Tobago has a single airport: A.N.R.Robinson International Airport (TAB), previously known as Crown Point International. The airport is small and handles very little traffic; the bulk being inter-island airbridge flights from Trinidad. Non-regional international flights seldom average more than one flight per day.
There is a very much larger airport in Trinidad. Piarco International Airport (POS), located near the capital, Port of Spain, benefits from a wide range of international and regional flights. A regular airbridge service links the two islands.
It is essential that you check all flight information with the airline concerned before planning your holiday travel to Tobago. If you spot any inaccuracies or omission in the information we present here, PLEASE let us know.
During the peak winter months, British Airways offer a twice weekly service to Tobago, on Monday and Friday. During the summer months, this reduces to a single weekly service, on Monday. The service operates via Antigua, both outbound and on the return inbound service. The BA service utilises a Boeing 777 aircraft carrying 260 passengers in a three-class configuration - World Traveller standard economy, World Traveller Plus premium/super economy and World Club business class with 70" flat-bed seats. The service operate from London Gatwick South terminal.
Caribbean Airlines (previously named BWIA) terminated their non-stop direct flights from Piarco to London Gatwick in January 2016. It is unlikely that they will reintroduce services to the UK or Europe in the foreseeable future. So, there are no Caribbean Airlines flights from the U.K. to Tobago.
Caribbean Airlines offer a weekly nonstop direct service from New York (JFK) directly to Tobago on Sundays. This is the only direct flight from North America to Tobago. They run several services to and from Port of Spain in Trinidad to Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Toronto. All North American flights are aboard Boeing 737-800 aircraft in a three-class configuration.
Caribbean offer direct services between Tobago and Barbados and, in addition, a wide range of regional services between Port Of Spain and Antigua, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican, Jamaica, Grenada, Guyana, St.Maarten and Suriname.
The Monarch Airlines service from Gatwick to Tobago was terminated in April 2015. This popular budget charter service was organised by Golden Caribbean/Golden Holidays and replaced the earlier ill-fated Excel Airways service.
Thomas Cook Airlines went into liquidation in September 2019, so their service to Tobago, which operated from Manchester and Frankfurt, in association with Condor, is no longer available.
During the peak high-season winter months of October to March, Virgin Atlantic offer twice weekly flights to and from Tobago. The service operates on Wednesday and Saturday and both legs include an intermediary stop in Antigua (services via St.Lucia terminated in 2020). During the slacker summer months, the service operates just once a week, on Sundays. The flight operates from London Gatwick North and utilises one of the airlines newer Airbus A330-200 aircraft, with 33 Upper Class, 48 Premium Economy and 185 Economy seats.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: It has been reported that the local government (THA) is to end its airlift contract with Virgin Atlantic in early 2023 following a "strategic review". We understand that all Virgin flights to Tobago will cease from 11 January, 2023.
The THA welcomes you back to the 19th century.
Swedish airline, Apollo Airlines, operated a charter service to Tobago from Scandinavia during the winter high-season months in 2014 and 2015. The service was withdrawn at the end of the 2015 season. We have no information on whether the service is likely to be reintroduced.
Condor are part of the Thomas Cook Group. The airline have announced that they will operate a weekly service between Frankfurt and Tobago from 7th November 2023 until 9 April 2024. The service will operate on Tuesdays and will utilise a new Airbus A330-900neo aircraft.
American Airlines now offer a very welcome weekly direct service from New York to Tobago. In addition, they offer two non-stop flights per day to Port of Spain (POS) in Trinidad from Miami (MIA), with inter-city connections from New York (LGA), Washington (BWI) and other departure points.
Caribbean Airlines (previously named BWIA) terminated their non-stop direct flights from Piarco to London Gatwick in January 2016. It is unlikely that they will reintroduce services to the UK or Europe in the foreseeable future. So, there are no Caribbean Airlines flights from the U.K. to Tobago.
Caribbean Airlines offer a weekly nonstop direct service from New York (JFK) directly to Tobago on Sundays. This is the only direct flight from North America to Tobago. They run several services to and from Port of Spain in Trinidad to Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Toronto. All North American flights are aboard Boeing 737-800 aircraft in a three-class configuration.
