seats and 80 standard economy seats.
For those looking to avoid the crowds of the bigger carriers and save money, the small regional airline Cape Air is launching five routes from New York City, including two from Westchester and two from JFK. Flights depart from private terminals at both airports, so passengers can skip the security checkpoint. Cape Air flies Cessna 402 twin-engine piston aircraft that have no WiFi or in-flight entertainment and only one pilot, so this is definitely a back-to-basics option. But with one-way fares under $725, it could be worth the extra cost for some travelers.
Travelers will find the cheapest airfares on this route between Sept. 1 and Oct. 11, if they’re willing to travel on weekdays, particularly Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. And, as with most other flights to Nantucket, it will be cheaper to book a connecting flight than a direct one.
One of the best ways to find cheap tickets is with TravelDescribe, a travel search engine that compares prices from hundreds of airlines and travel agencies. The site offers a range of filters to help you narrow your search, such as maximum journey time, stopovers and price alerts. It’s easy to use, and can often show you deals on flights from New York to Nantucket that you might have missed if you were browsing directly on an airline’s website.