By the Caribbean Journal staff
Southwest Airlines is at it again, adding more new routes to its ever-expanding Caribbean network.
The latest expansion for the low-cost carrier is out of St. Louis, where Southwest is adding new nonstop flights to both Montego Bay, Jamaica and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.
The Westin Puntacana.
Both flights, which are subject to government approval, will launch beginning on March 9, 2019.
The flights will operate weekly on Saturdays on a seasonal basis.
In another move, Southwest is also resuming its seasonal Saturday flights to Cancun in the Mexican Caribbean out of Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Raleigh-Durham and San Antonio.
Cancun.
The moves reflect what seems to be a growing push by carriers to increase flights from U.S. airports that have not traditionally offered many flights to the Caribbean.
Indeed, last week, Frontier Airlines announced a major expansion to Montego Bay, Punta Cana and Cancun out of Raleigh-Durham International Airport, while Spirit Airlines is planning a new wave of flights to the Caribbean out of Orlando.
Of course, this all comes as Southwest Airlines has (along with JetBlue) helped turn another such airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, into one of the United States’ top hubs for Caribbean travel.
It’s a sign of the growing demand for Caribbean travel across America, particularly beyond more traditional hubs like New York, Miami and Chicago.
— CJ