Air Travel

Port of Friday Harbor is the main San Juan Islands airport, but there are also small airports on Lopez, Shaw, and Orcas Islands. Seaplanes land on the waterfront at Friday Harbor and Roche Harbor on San Juan Island; Rosario Resort, Deer Harbor, and West Sound on Orcas Island; and Fisherman Bay on Lopez Island. Daily scheduled flights link the San Juan Islands with mainland airports at Anacortes, Bellingham, and Lake Washington, Renton, and Boeing Field near Seattle. Some airlines also offer charter services.

If traffic and ferry lines really aren't your thing, consider hopping aboard a seaplane for the quick flight from Seattle. Kenmore Air offers several daily departures from Lake Union, Lake Washington, and Boeing Field, and from May through September Friday Harbor Seaplanes has up to four daily departures from Renton to Friday Harbor. Flying isn't cheap—around $130–$170 each way—but the scenic, hour-long flight is an experience in itself. Flights on San Juan Airlines from Bellingham and Anacortes run about $90 each way.

Air Contacts

Friday Harbor Seaplanes. From May through September, this airline offers daily flights from Renton, near Seattle, to Friday Harbor. Renton, Washington. 277--1590; 690--0086; www.fridayharborseaplanes.com.

Kenmore Air. This is a regular provider of flights from Seattle to Orcas, San Juan, and Lopez islands. Kenmore, Washington. 425/486–1257; 866/435–9524; www.kenmoreair.com.

San Juan Airlines. This is a reliable option for daily flights to the islands from Bellingham and Anacortes. Bellingham, Washington. 800/874–4434; www.sanjuanairlines.com.