American Airlines is set to undertake a major increase in flights to the US Virgin Islands, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

The world’s largest airline will significantly ramp up service to both St Thomas and St Croix beginning in November, according to USVI Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte. 

That will include two daily flights from Charlotte to St Thomas; daily flights from Philadelphia to St Thomas; and Saturday service from both Chicago and Dallas-Fort Worth in the first half of November. 

That will be followed by daily flights from Chicago and Dallas to St Thomas from both cities in time for Thanksgiving. 

American is currently serving St Thomas with three daily flights from Miami. 

As for St Croix, the island will see two flights each day from the Miami market, along with daily flights from Charlotte beginning in the second half of November. 

The latter represents a ramp-up from existing Saturday service. 

“We are readily preparing for this robust increase in flights from our longstanding air partner,” said Commissioner Boschulte, who said the service “aligns with the rollout of the Territory’s enhanced prescreening travel protocols.”

The US Virgin Islands reopened for tourism in September, with new protocols for entry headlined by a requirement of either a negative PCR test result within five days of travel or an antibody test taken within four months of travel to the USVI. 

You can find more on the USVI’s entry protocols here. 

— CJ