Caribbean offer direct services between Tobago and Barbados and, in addition, a wide range of regional services between Port Of Spain and Antigua, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican, Jamaica, Grenada, Guyana, St.Maarten and Suriname.
With effect from 1st December 2018, Sunwing Airlines will be offering a weekly service, on Thursdays, between Toronto and Tobago. The service is anticipated to operate until 18 April 2019. The Sunwing Travel Group operate the Starfish Tobago Resort, which was previously trading as the Turtle Beach by Rex Resorts. We understand that flight-only tickets are available for passengers wishing to stay at other accommodations.
Having merged with Continental, United Airlines offer flights to Port of Spain, Trinidad (POS) from Newark (EWR) and Houston (IAH). All flights from Houston are non-stop, as are some of the flights from Newark, but others are via Houston. The service is provided in a Boeing 737-8 in a two-class configuration. The number of flights reduces in the summer low season (May-November).
Canadian airline WestJet operate a non-stop direct service between Toronto's Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and POS in Trinidad. The service operates on Sunday, Monday, tuesday and Wednesdays. The service utilises a Boeing 737-800 in two-class configuration.
There are numerous regional carriers who offer services into Port of Spain (POS) in Trinidad from other Caribbean, central and south American airports. Unfortunately, it is beyond the resources of this website to attempt to research and list them all. We do, however, attempt to list all regional and other services that operate flights into Tobago's A.N.R.Robinson International Airport (TAB). We are totally reliant upon readers to inform us of any such services not already listed and/or any other inaccuracies or omissions on this site.
Caribbean Airlines (previously named BWIA) terminated their non-stop direct flights from Piarco to London Gatwick in January 2016. It is unlikely that they will reintroduce services to the UK or Europe in the foreseeable future. So, there are no Caribbean Airlines flights from the U.K. to Tobago.
Caribbean Airlines offer a weekly nonstop direct service from New York (JFK) directly to Tobago on Sundays. This is the only direct flight from North America to Tobago. They run several services to and from Port of Spain in Trinidad to Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Toronto. All North American flights are aboard Boeing 737-800 aircraft in a three-class configuration.
Caribbean offer direct services between Tobago and Barbados and, in addition, a wide range of regional services between Port Of Spain and Antigua, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican, Jamaica, Grenada, Guyana, St.Maarten and Suriname.
Based in Antigua, LIAT is a regional airline serving around 20 destinations in the Caribbean, from the Dominican Republic in the north to Guyana in the south. LIAT offer direct flights between Trinidad and Tobago and also services to Tobago from Barbados via Grenada.
Caribbean Airlines operate an airbridge service between Piarco International Airport (POS) in Trinidad and Tobago's A.N.R.Robinson International Airport (TAB) in Tobago.
Visitors arriving in POS on international flights should allow 2-3 hours between their estimated time of arrival in POS and the departure of their airbridge flight to Tobago. Airbridge flights operate every 20 minutes or so and Caribbean are normally very helpful when it comes to putting overseas arrivals who have missed their scheduled transfer on the next available flight.
Visitors arriving at POS on international flights in the late evening, or with departures in the early morning, are strongly recommended to save a lot of stress by staying overnight at one of the Piarco hotels. Visitor recommendations indicate that the Regent Star Hotel and Holiday Inn Express are worthy of consideration for this purpose. Hotels in Port of Spain are not really suitable for overnight stays as Piarco airport is around 18 miles (30km) from central Port of Spain and traffic conditions can make this an onerous journey.
Tobago's only airport is the ANR Robinson International Airport (code TAB). This was previously known as Crown Point International Airport but renamed in 2011, to honour a Tobagonian ex-Prime Minster of Trinidad and Tobago.
The airport is located in Crown Point, the south-western tip of Tobago. The capital of Tobago, Scarborough, is 8 miles away. The area between Crown Point and Scarborough is home to more than 80% of Tobago's population and most of the hotels and other holiday accommodation. Most of these will be within a 15/20-minute drive of the airport. Typical driving times from the airport to popular holiday destinations, such as Castara, are about 45/50 minutes.
