The U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) is positioning itself for another record winter season, with expanded airlift and new partnerships announced following the destination’s participation at Routes World 2025 in Hong Kong last month.
Led by Commissioner Nominee Jennifer Matarangas-King of the Department of Tourism, the USVI delegation met with several major carriers throughout the week-long event—including Delta, JetBlue, Porter, Volaris, Scandinavian Airlines and representatives from the Denver International Airport Authority—to discuss increased connectivity, particularly for St. Croix, and to strengthen existing routes across the territory.
Matarangas-King said the positive feedback reinforced the territory’s position as a growing force in the aviation sector. “Airline and industry partners from across the globe are seeing the U.S. Virgin Islands as a preeminent destination, drawn by its rich cultural heritage, pristine natural beauty, and robust infrastructure that supports both leisure and business travel.”
Speaking on a Routes World keynote panel, former Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte said the U.S. Virgin Islands continues to see record arrivals and more year-round air service, driven by sustained airline partnerships and targeted marketing strategies.
That momentum is set to continue into the winter 2025–26 season, with St. Croix projected to see a 16 percent increase in airline seats from the continental U.S. American Airlines will lead the expansion with a 29 percent boost, including new Saturday service from Chicago launching December 6, while JetBlue will add 52 percent more seats into the market.
St. Thomas will also post record gains with a 9 percent year-over-year increase in overall capacity. New service will include Southwest flights to Baltimore and Orlando, Delta service to Boston, Contour flights to Dominica and Cape Air service to St. Barth.
With new gateways from Boston, Chicago, Miami, Charlotte and Washington, D.C., the 2025–26 season represents the territory’s strongest winter airlift to date. The Department of Tourism says it remains committed to sustaining this growth trajectory through ongoing collaboration with airline partners and strategic marketing initiatives that continue to position the U.S. Virgin Islands as one of the Caribbean’s fastest-growing air service destinations.
For more information, visit visitusvi.com.
