Jamaica secures 1.32 million airline seats for winter 2027, up 23.5%

Jamaica: Jamaica has acquired 1,324,965 airline seats for the winter tourist season from January to April 2027. This marked a 23.5 per cent increase from 2026, as the island continues recovering from Hurricane Melissa.

The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) announced Friday that international airline partners confirmed an additional 251,739 seats for the four-months period. Despite the additional capacity, around 3,500 hotels will not be available for use due to hurricane damage.

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett called the extra airlift capacity a strong indication of confidence in Jamaica’s tourism recovery. He said that the additional seats would help reduce the risk of insufficient airlift while creating opportunities to boost the visitor arrivals and generate more revenue from tourism.

Canada recorded the strongest growth, with airline seat capacity increasing 62.1 per cent compared with the same period in 2026. The United States, which is the biggest tourism market in Jamaica, recorded a 23.1 per cent increase, while Latin America’s capacity saw an increase of two percent.

According to the JTB, the capacity from Canada and Latin America has now surpassed its 2025 levels. Overall scheduled seat capacity is 92.4 per cent of its 2025 level.

Hurricane Melissa, which hit Jamaica in October 2025, caused great damage to large hotels, mainly in the northwestern part of the island. It is expected that around 90% of Jamaica’s hotel room capacity will remain operational during the winter season.

Director of Tourism Donovan White said that the board is working alongside airlines, tour operators, and hotels to convert excess flight capacity into bookings.

Although the increase in airline capacity produces a positive scenario, the number of visitors will depend on the number of bookings made, the capacity of the aircraft, and the accommodation available.