- Tradewind Aviation offers a fast, smooth way to reach Nantucket, with service from the New York area (HPN) and new scheduled Boston to Nantucket flights from Bedford’s Hanscom Field (BED), featuring private terminal access, no crowded TSA lines, and a comfortable Pilatus PC-12 aircraft.
- For travelers researching how to get to Nantucket form Boston, flying with Tradewind Aviation avoids the common hassles of Cape Cod traffic, Hyannis ferry parking, boarding crowds, ferry logistics, and the uncertainty of choppy areas.
- Late summer through October is one of the best times to visit Nantucket, with “locals’ summer” bringing uncrowded beaches, easier restaurant reservations, scalloping season, cranberry bog tours, fall color across the moors, and the Nantucket Halloween Parade.
Few New England destinations are as beloved as Nantucket. Known for its weathered gray cedar-shingled cottages, historic cobblestone streets, and more than 40 beaches, this former 18th-century whaling capital is both a National Historic District and one of the country’s most picturesque island retreats.
Though only 90 miles from Boston, how to get to Nantucket has always been a logistical challenge. The traditional route often means loading the car, navigating Cape Cod traffic, parking in Hyannis, arriving early for the ferry, boarding with the crowds, and then spending another hour or more on the water before finally reaching the island.
Now, there is an easier way.
Building on its existing service from the New York area, Tradewind Aviation’s new scheduled service from Hanscom Field in Bedford to Nantucket offers travelers a faster, smoother answer to how to get to Nantucket from Boston. Instead of building the day around the drive-and-ferry routine, travelers can fly directly from the Boston area to Nantucket in just under 35 minutes, avoiding the pain points of summer travel: traffic, lines, parking, crowds, and the uncertainty of the sea.
For anyone wondering how to get from Boston to Nantucket without the hassle of the Cape drive, Hanscom Field (BED) is a convenient connection. Located in Bedford, northwest of the city, the airport is easy to reach by car and simpler to access than a major commercial terminal. As with Tradewind’s flights from the New York area, flights operate from private aviation facilities, allowing guests to arrive only 30 minutes before departure and avoid the delays and congestion of standard airline travel.
Onboard, the experience is equally effortless. All Tradewind flights are operated on comfortable, air-conditioned Pilatus PC-12 aircraft. For travelers comparing flights from Boston to Nantucket with the ferry, the difference is clear: a brief, scenic flight that delivers passengers directly to the island in under 35 minutes, as opposed to the ferry’s three- or four-hour ordeal.
While many travelers search for a Boston ferry to Nantucket, most ferry service to the island departs from Hyannis on Cape Cod, requiring a drive from Boston before the ferry journey even begins. The drive can be unpredictable in summer, particularly on Fridays, weekends, and holiday periods when Cape traffic clusters around the bridges and main routes.
Once travelers reach Hyannis, the journey is not over. There is parking to find, luggage to manage, boarding times to consider, and crowds to navigate. The high-speed ferry itself takes about an hour, but that does not include the drive, early arrival, ticketing, boarding, or the time spent getting settled once the boat arrives on Nantucket. And while many travelers compare the Nantucket ferry cost with flying, the real calculation is time, convenience, and how much of the day they want to spend in transit. For travelers coming from either the Boston or New York area, Tradewind offers a more direct, personal way to reach the island. Flying personal with Tradewind starts the trip on a high note. The vacation begins before takeoff, with a private terminal experience and a comfortable, 8-seater plane with plenty of luggage space. For travelers heading from New York or Boston to Nantucket Island, it is a simpler, more comfortable way to arrive.
Visiting Nantucket in Late Summer and Fall
While Nantucket is best known for its summer season, late summer through October, referred to as “locals’ summer,” is considered by many to be the best season for its uncrowded beaches, easier restaurant reservations, and autumnal festivities.
This is an ideal time to explore Nantucket at a slower pace. Rent a bike, e-bike, or moped and set off along the island’s bike paths, riding toward Sconset, Surfside Beach, or Madaket for coastal views under crisp autumn skies.
October also marks the start of recreational scalloping season, one of Nantucket’s most beloved local traditions. Visitors with a permit can rent gear and try their hand at scalloping in the island’s shallow waters at low tide, wading in waist-high waters with a rake and basket in search of Nantucket bay scallops. Sweet, delicate, and best prepared simply with butter, salt, and pepper, they are one of the great tastes of fall on the island.
Cranberry season is another seasonal tradition. At Milestone Cranberry Bog, the island’s oldest and largest continually operated farm, fall harvest tours offer a glimpse into Nantucket’s agricultural past. Peak cranberry season typically runs from September through October, when the berries ripen and the bogs are flooded for harvesting. Visitors can learn about the harvest, see traditional methods in action, and purchase fresh local cranberries. The Nantucket Conservation Foundation hosts an annual Fall Fest at Milestone Bog, celebrating the harvest with hayrides, live music, and family-friendly activities.
Beyond the bright red cranberry bogs, Nantucket’s moors and conservation lands are the places to see fall color. Golden grasses, red huckleberry, seaside goldenrod, scrub oak, and tupelo turn shades of crimson, gold, and russet along Milestone Road, Polpis Road, and the Middle Moors.
The fall festive season begins with the Nantucket Halloween Parade on Main Street, an island tradition that attracts locals and visitors of all ages dressed in costume. After the parade, children trick-or-treat along the storefronts in the historic district.
This year, fly personal to Nantucket and revel in the late summer and fall festivities of a quieter island. With Tradewind’s new Bedford service for Boston-area travelers and existing service from Westchester County Airport (HPN) in New York, guests can trade traffic and ferry crossings for arriving on island feeling as relaxed as an unhurried morning on the beach.
To learn more about how to get to Nantucket with Tradewind’s scheduled flights, please visit our website. To receive a private charter quote, please submit an inquiry here or contact our specialists at sales@flytradewind.com or 1-800-376-7922 option 3. For questions regarding scheduled flights, contact our scheduled service team at scheduledservice@flytradewind.com or 1-800-376-7922 option 1.