By the Caribbean Journal staff

American Airlines has launched three new nonstop routes to The Bahamas.

That includes two new routes from Charlotte, with new weekly flights on Saturdays to both Marsh Harbour in Abaco and North Eleuthera. (The latter is the gateway to chic Harbour Island, a short ferry ride from the dock near the airport.)

The famous Pink Sand Beach on Harbour Island.

Those two routes will provide a significant boost to two of the more sought-after destinations in the Out Islands of The Bahamas.

Abaco, an archipelago known for its remarkable beaches, tucked-away cays and its fishing, is home to some of the Bahamas’ most charming hotels, from the legendary Bluff House on Green Turtle Cay to the Hope Town Harbour Lodge on historic Elbow Cay.

Harbour Island, perhaps most famous for its Pink Sand Beach, is one of the toniest destinations in the Caribbean, with a collection of high-end boutique hotels, picturesque colonial architecture and some terrific watering holes.

American Airlines has also launched a new route from Chicago O’Hare to Nassau, a service that will also operate weekly on Saturdays, yet another expansion for Nassau’s Lynden Pindling International Airport.

A cottage at the Hope Town Harbour Lodge in Abaco.

And American has additionally launched a new seasonal expansion from Miami International Airport to Freeport in Grand Bahama, meaning a new total of two morning departures every day.

“The addition of several new flight options from American Airlines is welcomed news for the local tourism industry,” said Bahamas Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar. “As our room inventory increases, we are eager for to meet that demand with more seats bringing travelers to our islands. The benefits will be felt especially during our winter months when tourists from cold areas are looking for a warm, sunny vacation.” 

The Baha Mar in Nassau.

The Bahamas, which was named Caribbean Destination of the Year in the recent Caribbean Travel Awards, has been having a banner year for tourism, with its highest arrival growth in years.

That has been the result of a wave of factors, from the full-fledged entry of the Baha Mar megaresort in New Providence to continued strengthening of the Out Islands.

The beach at The Bluff House on Green Turtle Cay in Abaco.

It’s all shining a new spotlight on the sheer diversity of a destination that’s made up of 700 islands and cays.

And now it’s getting even easier to discover them.

— CJ