More airlines are expanding their flights to Antigua and Barbuda for the winter as demand for the destination continues to rise, officials said this week. 

Air Canada made its return to Antigua this weekend, while more United States and United Kingdom-based carriers are adding flights this winter, too. 

That includes American Airlines, which will be operating an additional daily flight to Antigua from Miami, with the service beginning on Dec. 17. 

American is also resuming daily flights to Antigua from New York-John F. Kennedy on Dec. 18. 

Delta Air Lines is expanding its flights from a weekly Saturday flight from Atlanta to Antigua to five flights each week beginning Dec. 18. 

“Our country’s tourism continues along the path of positive recovery with airlift increases,” said Colin C. James, CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority. “Five flights from Atlanta with Delta, is the most flights we have ever had. This airlift coming out of Atlanta is a vote of confidence in the destination.”

It’s a strong endorsement for the country’s tourism efforts; Antigua and Barbuda was one of the first Caribbean destinations to reopen for tourism amid the pandemic when it did so in the first week of June. 

“We’ve been constantly engaging with airline partners, and most importantly engaging with the travel trade to keep the interest and the drive in the destination,” James said. 

British Airways will also be ramping up its flights to the destination, with the return of daily flights to Antigua on Dec. 11, running through January. 

For the first time ever, British Airways will operate two flights on Dec. 19 and two flights on Dec. 26. 

For more, visit Antigua and Barbuda. 

– CJ