The Caribbean will see an increase in airlift starting at the end of this year and continuing into 2025. Read on for what’s coming to Grand Bahama Island and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Foreign Arrivals to the Caribbean on the Rise
In 2023, Grand Bahama Island saw a 33 percent increase in foreign air arrivals, the highest year-over-year growth among all Bahamian islands. For the first five months of 2024, international airlift arrivals have already outperformed the same period in 2023 by 8 percent.
Westernair will launch a new service between Fort Lauderdale and Freeport to support this growth starting at the end of August. From Sept. 6 to Oct. 3, 2024, Bahamasair will increase capacity on its Fort Lauderdale to Freeport route, compensating for American Airlines’ brief suspension of its Miami-Freeport service during the hurricane season. American Airlines will resume daily service to Freeport after October 3 and will increase to twice daily in November. Additionally, the airline will offer Saturday service between Charlotte and Freeport.
Bahamasair will also introduce new service between West Palm Beach and Freeport starting Nov. 17, 2024, in time for Thanksgiving travel. This complements the return of Bahamasair’s nonstop service to Orlando, which began on June 17 and continues through September 3, 2024, with twice-weekly flights.
In June, Sunwing Airlines resumed nonstop service from Montreal and Neos/Alpitour Airlines from Milan, alongside Bahamasair’s Freeport to Orlando service. The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation also signed interline agreements between Bahamasair and Virgin Atlantic and Alaska Airlines to facilitate travel for visitors from the UK and the West Coast. This September, Bahamasair will sign an interline agreement with Turkish Airlines, providing more travel options for visitors to Grand Bahama.
For more information, visit bahamas.com.
American Airlines to Launch Non-Stop Service to South Caicos
Experience Turks and Caicos has announced that American Airlines’ nonstop service to South Caicos will start on Feb. 15, 2025.
American Airlines will operate two weekly flights from Miami to the Norman B. Saunders Airport, making it the only U.S. carrier providing service to South Caicos.
The flight launch coincides with the opening of Salterra, A Luxury Collection Resort and Spa, in South Caicos. The area is home to the Boiling Hole—an underwater passage that connects the ocean to the main salina—and is ideal for water sports, including snorkeling, scuba diving, bone-fishing and a range of activities year-round such as the South Caicos Regatta.
Flights from Miami will depart at 10:05 AM and arrive at 12:27 PM. Return flights will leave South Caicos at 1:44 PM and arrive in Miami at 3:55 PM.
For more information, visit turksandcaicostourism.com.
