Jamaica secures 1.3 million airline seats for 2027 winter tourism season
The increase of 23.5% comes as the island continues recovering from Hurricane Melissa, with about 3,500 hotel rooms still unavailable.
Jamaica has secured more than 1.3 million airline seats for the January-to-April 2027 winter tourism season, a 23.5% increase over the same period this year.
The Jamaica Tourist Board announced Friday that international airline partners have committed 1,324,965 seats for the four-month period, an increase of 251,739 seats compared with January through April 2026.
The increase comes as Jamaica rebuilds its tourism industry following Hurricane Melissa, which struck in October 2025 and forced the closure of several major hotels.
READ MORE: Alberta tourism minister courts high-spending Mexican travellers
READ MORE: Historic Walser Building reopens in Elora as boutique hotel extension
Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett described the additional capacity as a sign of confidence in Jamaica’s recovery.
“Securing more than 1.3 million seats is a strong vote of confidence in Jamaica and our tourism recovery,” Bartlett said in the Jamaica Gleaner.
“Our task now is to turn that confidence into bookings, visitor spending and economic opportunities for Jamaicans.”
Canada has recorded the strongest increase in airline seat capacity, with a 62.1% rise compared with the corresponding period this year, according to the JTB.
The United States, Jamaica’s largest tourism source market, has recorded a 23.1% increase, while capacity from Latin America has grown by 2%.
Canadian airlift is being supported by expanded and returning services from Air Canada, WestJet, Air Transat and Flair Airlines, alongside new nonstop flights from Porter Airlines.
Angella Bennett, the JTB’s regional director for Canada, said the additional capacity would give Canadian travellers more opportunities to visit Jamaica.
“Securing 1.3 million airline seats for the upcoming winter season is a strong vote of confidence in Jamaica and the continued resilience of our tourism industry,” Bennett said in a statement.
Despite the increase in airline capacity, the accommodation sector continues to recover from the hurricane’s impact.
The JTB projects that approximately 90% of Jamaica’s hotel room inventory will be operational for the upcoming winter season.
However, roughly 3,500 rooms are not expected to be available during the period.
Several major hotel brands have been reopening properties as recovery progresses.
Royalton Hotels & Resorts has reopened its Jamaica portfolio, while Sandals has been preparing to reopen and transform Sandals Montego Bay, Sandals Caribbean Cay and Sandals South Coast.
JTB Director of Tourism Donovan White said the board would continue working with airlines, tour operators and accommodation providers to turn increased flight capacity into visitor arrivals.
“Our airline partners are expanding access to Jamaica, and we are working closely with tour operators and accommodation partners to translate those seats into bookings,” White said.
The JTB said the airlift outlook had strengthened over the past 60 days, with additional airline commitments confirmed in the two weeks before the announcement.
The agency plans to intensify joint marketing efforts with airlines, tour operators and hoteliers to sustain demand and support hotel occupancy throughout the winter season.
With files from Caribbean National Weekly