Bermuda has scheduled commercial flights to/from Atlanta; Boston MA Logan (BOS); Charlotte/Douglas, NC, high season; Chicago-O'Hare (ORD), high season; Detroit, high season; Fort Lauderdale, seasonal; Halifax; Miami International (MIA); New York (JFK); NYC Newark (EWR); New York - La Guardia (LGA); Philadelphia, PA (PHL); Toronto; Washington DC (DCA). Across the Atlantic, London, England (Gatwick) is 6.75 to 7.75 hours away by air.

There are no commercial scheduled direct flights between Bermuda and any of the Caribbean islands. Going via the USA or Canada are the only ways. Nor are there any direct scheduled flights or any charter flights between the continent of Europe and Bermuda. Going via scheduled flights via Britain or USA or Canada are the only ways.

In the USA, the duty-free allowance or exemption from Customs Duty was raised from November 4, 2002 to $800 (from $400) for those who have not used the exemption in 30 days. This is not something noted on the Bermuda Government's official tourism website, perhaps for the reasons below.

In comparison, in Bermuda, returning residents are allowed an allowance of only US$100 (until 1989 it was US$400 a person, reduced in 1990/91 to US$250 a person and subsequently reduced yet again to the present US$100 per person) before they pay duty on items they bring but visitors are not entitled to such an allowance. Items brought in by visitors and residents that are not within their duty free category incur a stand import duty rate of 22.25% or over 33% of purchase cost, depending on category. Produce receipts from a retail store satisfactory to the Customs Department of actual purchase price of the items or be prepared for the Customs Department to assess items for your payment of duty at much higher Bermuda prices. This is applied vigorously. To avoid being arrested and having goods confiscated, do not try to import goods into Bermuda without paying the duty.

There is no "green light" or "nothing to declare" or quick pay-duty system, as in North American, Irish and European airports. This is irksome to British and European travelers used to their much quicker and less bureaucratic system, especially after a very tiring 7.5 hour flight from the UK, probably at least an hour's journey and a possible 2 hour Gatwick wait beforehand and with most passengers in only 31" seat pitch for those 7.5 hours.

Visitors may bring in, duty free for personal use only while they are in Bermuda, their clothes and articles like cameras, golf bags, 50 cigars or 200 cigarettes or 0.454 kilos (1 pound weight) tobacco; 1 liter of liquor or wine and a $30 gift allowance (compared to $100 in the USA) . If they bring in any more in gifts or their value, they can be charged a heavy rate of duty - over 25% of value - unlike in USA, Britain and Europe, where it does not matter whether your gifts are for yourself or a member of your family or associate or a complete stranger.

If at a hotel and with nothing illegal and with no items to declare, you may be waved through. If at a private home, you may be inspected.

Bermuda Customs and Immigration have a long-standing practice of giving preferential treatment to local legislators returning from abroad. Most don't pay any duties.

No rental cars are allowed - Bermuda is one of the few places in the world that bans them. Visitors get to their destinations by taxi or pre-arranged mini-bus. (Ordinary buses are not equipped to carry passengers who have luggage). For further details, see Visitor Transportation in Bermuda.

Currency - Here are the essential facts about the local-only Bermuda Dollar. It is not exportable. It is not used by traders world-wide. It is not cashable or exchangeable by any foreign banks. It is used only by local citizens and residents - not by international companies based in Bermuda (all of which use US dollars). One reason why is Bermuda's total land area of only 21.75 square miles or 35 square kilometers and 85% visitors', international businesses' and imports of consumer goods dependency on the USA.

Yet when visitors wish to use an ATM card in Bermuda to get money from their non-local bank before they go home, they receive Bermuda dollars only, which they cannot use in any other country except Bermuda.

Avoid getting a non-usable overseas currency beyond Bermuda by bringing only US dollars - freely accepted and officially at par everywhere - and if you get change from shops or restaurants in Bermuda money, ask for US dollars instead.