The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism is continuing its push to strengthen air service to the territory, holding a series of meetings with major airlines and airport partners during the recent Routes Americas conference in Rio de Janeiro.

Officials met with representatives from Breeze Airways, Copenhagen Airport, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Porter Airways, Denver International Airport and JetBlue Airways, focusing on ways to sustain momentum in visitor access to the destination.

The discussions centered on strengthening existing airline relationships and identifying next steps that could support additional air service to the territory.

A Focus on Expanding Access

According to the Department of Tourism, conversations during the conference addressed traveler demand, current market performance and potential opportunities for new or expanded routes to the islands.

Commissioner Jennifer Matarangas-King emphasized the value of engaging directly with airline network planners and airport leaders in a single setting.

“Routes Americas gives us a focused opportunity to sit down with the teams shaping airline network decisions and talk through what travelers are looking for, what markets are performing, and where the next opportunities are for the U.S. Virgin Islands,” Matarangas-King said.

The territory continues to work closely with airlines currently serving St. Thomas, while also looking at opportunities to grow service to St. Croix, which tourism officials say is showing strong demand and encouraging yield levels.

“Our goal is to keep building smart, sustainable air access that supports our tourism economy and makes it even easier to reach our islands,” Matarangas-King said.

A Push for More St. Croix Airlift

One of the priorities in the meetings was expanding connectivity to St. Croix, the largest island in the territory.

While St. Thomas currently handles the majority of the territory’s air traffic, tourism officials have increasingly highlighted the potential for more direct service to St. Croix as visitor interest grows.

Tourism leaders say continued airline engagement is critical as the destination seeks to diversify access and support long-term visitor growth across the territory’s three main islands.

Regional Conversations at Routes Americas

Beyond the scheduled airline meetings, the U.S. Virgin Islands delegation also connected with tourism leaders and partners from across the Caribbean.

That included conversations with representatives from the Caribbean Tourism Organization and officials from destinations including Jamaica, Anguilla, Barbados and Turks and Caicos.

The discussions highlighted shared regional priorities around airlift, seasonal travel demand and collaboration between Caribbean destinations as the tourism sector continues to expand.

A Key Forum for Air Service Development

Routes Americas is widely regarded as one of the region’s leading forums for air service development, bringing together airlines, airports and tourism destinations for structured meetings and networking events focused on route planning.

The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism says it will continue follow-up discussions with airline partners following the conference as part of its ongoing strategy to strengthen connectivity and support the territory’s visitor economy.