JetBlue’s highly-anticipated entry into St Vincent now has a start date, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

The New York City-based carrier is launching its first-ever flights between New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport and St Vincent beginning on Oct. 9, the company confirmed. 

The new route, which is now on sale, will be running twice weekly, with service on Wednesdays and Sundays. 

“The government and people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines are thrilled to welcome JetBlue to the place we call home! This new service offers convenience, comfort, and exceptional service to visitors to our diverse destination,” said Carlos James, Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Sustainable Development and Culture for St Vincent and the Grenadines, in a statement provided to Caribbean Journal. 

It’s no coincidence that the service is coming to St Vincent just a few months after Sandals opened its brand-new Sandals Saint Vincent resort, which has led to a surge in demand for the island. 

JetBlue VP David Jehn said the new route was part of a “strategy to serve underserved routes.”

The new service will help connect New York to the sought-after collection of resorts in the Grenadines, including the world-renowned Palm Island resort.