While you might not know the name, you definitely know the airport. Winair, short for Windward Islands Airways, is the home carrier at Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) in Sint Maarten, in the Dutch Caribbean. The airport is the site of the world-famous Maho Beach, commonly known as Airplane Beach, where airplane spotters from far and wide gather to watch planes on their final approach.
Setting out from St Marteen
Winair has long connected Sint Maarten, located on the southern Dutch side of Saint Martin, with the surrounding territories. With its new winter schedule, the airline is expanding to destinations in the Southern Caribbean Sea with flights to St. Lucia, Barbados, and St. Vincent.
The new routes will be operated by the airline’s fleet of ATR 42-500s
aircraft. Starting November 15, 2024, Winair will operate six weekly flights from St. Maarten to Barbados and St. Lucia. St. Vincent will receive one weekly flight, increasing to twice weekly in February 2025. Speaking exclusively to Simple Flying, Winair CEO Hans van de Velde explained how the airline chose the new destinations:
“We studied the whole market in 2019, and we deduced, ‘Okay, what are the opportunities?’ And we built a schedule on that.”
Photo: Richard Hazel | Winair
One of the most emerging destinations they found was Barbados.
Big in Barbados
One of the most significant additions to the schedule is Grantley Adams International Airport
(BGI), located near Bridgetown, Barbados. The choice was natural as Barbados is one of the region’s most significant hubs, and flights are currently limited to a weekly Boeing 737 service with Caribbean Airlines going from Kingston to Barbados via Sint Maarten.
While data on connecting flights is limited, given the low numbers of overall passenger traffic, van de Velde explains why it made sense to launch the route:
“The two largest hubs in this region are St Maarten and Barbados, but there’s only one fight a week on a Tuesday evening between the two countries. So even common sense suggests there’s a market.”
In addition, Winair will connect Barbados with several other islands in the region. Beginning in November, the airline will fly from BGI to Dominica three times weekly and provide twice-weekly direct links to St. Lucia and Martinique. Andrea Franklin, CEO of Barbados Tourism Marketing, noted just how significant the new additions are:
“I am delighted to welcome Winair’s new direct flights to Barbados, which significantly enhance our connectivity within the Caribbean. This development not only makes Barbados more accessible to our Caribbean neighbors including the French West Indies to our island, fostering greater cultural and economic exchanges.
“These routes position Barbados as a pivotal hub for travelers and align perfectly with our goals of boosting regional tourism and strengthening ties with our Caribbean partners. The increased connectivity will have a positive impact on both business and leisure travel, further solidifying Barbados as a premier destination in the region.”
The new services will also increase connectivity for several other islands in the region.
Stunning in St Lucia and St Vincent
Saint Lucia’s George F. L. Charles Airport (SLU) is set to welcome several new Winair flights. In addition to the twice-weekly service to Barbados, the airline will begin connecting St. Lucia to Dominica (3x weekly), St. Vincent (weekly), and Martinique (weekly).
The inter-islands flights will be supplemented by six weekly flights to Winair’s hub in St. Maarten. According to van de Velde, the new links will dramatically enhance the passenger experience and reduce connection times:
“I know from my own experience, to give a small example, it’s impossible to get from St. Maarten to St Lucia, for instance. You need three stops and overnight and whatever.”
The local community welcomed the growth into the British Commonwealth country. Dr. Ernest Hilaire, the Minister of Tourism of Saint Lucia, expressed his excitement for the new flights to begin :
“We are excited to welcome Winair’s expansion into Saint Lucia. This development underscores our commitment to enhancing regional connectivity, particularly towards the northern Caribbean and the French markets.
“These new flights will create new opportunities for tourism and business in our region, benefiting both residents and visitors alike.”
Weekly flights are also set to begin to Argyle International Airport
(SVD) in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The service will operate on Tuesdays initially before rising to twice weekly from February 2025. St Lucia and St Vincent are two of the carrier’s most important and underserved markets, along with the previously mentioned Barbados and Martinique.
More in Martinique
One of the most populated islands in the region, the French overseas territory of Martinique is home to around 350,000 people. Until April of this year, it could only be reached via a connection in Guadaloupe, and Winair believes there is significant potential for growth.
Following its April launch of flights from Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport (FDF) in the capital of Fort-de-France to St. Maarten and Dominica’s Douglas–Charles Airport (DOM), WINAIR is adding services to Barbados and St. Lucia. Martinique Airport CEO Nathalie Sebastien expressed excitement for the new flights to take off:
“This new destination launch is in line with our policy of restoring connectivity between Martinique and the neighboring Caribbean islands.
“This new stage in the partnership between Martinique and Winair is the result of a shared desire to build a better-connected Caribbean by creating the best conditions for even further development, in particular by continuously improving the quality of operations and services offered here at the Martinique Aimé Cesaire Airport.”
Photo: Beeks Photography | Winair
Connections will be available for island hoppers across the region, thanks to WINAIR’s innovative day trip program from St Maarten to Saba, Statia, or St. Barth for under $100. Passengers can even earn miles on their WINAIR flights thanks to the airline’s partnership with Flying Blue. The frequent flyer program of Air France, KLM, and more was recently named the best airline loyalty program worldwide.
Flying Blue
Flying Blue is the frequent flyer program used by Air France, KLM, and airlines across the globe. A member of the SkyTeam alliance, status benefits apply to all member airlines as well as select partners. From discount redemptions to access to first class, the program has benefits for every type of passenger.
Next, the airline is looking to expand into Virgin Gorda and the British Virgin Islands to meet the significant leisure and business travel demand. In the meantime, the airline’s home at Princess Juliana Airport is about to complete a substantial improvement project. When asked about the upgrades, van de Velde confirmed they will take the airport to the next level, sharing: “I mean, I have to be impressed. It’s clearly the most modern airport in the region now, with lots of facilities, lots of nice shopping and eating, etc.”