Jamaica airports record passenger decline as country recovers from Hurricane Melissa
Key Points(5)
- Passenger traffic at Jamaica’s two international airports declined during the first half of 2026 as the country continued to recover from the effects of Hurricane Melissa and other challenges affecting the tourism sector.
- The reduction has been linked largely to the impact of Hurricane Melissa, which struck Jamaica in October 2025, as well as reduced hotel room availability caused by repairs at several tourism properties.
- Sangster International Airport, located in Montego Bay, is Jamaica’s busiest airport and serves as the main gateway for visitors travelling to the island’s major tourism destinations, including Ocho Rios and Negril.
- Meanwhile, Norman Manley International Airport recorded a smaller decline, processing 850,200 passengers during the six-month period.
- That represented a 3.6 per cent decrease from the 881,500 passengers handled during the corresponding period last year.
Passenger traffic at Jamaica’s two international airports declined during the first half of 2026 as the country continued to recover from the effects of Hurricane Melissa and other challenges affecting the tourism sector.
Figures released by Mexico-based airport concession operator Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP) show that Sangster International Airport handled 1.91 million passengers between January and June, a 26.7 per cent decline compared with the 2.60 million passengers recorded during the same period in 2025.
The reduction has been linked largely to the impact of Hurricane Melissa, which struck Jamaica in October 2025, as well as reduced hotel room availability caused by repairs at several tourism properties.
Sangster International Airport, located in Montego Bay, is Jamaica’s busiest airport and serves as the main gateway for visitors travelling to the island’s major tourism destinations, including Ocho Rios and Negril.
Meanwhile, Norman Manley International Airport recorded a smaller decline, processing 850,200 passengers during the six-month period. That represented a 3.6 per cent decrease from the 881,500 passengers handled during the corresponding period last year.
Officials attributed the decline at the Kingston-based airport to lower visitor arrivals from some markets in the United States, Jamaica’s largest tourism source market.
The downward trend continued in June, with Sangster International Airport recording a 23.4 per cent decline in monthly passenger traffic. The airport welcomed 336,300 passengers during the month, compared with 438,900 in June 2025.
Norman Manley International Airport recorded a marginal decrease, handling 151,000 passengers in June compared with 152,200 during the same month last year.
Despite concerns over the closure of low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines on May 2, GAP said the impact on Jamaica’s air connectivity was limited. Before ending operations, the airline accounted for approximately 3.5 per cent of passenger traffic through Kingston and 2.6 per cent through Montego Bay.
Tourism stakeholders, however, remain optimistic about a recovery, pointing to new and expanded air service expected to improve Jamaica’s connectivity.
In June, low-cost carrier Wingo launched a new route connecting Medellín, Colombia, with Montego Bay, opening additional access to the South American market.
Jamaica is also expected to benefit from expanded service by Porter Airlines, which plans to introduce nonstop flights from Toronto, Ottawa and Hamilton during the 2026–2027 winter tourism season.
Tourism officials said the restoration of hotel capacity, along with new air routes, should help support a rebound in visitor arrivals and airport passenger traffic in the coming months.
