Air Canada Is Adding More Flights to a Caribbean Island Famous for Its Rum, Its Food and Its Volcano 

The beaches. The rum. The cuisine. The volcano. There are quite a few layers to the Caribbean island of Martinique, the French Caribbean department that’s home to more rum distilleries than anywhere else on earth, some of the region’s most impressive gastronomy and a history that includes the most impactful volcanic eruption of the 20th century. 

And yet, it’s still off the radar of most travelers, particularly in North America. That is starting to change, though, as travelers begin to discover Martinique’s rich, diverse charms. 

And it’s about to get easier to visit, with Air Canada planning a brand-new nonstop route between Quebec City and Fort-de-France that’s kicking off this fall. 

Beginning Dec. 5, Air Canada is launching once-weekly flights between the two cities, in another boost for Martinique’s tourism hopes.

The route will be running for the peak tourism season, with service through April 26, 2026, Caribbean Journal has confirmed. 

So what do you need to know about Martinique? 

For starters, it’s home to more than a dozen rum distilleries, from historic brands like Clement to up-and-coming boutique rums like A1710 to the world-renowned Rhum Neisson and Trois Rivieres (the last two world champions in the Caribbean Rum Awards). 

Then there are the eateries, from haute-cuisine stops in Fort de France to gourmet beach bars like Le Petibonum in Le Carpet. 

What’s not as easy to find is a great hotel. While the island has some terrific villas, it’s largely bereft of luxury options. That means you need to really seek out the smaller, boutique getaways. 

What we like the most is the Plein Soleil hotel, where most of the rooms come with private plunge pools and the on-site eatery is one of the island’s best. (It’s about 30 minutes from the airport). Rooms start at about $360 CAD.