Summary
- Delta Air Lines and United Airlines and other US carriers have increased capacity to the Caribbean to meet growing demand.
- Frontier Airlines is looking forward to opening up a new crew base in San Juan, and a new international route.
- JetBlue Airways is planning for its own expansion in Puerto Rico to challenge Frontier.
Like many markets, air travel demand between the US and the Caribbean skyrocketed since pandemic restrictions eased a few years ago. While several markets have somewhat plateaued in recent months, Caribbean travel has continued to expand, with US-based airlines doubling down on capacity to the region.
The surge in seats and flights is, of course, due to the increasing demand for several leisure destinations. Delta Air Lines and United Airlines are reportedly the two main carriers that have focused on catering their operations to appropriately respond to the demand.
Legacy carriers leading the way
According to a report by Nearshore Americas, US airlines have collectively increased their seating capacity by nearly one million seats to Caribbean destinations during the past fiscal year. The increase is reportedly a strategic response to numerous leisure travelers seeking the region for holidays.
Simple Flying previously reported that Delta would expand its operation in the Caribbean, specifically with its Airbus A321neo aircraft. From its hubs at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York, the carrier will deploy the plane type to Santo Domingo, Cancun, Montego Bay, and Punta Cana this summer.
Photo: Delta Air Lines
Other aircraft in Delta’s fleet will continue to be deployed on the routes, but the A321neo will essentially increase capacity. For example, the airline has utilized its Boeing 737-900ER on the Atlanta-Santo Domingo route, but with the addition of the A321neo, capacity is expected to be boosted by around 1,000 seats. The boost is among the 246,000 seats Delta reportedly added this year, which represents an increase of 32% compared to the previous capacity to the region.
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It recently added two airports to its network, offsetting the loss of another.
United expanded its capacity similarly by adding 170,000 seats to the Caribbean – an increase of roughly 31%. In total, the airline will offer nearly 250,000 seats to Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean from its hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, and Washington DC.
Frontier’s new international route
Frontier Airlines raised its capacity by 29%, adding 100,000 seats compared to the previous year. Earlier this week, the ultra-low-cost carrier filed plans for additional international service from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Photo: Robin Guess | Shutterstock
According to Aeroroutes, the airline will launch new service from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) to Piarco International Airport (POS) near the Port of Spain. The route will be operated twice-weekly beginning July 11th on the A320neo. It comes as Frontier is focused on a major expansion at SJU, with preparations underway to open its 13th crew base at the airport.
Coming up with a challenge
JetBlue Airways has also grown its already large Caribbean presence. Despite facing setbacks, the airline increased its seating capacity to the region by 11%. Challenging Frontier, the carrier announced earlier this week that it would expand further in Puerto Rico with planned flights to San Jan, Santiago, Medellin, Colombia, and Cancun. The flights are subject to government approval.
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JetBlue is the largest carrier in San Juan and intends to stay at the top.
Latin America makes up more than 30% of JetBlue’s total capacity. The carrier flies to 25 airports in the region from New York, Boston, and Fort Lauderdale.