Photo: Caribbean Airlines CEO Garvin Madera speaking at a customer appreciation event on Wednesday.

Brent Pinheiro 

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Caribbean Airlines (CAL) has unveiled plans to be more than just a transportation provider and evolve into a lifestyle brand that combines travel with ‘culture and experiences’.

Photo: Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin, and Mical Teja perform “Home Is Where The Heart Is”, the airline’s 2025 jingle, at Queen’s Hall. Photo: Abraham Diaz.

At a customer appreciation event on Wednesday afternoon entitled “Love and Loyalty” the airline officially launched its revamped mileage program, Caribbean Miles, which it says will make it easier for travellers to earn and redeem miles.

Photo: Alicia Cabrera, Caribbean Airlines Marketing & Loyalty Programmes Executive Manager, unveils the airline’s revamped Caribbean Miles Program. Photo: Abraham Diaz.

CAL has changed the way miles are earned from being distance-based to revenue-based – a move that has gained popularity in the aviation industry over the past few years.

Miles are now calculated based on the base fare spent in US dollars and then multiplied depending on the flyer’s tier status in the program.

Over 200,000 members are currently enrolled in the program.

CAL’s CEO Garvin Medera also announced several other initiatives for 2025.

Photo: Garvin Medera, Caribbean Airlines CEO, delivers remarks at the airline’s “Love & Loyalty” event. Photo: Abraham Diaz.

These include offering Caribbean Airlines gift cards, expanding cargo and Jetpak courier services to include door-to-door delivery in Guyana and Jamaica, and expanding the airline’s Caribbean Shop platform to include pieces from local designers.

Caribbean Airlines carried over 2 million passengers in 2024, up 6% compared to 2023.

It also launched several new routes including Puerto Rico, Tortola, and Martinique.

The local carrier has plans to add even more destinations to its route network this year as part of its growth strategy.

But it will need more planes to do so and CAL chairman S. Ronnie Mohammed said fleet expansion to include a third aircraft type is still more than a year out.

He said, “All things being equal and considering the nuances of the supply chain, within the next 12 to 18 months we will be expanding the fleet to include regional jets, which would further bolster our reach throughout the region and beyond.”

The decision to add Embraer E175 jets to CAL’s fleet was first announced in 2023. The airline is also awaiting three more Boeing 737-8 aircraft, however, those are also being hampered by supply chain issues on the manufacturer’s end.

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