Hamptons Flights and Travel Guide

Once Memorial Day hits, there’s no more alluring place to be than the Hamptons – especially if you’re living the fast and glamorous life of the wealthy and famed. Deemed a “summer colony,” but existing as more of a summer kingdom, this New York shoreline paradise makes for a captivating playground for the nation’s elite to romp. Dripping in designer digs and donning jewelry that rivals the sun, celebrities from all over the country frolic around the Hamptons provoking Paparazzi captions and hosting exclusive extravaganzas with everlasting budgets. But while socialites like Paris Hilton hop on private jets and sip champagne to kick off the summer, most travelers can rely on finding cheap flights to the Hamptons to make their trip more realistic. 

Just because you’re not gallivanting with glamorous packs of A-listers doesn’t mean you can’t modify your travel to the Hamptons to reflect their lavish style. For instance, if you’re booking flights to the Hamptons at the tail end of the summer, paint the town white like P. Diddy and throw your friends a white party before Labor Day hits. And don’t fret if you can’t kick back in your own private pool like wrap-dress matriarch, Diane von Furstenburg – the endless span of shoreline ensures that you’ll always have a chance to show off your new bathing suit and sandals. 

While you may not own a massive summer home on the water like renowned American designer, Tommy Hilfiger, or certified New Yorker, Rudy Giuliani, there are plenty of options for affordable accommodations in the Hamptons if you plan ahead. Book your Hampton flights before the rush sets in to vacation like a celeb and reserve your place in the limelight

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When to Fly to Hamptons

While the state of New York itself lures travelers all year-round, there’s no question that the best time to book flights to the Hamptons is solely in the summer months, between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The sunshine and warm evenings create the perfect conditions to enjoy al fresco dining, sunbathing, and bar-hopping in the open-air shoreline establishments. 

If you fly to the Hamptons it in time for the pre-season rush, you’ll be able to see the many Memorial Day parades that fill the streets with noise and celebration. East Hampton’s parade goes from the Village Green to Hook Mill; Mattituck’s parade runs along Route 25 toward the vineyards, and the Southampton Village Memorial Day Parade flows down Jobs Lane and Agawam Park and ends with speeches and a dedication ceremony.

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Getting Around Hamptons

The only catch with booking Hamptons flights is that you never want to leave. If you do, however, plan to extend your Hamptons travel to the surrounding area, there are plenty of options to choose from. If you’re in the mood to explore Long Island, take the Montauk Branch of the Long Island Rail Road. The Montauk Highway and the Hampton Jitney will get you there, too, as well as to New York City. You also have the option of connecting to other summer destinations in New England by ferry.

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Hamptons Insider Information

• Celebrities: Sure, the ocean is beautiful – step in, the water’s fine. The sand is nice, too, not to mention the views. But most vacationers book flights to the Hamptons for one thing, and one thing only: celebrities. The Hamptons are saturated with celebs living the higher-than-high life, and their champagne-drinking, Prada-wearing, Marc Jacobs-toting, attention-calling personalities are what make the Hamptons so inconceivably elite. Top-notch designers like American sportswear creator, Michael Kors, and Polo-inspired Ralph Lauren find their respite in the East Hamptons. You’ll likely catch wedding-gown vixen, Vera Wang in her private pool with husband, Arthur Becker in the same area. Veterans like Chevy Chase, Jerry Seinfeld, Alec Baldwin, and Sarah Jessica Parker all find themselves among the fortunate few, while up-and-coming socialites and newcomers like Ryan Seacrest, Kim Kardashian, Lindsay Lohan, and Lauren Conrad take the stage and make way for a sparkling new generation of sand, style, and scandal.
• Wines: When you just can’t tan anymore, explore the 3,000 acres of vines where more than 30 wineries offer a vast array of world-class wines. The area’s maritime climate, geography, and soil conditions create the perfect conditions to produce wine of complex quality and bold characteristics. If you book flights to the Hamptons during the off-season of February and March, you’ll make it just in time for the Long Island Winter Fest, organized by the Long Island Wine council. Free jazz performances and special tasting lunches take over nearby restaurants, and you’ll be able to enjoy the age-old growing techniques and state-of-the-art technology, while listening to local jazz musicians work their instruments. 
• Antiques Row: What’s a vacation without souvenirs? Head to Antiques Row to find something that will help you always remember your travel to the Hamptons. Along the South Fork, dozens of antique shops from Eastport to Montauk sell mahogany furniture from the early 1900’s, costume jewelry, lamps, artwork, elaborate carpets, and paintings. On the far side of Montauk, you’ll find quilts, dolls, china, and Tiffany Lamps, and further into Sag Harbor, you’ll see vintage clothes, country collectibles, and English furniture. No matter what you decide to buy, make sure you pack carefully on your return Hamptons flight. 
• Hamptons International Film Festival: Aside from VIP nightclubs, private parties, and five-star restaurants, there’s another place you can star-gaze in the Hamptons: The Hamptons International Film Festival. The film festival celebrates a unique spectrum of independent films and it’s a chance for filmmakers like Steven Soderbergh, Steven Spielberg, Errol Morris, and Peter Webber (as well as amateurs) showcase their work. Famous movies that have graced the Hamptons Film Festival include “The Fog of War,” “The Girl with the Pearl Earring,” “Hotel Rwanda,” and “The Piano.” Celebrated festival-goers include Joaquin Phoenix, Bridget Moynahan, Kevin Bacon, Ed Harris, Bill Murray, Steve Buscemi, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Book flights to the Hamptons and who knows, maybe you’ll even find yourself watching a flick in the presence of Billy Joel.

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Hamptons Airports

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