Tobago airport handles about 30 flights a day, most of which are airbridge flights from Trinidad and other regional services utilising relatively small aircraft. The airport handles less than 10 international flights per week. This equates to roughly one landing or take-off every 30 minuts. Noise is therefore never an issue, even when staying at hotels immediately adjacent to the airport.
Telephone:+1(868) 639-0509 or +1(868) 639-8547 or +1(868) 639-8389
Passengers arriving from Trinidad will have cleared customs and immigration at Piarco airport. So, their domestic flight arrival in Tobago will be a swift process with no formalities. It is, unfortunately, a very different story for passengers arriving directly into Tobago on international flights.
Passengers arriving on international flights will have been given a T&T immigration entry form by the airline's cabin staff. A form needs to be completed by each passenger. In addition, the head of the family (male or female) must complete the reverse of the arrivals form. It is important to remember to do this to avoid delays at the Immigration desk on arrival.
Having disembarked from your aircraft, your first view of Tobago will be a very short walk across the tarmac to the terminal building. Be prepared for a long wait at Immigration. If you have any disability, or are travelling with young children, inform one of the airport staff as you may be given priority. Check that each member of your party has completed and signed the Immigration form. These will have been handed out by the flight attendants. If incomplete, you might be sent back to the end of the queue.
Having cleared Immigration, the Baggage Hall will bring a smile to you face. These are likely to be quickly followed by tears of frustration. The single baggage carousel was designed for nothing more than small regional flights. To further add to the pleasure of arrival, your baggage must then go through a scanner.
The international flight arrivals process can easily take the best part of an hour. Amazing, considering that you will have travelled less than 150m from the aircraft steps to the exit from the Arrivals Hall. If guests were to rate their holiday in Tobago on their arrival experience, few would return. Fortunately, everything else that Tobago has to offer make this sad experience a minor inconvenience.
There is very little to do at the airport. The single departure lounge has nothing but a small bar, a couple of souvenir boutiques selling t-shirts and local crafts, and a small duty-free shop with limited choice. The departure lounge gets hot and crowded, so you probably won't want to spend much time there. Allow at least 10-minutes to clear security at the entrance. Our preferred method is to check-in as soon as the check-in opens, leaving us a good couple of hours to go off and do something useful. We then return to the boarding lounge and enter the departure lounge at the last moment possible.
Given the limited facilities at the airport, it is not the ideal place to while away a couple of hours between check-in and the departure of your international flight. The snack bar/cafe at the airport is adequate, but we would recommend that you pass through the building facing the terminal (there is a small tunnel to the left of the airport café/restaurant). You will then see Restorations Coffee, a small café that serves reasonable coffee, cakes and light meals. Despite the slow service, it is a useful place to while away time while waiting for a flight.
A final point: It is important to note that all major civil aviation authorities ban the transport of alcohol when the percentage of alcohol by volume is greater than 70% (140 proof). This applies to both checked and cabin luggage. So, don't make the mistake of thinking that you can take home some of the 75% local Puncheon rum.
The T&T Port Authority operate an inter-island car ferry service between Port-of-Spain in Trinidad and Tobago's capital, Scarborough.
Capable of speeds of 30-40 knots, the two high-speed passenger ferries accomplish the crossing in around 2.5 hours and can accommodate 900 passengers and up to 200 cars on each crossing. A third, slower, vessel is used for cargo.
Although it is a very affordable way to cross between the islands, the journey is not particularly comfortable and has little or no merit from a sightseeing point of view. Unless you need to transport a vehicle between Trinidad and Tobago*, the airbridge service is generally considered the better option. Having said that, the fast ferries have merit for day trips from Tobago to Port of Spain as they can be a great way of avoiding the horrendous traffic congestion between Piarco airport and central Port of Spain at peak times of the day.
For the past year, the Trinidad-Tobago ferry service has been virtually defunct. The situation brings great shame on the government, port authorities and everyone involved. The matter is too complex to detail here, but to all intents and purposes, there is now only a very limited ferry service and visitors are strongly advised to make alternative travel arrangements.
* It is important to note that car rental firms do not normally allow customers to take rental vehicles between the two islands. So, if you are considering this, it is very important to check with your chosen rental agency before committing yourself.