American Airlines is preparing to increase flights into Grand Bahama, according to airline industry magazine Travel and Tour World (TTW).

The airline had previously suspended flights to the island from September 4 up until October 6.

The airline said it decided to suspend its flights from Miami to Grand Bahama during that period as part of a review process.

Laura Masvidal, AA’s international communications spokesperson, told Grand Bahama News in July that: “As part of the evaluation of our capacity growth plans for 2024, American has suspended service between Miami (MIA) and Freeport (FPO) between September 4 and October 6.”

Grand Bahama was not the only island that was impacted by the temporary suspension, as flights to Eleuthera and Abaco were also suspended.

Masvidal said those suspensions were solely due to American Airlines’ capacity adjustments for 2024.

During those suspensions, Bahamasair increased capacity on its Freeport to Ft. Lauderdale route.

American’s booking window shows tickets can be booked from Miami to Freeport from today.

The airline is reporting that it will expand airlift into the island destination, which is currently benefiting from several large projects, including Carnival Cruise Line’s $600 million private cruise port.

TTW said in its article that this revitalization of Grand Bahama’s economy is part of American’s reasoning for expanding service into the island.

“American Airlines’ expanded nonstop flights to Grand Bahama are a testament to the island’s successful recovery efforts and its potential as a major tourist destination,” the TTW article said.

“For travelers, this means more options, greater convenience, and access to a revitalized island that blends natural beauty with luxury and adventure.

“The travel industry as a whole stands to gain from these developments. Grand Bahama’s transformation into a highly accessible and desirable location will not only boost the island’s economy, but also provide a fresh destination for travelers around the world, diversifying their options in an increasingly competitive tourism market.”

The Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation revealed in a statement in July that airlift for Grand Bahama is being expanded this fall.

The ministry said the island received unprecedented airlift this summer and explained that last year, Grand Bahama experienced a 33 percent growth in foreign air arrivals, representing the largest year-over-year percentage growth of all the islands of The Bahamas.

“For the first five months in 2024, the island’s foreign airlift arrivals had already outperformed the same period in 2023 by some eight percent, putting the island on a trajectory to exceed pre-Dorian figures,” the statement said.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *