Bahamas · Destination
Private charter flights to Cat Island.
Empty beaches and the highest point in the Bahamas.
Cat Island is fifty miles long, has around fifteen hundred residents, and gets a fraction of the visitors that Exuma or Eleuthera do. The beaches on the west side run for miles with nobody on them, and the pace is closer to the Bahamas of forty years ago than anywhere else within easy reach of Florida.
We land at New Bight (TBI), near the middle of the island and directly below Mount Alvernia. Sidney Poitier grew up a few miles from here, and the island is still the home of rake and scrape, the Bahamian music made with a saw, a goatskin drum and an accordion.
Flight times to Cat Island
Direct-distance estimates to New Bight Airport (TBI) from each Buzz Air base and our most common pickup airports. We can also depart from your local airport. Your coordinator confirms exact timing.
| Departing from | Distance | Grand Caravan | Piper Seneca | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Pierce (FPR)Main terminal | 327 nm | ~2 hr 04 min | ~2 hr 18 min | Plan it → |
| Merritt Island (COI) | 371 nm | ~2 hr 19 min | ~2 hr 34 min | Plan it → |
| West Palm Beach (DJT)Pickup | 289 nm | ~1 hr 51 min | ~2 hr 03 min | Plan it → |
| Fort Lauderdale (FXE)Pickup | 280 nm | ~1 hr 48 min | ~1 hr 60 min | Plan it → |
| Orlando (ORL)Pickup | 405 nm | ~2 hr 30 min | ~2 hr 47 min | Plan it → |
| Naples (APF)Pickup | 361 nm | ~2 hr 15 min | ~2 hr 30 min | Plan it → |
Estimates include a 15-minute taxi/climb allowance and assume still air. Flying from somewhere else? Use the trip planner.
What to do in Cat Island
The Hermitage
A miniature stone monastery on top of Mount Alvernia, built by hand by Father Jerome in the 1930s. At 206 feet it is the highest point in the Bahamas, and the walk up takes about fifteen minutes.
The west coast beaches
Long, shallow and almost always empty. You can walk for an hour along the sand at Old Bight or Fernandez Bay without meeting anyone.
Rake and scrape
Cat Island is the heart of it, and the Rake and Scrape Festival each June brings the island's musicians together. Smaller sessions happen year-round at the local bars.
Diving the wall
The drop-off runs close to the island's southern end, with big pelagics and very few boats. Cat Island is a genuinely uncrowded dive destination.
Cat Island charter FAQs
How long is the flight to Cat Island?
From our main terminal in Fort Pierce (FPR), plan on roughly 2 hr 04 min in the Grand Caravan or 2 hr 18 min in the Piper Seneca, plus taxi time. Use our trip planner for an estimate from any Florida airport.
How long is the flight from Florida?
Cat Island is one of the further Bahamian destinations we serve, at a little over two hours in the Grand Caravan from Fort Pierce and slightly more from Merritt Island. Check your own departure airport in the trip planner for a closer estimate.
Do we need a car?
Yes. Cat Island is long and thin with settlements spread down it, and taxis are limited. Arrange a rental in advance, since there are only a handful available on the island.
Do we clear customs at Cat Island?
New Bight (TBI) is a port of entry and clears arriving private aircraft. Hours are limited at the smaller island fields, so your coordinator will time the arrival to avoid customs overtime charges.
Ready for Cat Island?
Tell us your dates and party size and we’ll reply with aircraft options and pricing, usually the same business day.
