by Brian Major
Last updated: 1:30 PM ET, Tue December 18, 2018
The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) this past week recognized JetBlue Airways' establishment of new and expanded Caribbean airline service over the past three years at a luncheon in New York.
In 2015 Robin Hayes, JetBlue's president and chief executive officer, said the airline's future success would "rely heavily" on continued expansion in the region. Caribbean and Latin American gateways today account for one-third of JetBlue's capacity, said company officials.
In addition, the airline will expand its flight service in more Caribbean destinations in 2019 said Marty St. George, JetBlue's executive vice president commercial and planning, at the gathering.
Indeed JetBlue has continued adding service to Caribbean destinations this year. In November the airline launched non-stop service from Boston's Logan International Airport to Havana's Jose Marti International Airport, and also added three daily flights to Havana from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
"Between the Boston service and the additional frequency between South Florida and Havana, we are cementing our position as a top choice for travel to Cuba," JetBlue's St. George said. Cuba was the second most popular CTO-member destination in 2017 (behind the Dominican Republic), with 4.7 million land-based overnight visitor arrivals.
In July, JetBlue officials announced several new premium Mint service routes, including new flights to Costa Rica, Curacao, Grand Cayman, St. Lucia and St. Maarten.
In 2017, JetBlue launched daily service between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Grenada's Maurice Bishop International Airport, with five weekly flights including weekly Mint service flights operating on a seasonal basis.
JetBlue also launched service between Haiti's Toussaint Louverture International Airport and Orlando International Airport in 2017, making Orlando the fourth city from which Jet Blue offers flights to Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince, joining Boston, Fort Lauderdale and New York.
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