San Francisco to Canouan (SFO–CIW) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

US passport holders enter St Vincent and the Grenadines visa-free for up to 30 days, extendable to 90 days. No advance application is needed. Passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of entry. A return or onward ticket and proof of accommodation are required. At Argyle International Airport (SVD) on St Vincent, immigration stamps your passport.

St Vincent and the Grenadines is a chain of 32 islands and cays stretching south toward Grenada. St Vincent is the largest island, with La Soufriere volcano (1,234m) at the northern end. The Grenadines include Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, Mayreau, Union Island, and the Tobago Cays. The Tobago Cays Marine Park, a cluster of five uninhabited islands with crystal-clear water and sea turtle populations, is the archipelago's signature destination. Mustique is a private island known for its exclusive villa rentals.

No nonstop flights connect the US mainland to St Vincent. Route through Barbados (about 40 minutes to SVD on Caribbean Airlines or LIAT successor carriers), Trinidad (about 1 hour), or St Lucia (about 30 minutes). Argyle International Airport opened in 2017, replacing the short-runway E.T. Joshua Airport and enabling jet service. Inter-island ferries connect St Vincent to Bequia (1 hour on the MV Bequia Express, XCD 25/$9.25 each way) and to Union Island via Canouan and Mayreau (3 hours 30 minutes). St Vincent and the Grenadines uses the Eastern Caribbean dollar (XCD), pegged at XCD 2.70 per $1. US dollars are accepted at hotels and tour operators. ATMs are available in Kingstown on St Vincent and in Port Elizabeth on Bequia. Card payments work at hotels and larger restaurants. Minibuses run across St Vincent for XCD 1.50 to XCD 3 per ride.

BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) runs from downtown San Francisco (Embarcadero, Powell St.) to the SFO station and then a free AirTrain shuttle to all terminals (30–40 min from Embarcadero, $10.45). BART also connects Oakland and Berkeley; useful for East Bay travelers. Trains run from ~4am to midnight.Taxis from downtown San Francisco cost $40–60. Ride-hails (Uber, Lyft) pick up in the designated area in the garage and are often $30–50 depending on surge pricing. SamTrans buses serve Peninsula cities. Highway 101 and I-280 are heavily congested during commute hours; BART is faster than driving at those times.