Since April 7, 2026, Southwest Airlines has linked the United States to Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM). For travelers leaving Florida or the Mid-Atlantic, the French-Dutch island is easier to reach nonstop, without a forced stop in Miami or New York.
The carrier, adding its first new international destination since 2021, opened Orlando (MCO) - SXM as a daily nonstop, then weekend Baltimore/Washington (BWI) - SXM flights on Saturdays and Sundays. The published plan adds up to nine weekly round trips.
Two U.S. gateways
Orlando to Juliana takes about 3 hours 10 minutes. From Baltimore, plan on roughly 4 hours 15 minutes. Both routes land at SXM on the Dutch side: from there, Marigot, Grand Case or Orient Bay are usually under an hour by taxi or rental car, traffic permitting.
- Orlando (MCO) - SXM: about one nonstop a day
- Baltimore/Washington (BWI) - SXM: weekend nonstops (Saturday and Sunday)
- One-stop connections from more than 45 U.S. airports on the Southwest network
Booking and getting around
Tickets are sold on southwest.com, in the app or through travel agents. Times and fares shift with the season, so check the calendar before locking a hotel on either side of the island. On arrival at Juliana, clear entry formalities for your nationality, then transfer to your stay.
For a split trip, the pair of routes is handy: connect through Orlando or the Mid-Atlantic, land near Maho Beach, then move on to French-side dinners in Grand Case or a day in Philipsburg without changing regional airports.
Sources: Southwest Airlines press release (August 26, 2025), Visit St. Maarten / PJIA, Southwest schedule pages for MCO-SXM and BWI-SXM.