By the Caribbean Journal staff

JetBlue is about to launch another significant new daily route to the Caribbean.

Beginning Feb. 14, the fast-growing carrier will launch its first-ever daily nonstop flights from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

It’s a huge boost for travelers looking to reach St Maarten from South Florida; while JetBlue long operated flights from New York to St Maarten, this is the first time it will have done so from Fort Lauderdale.

The new flights come as St Maarten has embarked on a long rebuilding process.

While much work remains to be done, the destination has seen remarkable improvement, from a now-functional airport to a host of hotel reopenings on both the Dutch and French sides of the island.

Grand Case, St Martin.

That includes the recent relaunch of the Sonesta Ocean Point in the Maho area of St Maarten, along with the relaunch of the Grand Case Beach Club in Saint Martin.

The Sonesta Ocean Point.

This month, the Sonesta Maho Beach, the company’s other all-inclusive in St Maarten, is slated to reopen, with a planned debut of Feb. 27.

The Sonesta Maho is the largest all-inclusive on the island.

La Samanna.

A number of other hotels have already reopened their doors, from the Divi Little Bay to the Princess Heights condominium-hotel to the landmark La Samanna resort on the French side.

— CJ