Bahamas · Destination
Private charter flights to Staniel Cay.
The swimming pigs, Thunderball Grotto, and not much else.
Staniel Cay is about two miles long, has a few hundred residents, one yacht club, and an airstrip that runs most of the width of the island. It is also the middle of the Exuma chain, which makes it the shortest possible route to the two things most people come to the Exumas for.
Flying here directly instead of into George Town saves the four-hour round boat trip north. Wheels down and you are a golf cart ride from the yacht club dock, and a few minutes by boat from Big Major Cay.
Flight times to Staniel Cay
Direct-distance estimates to Staniel Cay Airport (TYM) 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 | 291 nm | ~1 hr 52 min | ~2 hr 04 min | Plan it → |
| Merritt Island (COI) | 339 nm | ~2 hr 08 min | ~2 hr 22 min | Plan it → |
| West Palm Beach (DJT)Pickup | 249 nm | ~1 hr 38 min | ~1 hr 48 min | Plan it → |
| Fort Lauderdale (FXE)Pickup | 236 nm | ~1 hr 34 min | ~1 hr 44 min | Plan it → |
| Orlando (ORL)Pickup | 372 nm | ~2 hr 19 min | ~2 hr 34 min | Plan it → |
| Naples (APF)Pickup | 313 nm | ~1 hr 59 min | ~2 hr 13 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 Staniel Cay
The swimming pigs
Big Major Cay is a five-minute boat ride from the Staniel Cay dock. The pigs swim out to meet arriving boats. Go early in the day, before the tour boats from Nassau and George Town arrive.
Thunderball Grotto
A limestone cave you swim into through a low opening at slack tide, with light coming down through holes in the roof. Named for the 1965 Bond film shot inside it.
Compass Cay nurse sharks
A short run north, where a resident population of nurse sharks gathers around the marina dock and will let you get in the water with them.
The sandbars
At low tide, banks of white sand surface between the cays with water a foot deep for hundreds of yards in every direction. Ask a local boat captain where and when.
Staniel Cay charter FAQs
How long is the flight to Staniel Cay?
From our main terminal in Fort Pierce (FPR), plan on roughly 1 hr 52 min in the Grand Caravan or 2 hr 04 min in the Piper Seneca, plus taxi time. Use our trip planner for an estimate from any Florida airport.
Is Staniel Cay a day trip from Florida?
It can be. Staniel Cay is about two hours each way in the Grand Caravan from Fort Pierce, so an early departure still leaves a full day on the water. There's no charge for the pilot's wait time on a day trip.
Where do we stay if we overnight?
The Staniel Cay Yacht Club has bungalows on the water, and there are a handful of rental houses on the cay. Everything is small and books up well ahead, so plan the accommodation before the flight.
Do we clear customs at Staniel Cay?
Staniel Cay handles clearance for arriving private aircraft. Because the smaller Exuma fields have limited hours, your coordinator confirms the clearance arrangements and timing when quoting the trip.
Ready for Staniel Cay?
Tell us your dates and party size and we’ll reply with aircraft options and pricing, usually the same business day.
