JetBlue Launches Flights Between Florida and Jamaica

JetBlue has announced that it will be offering new flights for Jamaica holidays as it expands its service. The airline will commence non-stop flights between Fort Lauderdale in Florida and the Caribbean island's capital, Kingston in April 2012.

Following the success of the direct service between New York and Jamaica since its launch in 2009, JetBlue Airways has announced that it will be launching a non-stop service between Fort Lauderdale in Florida and Kingston, Jamaica next spring.

The new service will commence in April 2012 and will provide two daily flights to Jamaica for travellers from the United States taking Jamaica holidays.

Jamaica’s Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett, said: “I welcome JetBlue’s expanded service from New York to Kingston which is set to begin next April. The decision by the airline to increase its flights sends a strong signal to the world which points to Jamaica’s stability for investment in the tourism trade.

“JetBlue is by far the fastest growing airline in Jamaica, as at the end of its first year in operation locally it secured 2 per cent of the market. Last year it held 6 per cent of the local market and is now trending to 10 per cent of market-share.”

In May 2009, JetBlue launched their first Jamaica flights from JFK International Airport in New York to Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. Later that year, the air carrier expanded the service and launched a new route from New York to Kingston, Jamaica.

Image by: Rising Sun 2010, on Flickr

Travellers will now have more choices when it comes to booking flights for Jamaica holidays from the United States and the Caribbean island is expecting a significant increase in international visitors during the 2011/2012 winter season.

Bartlett explained: “JetBlue’s expansion in Jamaica puts our country in good stead to have a robust summer in 2012. We are already anticipating a strong 2011/2012 winter tourist season with some 1,044,137 air seats already secured, which represents a 5.6 per cent increase over 2010, and a 4.7 per cent increase over the 2011 winter season.”

The tourism minister added that the number of tourists taking holidays to Jamaica via cruise ships this winter is expected to reach 583,186; a staggering 48.4 per cent increase on the same period last year. The total number of holidaymakers expected to visit Jamaica over the forthcoming winter months is approximately 1.352 million.

Image by: Pat Mulrooney, on Flickr

“JetBlue is making it easier than ever for travellers from key markets such as the US to access Jamaica and I commend them for providing this valuable service which is vital to maintaining our strong position in the US market.” Bartlett concluded.

Jamaica is fast becoming one of the world’s most popular destinations for luxury holidays. The tropical island was honoured at this year’s World Travel Awards as the “Caribbean’s Leading Destination” and several Jamaica hotels also received prestigious recognitions at the 2011 WTA Caribbean & The Americas Gala Ceremony.