How Much Does It Cost to Get from STT Airport to Your Hotel

Cyril E. King Airport sits on the western end of St. Thomas, close to Charlotte Amalie but a longer ride from the popular East End resorts and the Red Hook ferry terminal. Taxi rates are regulated by the Virgin Islands Taxicab Commission, so pricing is more predictable than you might expect.

Shared taxi and safari van rates

The taxi commission publishes fixed per-person rates for shared rides, posted at the airport and by drivers. These apply to the open-air safari vans and shared sedan taxis. As a rule of thumb, Charlotte Amalie (town center) is the cheapest ride, Havensight and the Frenchman's Reef/Bolongo Bay area cost more, and Red Hook and the East End resorts (Ritz-Carlton, Secret Harbour, Elysian) cost the most since they're furthest from the airport. Confirm the current posted per-person rate with the dispatcher before you get in — published third-party guides to these fares don't agree with each other closely enough to quote a reliable figure here. The tariff also adds a per-bag surcharge; ask your driver for the current amount.

Exclusive taxi and private transfer rates

If you want a taxi to yourself rather than sharing, the commission sets a flat exclusivity rate that is higher within town limits and higher still from the airport to Red Hook, plus a per-extra-passenger charge beyond four. Ask the dispatcher for the current posted exclusive rate before you get in.

A pre-booked private transfer is a different product — priced per vehicle by the transfer operator rather than the taxicab commission. Get a fixed quote when you book. Because it's charged per vehicle rather than per person, it's often close to or cheaper than paying shared-taxi fares for everyone in your group once you have three or more travelers.

When shared is cheaper, when private is cheaper

For a solo traveler going to Charlotte Amalie, the shared taxi is normally the cheapest option since it's the closest zone. For a family of four heading to Red Hook, one of the furthest zones, shared-taxi fares for the whole group can add up quickly — compare the current posted per-person rate (multiplied by your group size) against a private transfer's single vehicle quote before you book.

Additional costs to consider

If you are catching the St. John ferry from Red Hook, factor in the ferry ticket and a taxi on the St. John side — check the ferry operator's current fare, since it isn't set by the same taxicab commission tariff as St. Thomas taxis.

Nighttime surcharges

The official tariff adds a per-person surcharge for taxi rides between midnight and 6 AM; ask the dispatcher for the current amount. Private transfer services set their own night policies — check when booking.

The bottom line

St. Thomas is small, so no ride from the airport takes more than 45 minutes. A private transfer to an East End resort is often close to or cheaper than per-person shared fares for a group, and the comfort of an enclosed, air-conditioned vehicle after a long flight is worth the small premium over a safari van.