At Palm Beach’s private aviation terminal, I am clearly the rookie. This became immediately apparent when the woman working at the check-in counter gave me a look like I’d asked for a flight to Mars when I showed up an astounding 45 minutes early.
“Ah. Yeah, they’re not even here yet,” she said to me, in the same fashion you might tell a dinner guest who shows up at 3 pm. “Go ahead and wait in the lounge, they’ll check you in when they get here.”
The first lesson in flying Tropic Ocean Airways: You can pretty much show up right before the plane is leaving. Which is one of the huge draws for taking Tropic Ocean’s new nonstop flight from Palm Beach to Marsh Harbor, Bahamas, a gateway to the Abacos. It’s not quite flying private, but it’s a helluva lot easier than flying like a normal person, especially in this era of constant delays and outright cancelations. If you’re keen on traveling to the Bahamas from South Florida and not keen on dealing with airports, this might be your new favorite airline.
Tropic Ocean is a charter airline that has ventured into the world of commercial flights, operating out of the Atlantic Aviation terminal across the tarmac from PBI. Flights are priced slightly higher than American’s nonstop routes to the Bahamas from MIA—about $350 each way compared to American’s $275. With that you get a 50-pound bag allowance, and your pet can fly without you having to call it “emotional support.” You also park for free, right in front.
