How to Get to Martha’s Vineyard: The Ultimate Guide

Martha’s Vineyard is a beautiful island off the coast of Massachusetts, and it is one of the premier summer destinations in New England. Thousands of people from all over the world travel to the 100-square-mile island to enjoy the beautiful views and delicious food.

But how do you get to this gorgeous island? It is actually pretty easy! The most common way to get to Martha’s Vineyard is by ferry, which you can bring your car on. We took a ferry to Martha’s Vineyard and loved it because we were able to take our car with us.

You can also fly into its small airport if you prefer to fly. And some ferries and airlines operate year-round, allowing you to visit Martha’s Vineyard in any season!

This guide has everything you need to know about how to get to Martha’s Vineyard year-round, including the best ferry and flight options.

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How to Get to Martha’s Vineyard During Peak Season

Peak season on Martha’s Vineyard is usually May through October. During this time, the island has the most visitors and gives you the most options for getting to it. Multiple ferry companies and airlines travel to and from the island from various departure points along the east coast.

Since Martha's Vineyard has the most visitors in the summer, the ferries and flights book up quickly. I highly recommend booking your tickets in advance to secure your spot to the island! The car spots also book up quickly in the summer, so the further in advance you can make the reservation, the better.

Martha’s Vineyard peak season Ferries

The easiest way to get to Martha’s Vineyard during the peak season is by ferry. During the peak season, multiple ferries travel to Martha’s Vineyard from various places along the coast, giving you the most options.

And each ferry has many departure times. The only downside is the ferries book up quickly. I recommend booking your tickets far in advance to hold your spot on the ship, especially if you want to bring your car.

We booked our ferry months in advance and were lucky to get a car spot. We have heard the car spots can book up even a year in advance!

Here are the Martha’s Vineyard ferries and their departure points:

Steamship Authority (largest ferry with the most options)

Wood’s Hole to Vineyard Haven

Hy-Line Cruises

Hyannis to Oak’s Bluff
Nantucket to Oak’s Bluff

Seastreak

New Bedford to Oak’s Bluff
New York City to Oak’s Bluff
New Jersey to Oak’s Bluff

Island Queen

Falmouth to Oak’s Bluff

Martha’s Vineyard Peak Season Flights

If you want to fly to Martha’s Vineyard during the peak season, you are in luck! Martha’s Vineyard has a small airport, and multiple airlines fly into it during the summer.

The most common airline to fly with is Cape Air, but Delta and Jetblue also have flights to the island from various airports along the east coast. The only downside is the flights are limited to a few select airports.

Here are the Martha’s Vineyard flight options during peak season and the airline's departure points:

Cape Air (the most flight options if departure is from the northeast)

Boston Logan International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
Westchester County Airport
New Bedford Regional Airport
Boardman-Polando Field
Nantucket Memorial Airport

Delta

LaGuardia Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport

JetBlue

John F. Kennedy International Airport
LaGuardia Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport
Boston Logan International
Ronald Reagan National Airport

How to Get to Martha’s Vineyard During Off Season

If you want to visit Martha’s Vineyard without the crowds, the off-season is perfect for you! The off-season is considered November-April. We visited in the winter and loved exploring the island with fewer crowds.

Although some facilities close during the winter, there are still many things to do and places to eat! If you want to visit in the off-season, you have limited options to get to Martha’s Vineyard since many ferries and airlines only operate seasonally to the island.

Martha’s Vineyard Off-season Ferries

The only ferry that is open year-round is Steamship Authority. These ferries leave from Woods Hole near Falmouth, are about 45 minutes long, and bring you to Vineyard Haven. We reserved a spot on this ferry a few weeks in advance. Although it was last-minute, we did not have a problem getting a spot.

Even though winter is less busy than summer, the ferries still fill up quickly, so I recommend purchasing your tickets in advance to secure your spot. I also recommend bringing your car if you are visiting in the off-season because it will be the best way to travel around the island.

Martha’s Vineyard Off-season Flights

Cape Air is the only airline that flies into Martha’s Vineyard year-round. In the winter, Cape Air only flies to Martha's Vineyard from a select few airports in the northeast and only has about one flight per day to the island. Although flights are limited in the off-season, the prices are pretty inexpensive! Flying to Martha’s Vineyard on Cape Air in the winter is the best alternative to taking the ferry.

Booking.com

If you want to visit Martha’s Vineyard, this guide is the perfect place to start planning! I have visited Martha’s Vineyard for years in every season, so I know the best ways to get to the island. This guide has everything you need to know about how to get to Martha’s Vineyard year-round.