Flying to Carriacou: Small Planes, Lauriston Airport and Weight Limits

The ferry is the default way to reach Carriacou, but there is a second option that many visitors never hear about: a short flight from Maurice Bishop International Airport on Grenada to Lauriston Airport on Carriacou. The hop takes around twenty minutes in a small propeller aircraft, compared with roughly two hours on the water, and it skips the exposed channel north of Grenada entirely.

Flying is not always the better choice. Seats are few, prices are higher than the ferry, baggage limits are strict and schedules depend on which small carriers are operating at the time. This explainer covers how the airport and the flights work, who flying suits, and what to check before you book. Operators on this route have changed over the years, so confirm current services directly rather than relying on older guidebooks or forum posts.

Lauriston Airport: a runway across the island's flat south

Lauriston Airport sits on a strip of flat land on Carriacou's south-west, between Hillsborough and L'Esterre, a short drive from the main town and from Tyrrel Bay. It is a single short runway with a small terminal building, built for light twin-engine aircraft rather than jets. That limits what can land: there are no scheduled international jet services, and flights connect mainly with Grenada's main airport and, at times, with nearby islands in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The setting makes for one of the more scenic short flights in the Caribbean. Leaving Grenada, the aircraft climbs over the north of the island, crosses the channel at low altitude with Ronde Island and the smaller islets below, and descends over the reef and shallows of Carriacou's south coast. On a clear day you can pick out Sandy Island, White Island and Union Island during the approach. Because the runway is short and close to the sea, landings feel brisk, and pilots will hold or turn back if crosswinds or rain squalls make conditions unsuitable.

How the flights work in practice

Small aircraft, few seats. The planes on this route typically carry somewhere between a handful and about twenty passengers. A single family can take up a good share of a flight, which is why seats sell out around holidays and festival weekends.

Scheduled, shared and charter options. Depending on the period, there may be scheduled flights on set days, seats sold on shared flights, or whole-aircraft charters. A charter costs more in total, but split between a group it can be competitive with individual tickets, and it lets you choose your time.

Connections are not automatic. Unless you hold a single ticket that covers both flights, an inter-island hop is a separate booking. If your international flight is late, the small carrier is not obliged to wait. Leave a generous buffer, or overnight in Grenada if arriving late in the day.

Check-in is quick but personal. Expect to have yourself and your bags weighed. This is routine on light aircraft, because the pilot needs total weight and its distribution to calculate a safe take-off.

Domestic, so no immigration. Flights between Grenada and Carriacou are domestic. Flights from Carriacou to Union Island or other Vincentian islands are international and need clearance on both sides.

Baggage limits: the detail that catches people out

The most common surprise on the Carriacou flight is luggage. International airlines may allow 23 kg or more per checked bag, but small inter-island aircraft often allow much less, sometimes a total of around 15 to 20 kg per passenger including hand luggage, and soft bags are preferred to large hard suitcases because they fit the small hold more easily. Excess weight may be accepted for a fee if there is room, or it may be left behind for a later flight. Exact allowances differ by operator and aircraft, so ask before booking, not at the counter.

Passenger weight matters too. On the smallest aircraft, staff may ask for your body weight or weigh you with your hand luggage, and they may move people between seats to balance the plane. This is a safety step, not a judgement, and answering honestly helps the pilot. Liquids, sharp items and batteries follow the same security rules as on larger flights, and power banks generally stay in the cabin rather than in the hold.

Divers with full kit, families with car seats and anyone carrying supplies for a villa stay can easily go over the limit. A common solution is to fly yourself and send the heavier items on the ferry, which carries hold luggage readily, or by cargo boat for larger goods. If you are returning home on an international flight, pack so that a single soft bag holds what you need on Carriacou and the rest can be left with your accommodation in Grenada.

Arriving at Lauriston and getting into town

The terminal at Lauriston is modest: a check-in counter, a waiting area and space for meeting passengers. Do not expect shops, currency exchange or a cash machine on site, so arrive on Carriacou with East Caribbean dollars already in your pocket. Taxis often wait for scheduled flights, and the ride to Hillsborough, Tyrrel Bay or L'Esterre is short. On quiet days or for late arrivals, ask your accommodation to arrange a driver in advance, because a taxi may not be waiting.

Leaving Carriacou by air, plan to reach the airport in good time, as check-in involves weighing and loading by hand. If you are connecting to an international departure from Grenada, many travellers book the morning flight and accept a longer wait at Maurice Bishop rather than cutting it fine. Remember that the flight to Grenada is domestic: you do not clear Grenadian immigration on Carriacou, but you will pass security and departure formalities at the main airport for your international flight. Keep a spare day in hand if the weather looks unsettled.

Flight or ferry: making the decision

Flying makes most sense when time is short, when someone in the group suffers badly from seasickness, when connecting from a mid-morning international arrival that would miss a convenient ferry, or when a group can share a charter. It also suits travellers with mobility problems, who may find the ferry's boarding, steps and movement in rough water harder than a short flight with level boarding.

The ferry wins on cost, on luggage, on frequency and on flexibility. It runs most days, carries far more people and rarely sells out except at peak times. It also delivers you to the middle of Hillsborough rather than to an airstrip outside town. Many visitors use both: fly one way to save time or avoid a rough crossing, and take the ferry the other way to see the coast. Weather affects both modes, but differently. Low cloud and heavy rain squalls delay small planes, while strong winds and big swell are more likely to disrupt sailings. In Grenada's rainy season, roughly June to November, afternoon showers are more frequent, so morning flights tend to run more reliably.

What to check before you book

Because operators and schedules shift, a few direct questions to the airline or charter company avoid most problems:

• Which days and times the route actually operates during your travel dates, including Sundays and public holidays.
• The total baggage allowance per passenger, whether hand luggage counts within it, and the fee for excess weight.
• Whether a seat booked on a scheduled flight can be cancelled if that flight is consolidated with another or does not operate.
• Where to check in at Maurice Bishop International Airport, as inter-island flights may use a different counter or area from the big international carriers.
• How much time they advise between your international arrival and the Carriacou flight.
• Whether travel insurance you hold covers small regional carriers and charter flights, which some policies treat differently.
• How to get from Lauriston to your accommodation; taxis meet many flights, but arrange a pickup if you land late or on a quiet day.

Frequently asked questions