Hurricane Irma left destruction in her wake after rolling through the Florida Keys and Key West last year but the region is making a comeback.
Currently, 86 percent of all lodging units are back and lodging options are increasing. The Keys will add around 1,500 rooms as it continues to unveil new and refurbished properties.
In addition to new lodging, there will be new ways to reach the Keys. New airlift from United Airlines and American Airlines will begin this summer.
American will operate nonstop service to Key West from Dallas-Fort Worth starting on June 9. The once-weekly service will operate on Saturdays all summer long, ending on August 25, 2018. American will use 76-passenger E175 regional jets.
On October 4, 2018, United will change its seasonal daily service to Key West from Newark Liberty International Airport to year-round service. During peak season, February to May 2019, it will increase airlift to two flights per day.
Starting June 2, United will operate Saturday and Sunday nonstop service between Key West and Chicago's O'Hare International Airport through mid-December. It will then increase its Key West service from Chicago to daily flights, which will operate through May 2019.
New accommodation coming to the region includes additions to lodging options in Key Largo, Islamorada and Marathon, Florida.
The new Bungalows Key Largo will open in the late fall. The resort is one of the first all-inclusive adults-only properties in the Keys. It will offer 135 standalone units, two pools and several restaurants and bars.
Also in Key Largo, the Baker's Cay Resort, a Curio Collection by Hilton hotel, will open this September. The new 200-room property will feature more than 17,000 square feet of meeting space and amenities for pets.
In Islamorada, the 70-room, five-acre Fisher Inn Resort & Marina and the boutique Hadley House Resort are in development as new properties and are located two miles apart.
In Marathon, there is a new 80-room, full-service Hampton Inn with a 24-hour fitness center that is scheduled to open June 7.
The Singh Group is constructing an all-new 24-acre, 301-room oceanside resort, the Isla Bella Beach Resort, in Marathon. The property will offer guests several restaurants, pools and a marina. The property is scheduled to open in early 2019.
Properties that aren't already open are working through the summer and many plan to be open by peak season later this year. But while the recovery is ongoing, the Keys are open and ready to welcome visitors.
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