Hello:

Does anybody have any recommendations to getting to Bonaire from Chicago without making 3 stops which wont kill the bank book????

Kim, Try Air Jamacia out of Ohare in chicago.
http://www.airjamaica.com/
Alot of people don't like AJ but I have been using them for years without a problem. Waiting for May 14th for another 2 week trip... Ron

Welcome to BT Kim. Thats a pretty tall order to get to Bonaire from Chicago with three stops (in fact I would bet big bucks it can not be done). Air Jamaica is a good choice but they only fly once a week to Bonaire and you miss your connection you might miss your vacation. Here's a quick run down of your choices.

1) American/America Eagle service through San Juan. Late arrival but daily departures.

2) Air Jamaica Saturdays only through Montego Bay.

3) Continental once a week through Houston or Newark and red eye flight to Bonaire.

4) Fly to Aruba and then to Bonaire on DAE (www.flydae.com).

5) Fly to Curacao and the to Bonaire on Divi Divi airlines.

It's not an easy place to get to, but well worth it.

Awesome! This make my research easier. Air Jamaica was not one I was considering. Thanks a bunch. Kimluv :-)

Air Jamaica without a doubt...it is getting much better..

We did the red eye on Continental and they are great ! As Cecil shows there are may choices

AJ lands at 2.30pm local time and leaves at 3.30pm giving you one more full day of vacation. As far as conection in M/Bay, AJ holds the bonaire plane for hub flights. I paid $498pp a month ago for our May 12th trip. No matter how you get there the trip is well worth it! Good luck on your venture and enjoy... Ron

Kim, easy peasy to do Chicago to San Juan and then Bonaire on American. I do that route a lot. Although I start in Columbus, Oh...

Air Jamaica also does a Tuesday flight from Chicago to Curacao through Montego Bay (or at least they did a few months ago) but that would add a stop over and you'd take Divi Divi from Curacao to Bon.

My last two trips have been ORD-MIA-CUR on AA, then Cur-Bon on Divi. Love that route - on Bon by a little after 4pm

Hi KIm

I've done the AJ ORD-BON a couple times and found it to be simple and reliable - other than needing to be at O'Hare at Oh-Dark-Thiry to make the flight that is. lol

NOTHING is 100% of course, but in the real world any airline can have a "one-time" problem on an individual flight. That early arrival and late departure on AJ is pretty hard to beat.

If the flight you need looks booked on their website, try a Bonaire travel agent like Bonaire Pros, Caradonna and the like. They often have access to seats not visible to the general public.

You guys are awesome! This will hopefully get us to Bonaire without making 3 stops! Once I get air taken care of then I will be picking your brains regarding B&Bs, rentals and/or diving package deals at hotels (I prefer not to stay at hotels but sometimes you get better deals with diving packages)It is -5 degrees F with he wind chill in Chicago today and the thought of vacationing in Bonaire is making me giddy!!!

Ron, We're scheduled to be in Bonaire at the very same time! We're taking the redeye Saturday from Newark on Continental. We did the redeye from Houston last spring and it was great! Love that Continental, now that this flight leaves on Saturday night, I'll have a guarantee to get into our timeshare on arrival. Last year Divi couldn't house us until around noon. No big deal, we had breakfast, dive sign-up and orientation. An afternoon dive was just fine.

kim, i agree with kelly. you should be able to get from ord to sju non-stop on american and then american eagle sju to bon. we've done the cle-ord-bon route a few times.

sorry...i forgot...welcome to bonaire talk kim.

Judy, We stay at the Dive Inn in #3 seaside. Maybe we will see you on the Island. For sure we will be at Gig's the 15th. Mabe seeya there? Ron