by Brian Major
Last updated: 8:00 AM ET, Wed December 24, 2025
Enhanced air connections are enabling the Bahamas to
diversify its visitor base and manage arrivals of new travelers from diverse
source markets. The new routes are also bringing activity to less-traveled
areas of the territory.
In September, the Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation
announced the launch of the first-ever nonstop service from the
USA to Bimini via American Airlines. Beginning Feb. 14, 2026, this new flight
from Miami International to South Bimini Airport will offer travelers expanded
access to The Bahamas’ Out Islands beyond the capital of Nassau.
"This nonstop connection with a major U.S. city not
only enhances accessibility but also signals a new phase of growth for the
island’s economy,” said Chester Cooper, deputy prime minister and minister of tourism.
“It is a testament to our ongoing efforts to elevate our tourism product and to
partner with world-class airlines to meet global demand for our diverse islands.”
American’s Bimini route will operate three flights a week,
on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. The flights’ development coincides
with the government of The Bahamas’ strategic investment in the island’s
infrastructure.
Specifically, the South Bimini International Airport will
receive an $80 million, two-phase upgrade to modernize the facility to support
increased domestic and international commercial flights, enhance customer
service and drive economic growth in Bimini via a recent public-private
partnership agreement.
The project, part of the broader Out Islands Renaissance
Project, will deliver a state-of-the-art terminal and other improvements
designed to support increased commercial flights and enhance the visitor
experience. It will also include airfield improvements, terminal upgrades,
and the construction of a new passenger terminal.
The Bahamas’ government launched the Out Islands Renaissance
Project in 2023 targeting the development of a portfolio of 14 airports
throughout the archipelago.
American’s new nonstop service to Bimini “will boost visitor
arrivals, strengthen tourism, and provide travelers with a seamless pathway to
experience the charm and authenticity of our Out Islands” said Latia Duncombe,
director general of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investment and Aviation.
Meanwhile, American Airlines is boosting holiday travel to
The Out Islands with increased frequencies from Miami. From Dec. 18, 2025,
through Jan. 5, 2026, the airline will operate three daily flights to Marsh
Harbour in Abaco and North Eleuthera. More Out Island service is available from
Bahamasair, which introduced nonstop service from Fort Lauderdale to North Eleuthera
on November 23.
Service to Nassau has also expanded. Starting Dec. 20, 2025,
Delta Air Lines launched new nonstop flights to Nassau from New York, Atlanta
and Miami. Delta also expanded its Detroit to Nassau route with daily nonstop
service through April 12, 2026, while travelers flying out of Minneapolis can
now seamlessly travel to the island nation’s capital on Saturdays this winter, as
Delta launched new seasonal nonstop service to Nassau on December 20. The
flights will run through Apr. 12, 2026.
Frontier Airlines resumed weekly nonstop flights to Nassau
from multiple U.S. cities on Dec. 18, 2025, the same day JetBlue added a new
daily flight from Boston to Nassau.
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