American Airlines has announced plans to launch direct flights from Miami to Ocho Rios, Jamaica, come February 2024.
As of February 24, “service to Ocho Rios will operate twice weekly with an Embraer 175 aircraft with capacity for 76 passengers, connecting with American’s hub at Miami International Airport,” the airline said in a release on Thursday.
The flights will come into St. Mary’s Ian Fleming International Airport — located about 20 minutes from Ocho Rios. The airport, which underwent major renovations in recent years, welcomed its first international commercial flight last year.
Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett said he expects the new flights to provide a significant boon to tourism and air travel among Jamaicans in that section of the island.
“We are delighted with American Airlines’ decision to introduce a new service to Ian Fleming, serving an area I call Jamaica’s Riviera,” Bartlett said.
“This marks a significant milestone in Jamaica’s ongoing journey to strengthen its position as a premier and easy to get to tourism destination. The introduction of this route is also a positive one for our stakeholders in St Ann, St Mary, Portland and beyond as it will greatly enhance the accessibility of Ocho Rios, making it more convenient for travellers to explore the wonders of these beautiful areas,” he added.
American Airlines Vice-President for International Operations José A. Freig said: “With this new route we further strengthen our position as the leading airline in Jamaica, operating this winter more than 100 weekly flights to the US.”
The new service will represent the launch of American Airlines’ third destination in Jamaica. It currently offers service to Kingston from Miami and to Montego Bay from Miami, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth, New York, and Philadelphia.
Freig said the Miami to Ian Fleming Airport service will make American Airlines the first US airline to offer access to that gateway in Jamaica, which he described as a “Caribbean paradise.”
The service was originally scheduled to begin in November 2022. However, a month before news emerged that American requested additional air navigation services to operate its aircraft to and from Ian Fleming International.
New tourism developments for Jamaica
Just last week, it was announced that low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines will be offering a weekly flight from Kansas City, Missouri, to Jamaica. The flight will arrive at the Sangster International Airport (SIA) in Montego Bay on Saturdays throughout the winter season.
Minister Bartlett said the new developments make Jamaica the most connected Caribbean island to the U.S.
“We cover 18 gateways that connect us to over 100 cities across the U.S. That makes Jamaica the most connected Caribbean destination to the United States,” he noted.
Bartlett said that the island is on track to close out the year with some 2.9 million stopover visitors and expressed optimism of surpassing the three-million mark in stopover arrivals next year, with earnings of more than $4.5 billion.
Read more tourism news:
- Jamaica’s Tourism Ministry anticipates surge in short-stay accommodation bookings
- Jamaica secures ‘Caribbean’s Best Culinary Destination’ title at World Culinary Awards 2023
- Southwest Airlines launches flights from Kansas City to Montego Bay
Last month, Bartlett said that the country witnessed its most robust summer season in recorded history. He shared that stopover visitors surpassed 800,000.
