Fort Lauderdale, Florida has become the busiest destination for air travelers departing from Kingston, according to Sitara English-Byfield, CEO of PAC Kingston Airport Limited (PACKAL). This is the highest number of arrivals ever recorded at the Norman Manley International Airport, which is managed by PACKAL.
English-Byfield announced this news at an airport forum in New Kingston last Thursday, stating that Fort Lauderdale has surpassed New York as the top destination for the first time. In the past, New York had always been the top destination, followed by Fort Lauderdale. However, in January, arrivals from Fort Lauderdale increased by 25%, which is almost double the 14% growth seen in New York. Other popular destinations include Miami, Toronto, Atlanta, London, Grand Cayman, Port-of-Spain, Santa Domingo, Panama City, and Nassau.
English-Byfield also mentioned that Caribbean Airlines and JetBlue have increased their daily flights to Fort Lauderdale from three weekly flights since March. JetBlue, Delta Airlines, and Southwest are the three carriers with the largest market share across all three of Jamaica’s international airports.
From January to March, the total number of passengers at Kingston’s airport increased to 428,100, which is 9. 2% higher than the same time period last year. This number includes arrivals and departures. The airport currently handles about two million passengers per year, but airport executives believe it has the potential to handle up to five million passengers. However, this would require expansion and upgrades to the airport’s facilities.
Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, Jamaica’s largest airport, recorded 1. 3 million total passengers during the same time period, which is an 8. 3% decrease from the previous year.
Kingston’s airport benefited from a large concert in January, which featured the first performance by a dancehall artist in over a decade.
PACKAL has plans to extend the NMIA runway at a cost of US$70 million. This will create a 300-meter buffer for equipment at the end of the 2. 7-kilometer runway. The project is expected to begin in June and be completed in 2027.
Other projects in the works include repaving the apron, which is the area where planes are parked, at a cost of US$53 million; rehabilitating the taxiway for an additional US$10 million; and increasing the solar power capacity by US$6. 8 million.
The Montego Bay and Kingston airports, both under the control of the Pacific Airport Group of Mexico, generated revenue of US$148 million and US$87 million, respectively.
Overall, the growth and success of Kingston’s airport are promising for the country’s tourism industry. With plans for expansion and upgrades, the airport will be able to handle more passengers and continue to be a top destination for air travelers.