Getting to the islands off of Cape Cod isn’t easy. In fact that’s why so many hardcore Nantucketers like the island so much. It’s thirty miles out into the Atlantic Ocean and you’ve got to make a lot of extra effort if you plan to go.

Taking the slow ferry is fun if you’ve got no other options. But, if time is your thing then you’ve got to fly!

And there’s no shortage of choices when it comes to choosing a regional carrier or a smaller part-135 charter operator that can get you there on regularly scheduled flights each week during the summer. But there’s only one operator that let’s you get there on “Whale Force One.”  How cool is that?

Fly The Whale to Nantucket and the Islands in Style
Fly The Whale is an upstart airline that isn’t short on big ideas and making them into a reality.
 
We recently had the opportunity to Fly The Whale to the Nantucket Wine Festival from Westchester Airport (HPN) to Nantucket (ACK).  We’ve flown to Nantucket from HPN a lot over the years but, never from the private Million Air FBO. It’s located directly across the tarmac from the main terminal on 36 Tower Rd in Harrison, NY.

Great Value When You Fly to Nantcuket
Fly The Whale has positioned their product at a great price point in this market. A one-way ticket costs $575 vs. over $750 on Tradewind out of Oxford, CT. Regional carrier Cape Air also offers service from HPN to ACK at $350.00 per seat plus $25.00 a day for parking.

Special Insider Promo
We’ve discovered an insider deal that will save you some money this year when you Fly The Whale to Nantucket.

When your on island head out to Sconset and grab a burger at the Beach Side Bistro or climb the stairs to the bluff and dine at the Summer House Restaurant. You’ll get an exclusive post card size offer from Fly The Whale that gives you $175.00 off any flight. That brings your overall cost down to $400 and you don’t have to pay for parking at Million Air’s FBO.  They will valet park your car!

Feel Like a Millionaire at Million Air
Getting to the FBO at Million Air at HPN can be tricky. Make sure you use your GPS and don’t zoom by the access road like we did. The signage is hard to see for newbies.

We arrived a few minutes before the scheduled wheels up time and the valet parked our car and took control of our bags. The lounge at Million Air was busy and the place was full of people and their dogs heading to Nantucket for the weekend. The FBO mostly services the private jet crowd and is appointed with leather couches, marble restrooms and plenty of complimentary coffee, fruit and other healthy snacks. You really feel like a millionaire at Million Air!

Our Flight to Nantucket
When you first look at the Cessna Grand Caravan on the tarmac it not much to look at. It’s a big single engine turbo prop that can seat up to eight passengers. It has an excellent reputation of being a solid airplane that can carry a lot of people and cargo. In fact it cut its teeth back in the day with FedEx servicing short backcountry runways on all seven continents. It’s a reliable airplane.

Captain Dan escorted us out to the airplane. As we got a little closer you could tell that this Caravan was not your average commuter shuttle. She was painted up very nicely and we especially liked the tail that sported the fun whale logo of the company.

The interior of the aircraft was spacious and was appointed with club style leather seats, luxurious hardwood veneers and an off-white leather headliner.

Our particular plane was not equipped with floats and had fixed landing gear and a classic high wing configuration.

We took off over the trees and immediately you could tell the flight was going to be amazing. The service also offers complimentary beverage service from up-and-comer Spiked Seltzer and Cisco Brewery’s Whale's Tale Pale Ale from Nantucket.  

The views out the oversized windows on board offered unobstructed panoramic views of all the must see landmarks along the flight path. You’ll be able to enjoy gazing down on Montauk, Block Island, Martha’s Vineyard and my favorite the Elizabeth Islands.

Before you know it the plane is starting its decent from 6,500’ and is lining up for final approach to the land at Nantucket Memorial airport. The flight only took sixty minutes and was absolutely flawless.

We’d recommend checking out Fly The Whale the next time you need to get to Nantucket from the New York City area. The company also offers float plan service from New York City to Sag Harbor in the Hamptons and also just announced a strategic alliance with Tailwind that will expand their float plane service to Washington DC and the Boston Markets.

For reservations please call - 212-221-1203

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I am on-the-go in Washington D.C., and it certainly doesn't seem like the middle of March. 

I feel so lucky to be visiting when the weather is this pleasant. I remember days as a kid touring the Nation's Capital in the middle of summer, the heat and humidity making the walk from the Monument to the Capital building lose all its romance.

Nice weather is a double-edged sword for me - it motivates me to get out of the house, however once I am under the sun and feeling the breeze I have a tendency to sit very still, to breathe it in very deeply and not worry about moving so much.

Yesterday was one of those days: