La Compagnie’s All-Business-Class Plane Now Flies Directly From Newark to the Caribbean
If the lack of business-class seats on flights to the Caribbean has kept you from checking islands like St. Barts and Anguilla off your bucket list, you’re in luck. La Compagnie, the French airline that only offers lie down seats in a two-by-two layout, is about to launch nonstop weekly flights from Newark to St. Maarten’s Princess Juliana International Airport. Most flights to St. Barts and Anguilla are routed through St. Maarten. And currently, if you want to arrive in style, your best bet is to charter a private plane. But that’s all about to change on November 26.
If it sounds too good to be true, it is. There’s a slight catch: Most seats on La Compagnie’s converted Airbus A321neo will be reserved for travelers who book their island vacation through E. Clarke Travel, a New Jersey-based boutique travel agency. Originally, the service was announced as part of a new exclusive VIP program, Travel In Style Journeys, which offered seven-day itineraries showcasing the best of the Caribbean’s bougiest islands. However, a spokesperson for La Compagnie told Robb Report they’ve received such a high demand for flights that they’ve decided to allocate a few seats for “air only.” These highly sought-after seats must be booked via La Compagnie.
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La Compagnie, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary this December, is the only all-business class airline in the world. The company offers daily flights from New York to Paris starting at $2,400 round-trip, seasonal flights from New York to Nice starting at $2,500, and up to six flights per week from New York to Milan starting at $2,200.
“These new flights to St. Maarten are an exciting development for La Compagnie as they mark our official entry into the Caribbean market,” La Compagnie CEO Christian Vernet said in a press release.
Currently, most flights from New York to Saint Maarten take eight hours and include a stop in Miami or Atlanta. JetBlue has nonstop service, however you’re not going to get lounge access or a glass of Champagne with your $400 fare. La Compagnie’s four-hour nonstop round-trip flights, which will be offered through April 14, 2024, start at $2,490. Ticket holders will be treated to VIP service, including fast track through TSA and luggage handling, at the airport. Normally, it would include entry to Newark’s Plaza lounge, but since that closed in July, La Compagnie is offering a voucher valid in all of Terminal B’s restaurants.
Life will be even more luxurious on board. While most planes its size have more than 200 seats, La Compagnie’s Airbus A321neo has just 76 and none are middle seats. For entertainment, passengers have a fully-loaded 15.6-inch TV at their fingertips along with complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi. When it’s time to crash (sleep, not the plane), each seat converts into a bed. When it’s time to refuel (eat, not the plane), passengers can order off of menus designed by Michelin-star chefs and choose from wines curated by two of the world’s most renown wine critics, Bettane+Desseauve.
And because Fido has a bucket list, too, La Compagnie even lets pets on board. The catch? They have to weigh less than 33 pounds, and they have to pay their own way. Albeit, their fare is just 10 percent of their favorite hooman’s.
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