How to get to Tobago

If you have been googling how to get to Tobago and ended up conflicted on what’s the best way to get to this beautiful lowkey island, you’re not alone.

We recently came back 3 weeks in Tobago. It was our first time in Tobago and not knowing a lot about the island, we also researched and read a lot trying to decide the most optimal way to get there. This post explains how to get to Tobago from the UK, the USA, and other Caribbean islands, and some practical tips for your chosen journey.

Tobago – one of the dual islands of Trinidad & Tobago – is a small Caribbean Island, which is why getting there isn’t always as straight forward as flying into a major beach destination. There is one airport – ANR Robinson International Airport (TAB), limited and seasonal long-haul routes, and for many travellers, you will have to connect once.

You will fly into ANR Airport Tobago, and depending on where you are coming from, you may go via Trinidad or another Caribbean Island along the way. I will outline the most common routes from the UK, USA and within the Caribbean, so you can pick what makes sense for your budget, time and patience levels.

If you’re already in Trinidad figuring out the best way to hop over to Tobago, I break down ferry vs flying here (because yes, that decision deserves its own post).

Travel to Tobago from UK

Direct flights

As of January 2026, there are no full nonstop flights from the UK to Tobago. You will need to have a small connection or stopover either in Trinidad or in neighbouring Caribbean islands.

Closest thing to a direct flight is a British Airways seasonal flight from London Gatwick with a short one-hour stopover in Antigua or St Lucia. The flight takes about 11 hours total, and you stay on the plane during the stopover, so this may be most convenient if you want to be in Tobago sipping cocktails ASAP.

One-stop Routes (most common)

Connecting via Port of Spain, Trinidad

For UK travellers, getting to Tobago involves one stop, and the most common route is via Trinidad.

Typically, this looks like:

• London à Port of Spain (Trinidad)
• Port of Spain à Tobago (short domestic flight)

This is a very normal route and generally well connected while allowing most choice.

British Airways runs this direct flight to Port of Spain from London Gatwick three times every week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The flight takes 9hr 25 min.

We flew this specific flight in November 2025. Since November is right in the transition from low to high season, the flights weren’t very busy at all. I had 3 seats to myself and was able to lie down and lounge – what a comfortable way to start the holidays! British Airways typically assigns its older planes to its Gatwick routes, however, so expect that the planes will not be sparkling new.

You can either book this route on the same ticket or do it separately, especially if you want to consider stopping by Trinidad. If booking separately, the domestic flight will be on Caribbean Airlines and take 25 minutes or less (it took more like 15-20 minutes for us). On arrival, you will land at ANR Robinson International Airport in Crown Point – one of Tobago’s tourist hubs.

Alternatively, you may consider taking a 3.5 – 4-hour ferry from Port Terminal in Trinidad directly to Scarborough in Tobago.

Connecting in Caribbean hubs like Barbados

Another option is connecting via a Caribbean hub such as Barbados and St Lucia. These routes work well if you’re planning a multi-island trip.

For this route, Virgin Atlantic runs flights from London Heathrow to Tobago via Bridgetown, Barbados. You can expect to have a 2–3-hour connection in Barbados before connecting to Tobago on Caribbean Airlines. The entire journey, including the stopover, takes about 13 hours.

Alternatively, British Airways also runs seasonal flights from London Gatwick to Tobago with a short one-hour stopover in St Lucia or Antigua. The flight takes about 11 hours total so this may be the fastest and most friction-free route.

Travel to Tobago from US

Direct Flights

Yes, Caribbean Airlines runs weekly direct flight from New York (John F. Kennedy International Airport) to Tobago ANR Robinson Airport between April and November.

As of summer 2026, the flights run on Thursdays and the journey takes 4h 55 min.

One-Stop Routes

Caribbean Airlines also operates a lot of direct flights to Trinidad from various U.S. cities including Fort Lauderdale, Miami, New York and Orlando.

From Trinidad, you can choose to travel to Tobago either via a 25-minute flight or a 3.5-hour ferry ride. Read our experiences of both the ferry and flight for details and to help you decide which one to take.

Connecting to Tobago via Trinidad – The Most Common Connection

For most people, getting to Tobago from overseas will involve a connection in Port of Spain, Trinidad. This is quite a common route with easy connection choices. You could take a 25-minute flight or a 3.5-hour ferry ride from Trinidad to Tobago.

A few things to know about transiting in Trinidad before you book:

• Immigration is required in Trinidad – if you’re flying in from the UK and the USA, then you will be passing by immigration. It’s not an airside transfer situation.
  You can expect to go through a couple required immigration and customs required processes upon landing at Port of Spain.
  
  
• Connection times matter – Because you need to go through immigration and customs queues, the connection time can quickly add up. Apart from customs, we also had to retrieve our bags before checking in again on domestic Caribbean Airlines planes. Both flights we took on Caribbean also ran late. All in all, allow a couple hours to connect in Trinidad ensuring you allow enough time for any delays or incidents.

Tobago Entry Requirements

Many visitors, including US, UK, EU, Canada and a lot of Commonwealth passport holders do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days.

To enter Tobago, you should adhere to the following:

Passport Validity:

• Your passport should be valid for up to 6 months after the date of arrival.

Documents needed:

• An onward or return ticket
• Proof of funds for your stay
• Address where you’ll be staying in Tobago

Personal Experience: On the flight to Trinidad and Tobago, we were given the little immigration paper slips to fill our details – arrival and departure flight, place of stay in the country. The immigration official may also request to see a confirmation of your onward ticket, so ensure you have this accessible.

Travel to Tobago from other Caribbean islands

If you’re already in the Caribbean, or planning a multi-island trip, then getting to Tobago is simpler and likely faster.

Inter-island routes are also operated by regional airlines, primarily Caribbean airlines. You will find periodic direct flights on common routes e.g. from Bridgetown, Barbados to Tobago.

These direct options to Tobago are limited, and they don’t run daily.

For more options from other Caribbean countries like St Lucia, Grenada and Bahamas, you need to connect via Trinidad. A few things to keep in mind:

• long layovers may be needed, even for shorter distances.
• Baggage rules on regional airlines differ, so account for any extra luggage costs.
• Book early for peak season – a lot of regional flights, especially those weekend ones, sell out early

If you’re island-hopping, Tobago fits nicely into a Caribbean itinerary – you just need a bit of flexibility and patience with timings. The upside? You’ll likely spend more time enjoying the island than rushing through it.

Should you go to Tobago?

If you’re looking for an island with unspoiled beaches and locals who will go out of their way to make you feel at home, then Tobago is the place to be.

It’s a tiny island, just about 42km wide. But goodness, it successfully punches above its weight. Tobago is filled with beautiful white-sand beaches, well-preserved rainforests home to all kinds of flora and fauna, and mouth-watering food.

It’s also far less crowded than its Caribbean neighbours, so you can be guaranteed seclusion in such a way that feels like you’re in your own private resort.

If you’re still on the fence, please be reassured that Tobago is absolutely worth the journey.

FAQs: Getting to Tobago