American Airlines Launching Fall Jamaica Flights From Philadelphia

American Airlines will launch the carrier’s first direct flights from Philadelphia International Airport to Kingston’s Norman Manley International Airport beginning in November. Thrice-weekly flights will depart Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays said Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s tourism minister.

“As we see a resurgence in international travel and approach Jamaica’s high season, we’re excited to increase access to Kingston,” said Bartlett. Jamaica’s capital city our UNESCO-designated Creative City that’s slated to see nearly 500 new hotel rooms opening before 2023.”

In a statement, Jamaica tourism officials added the new service will “allow for greater connectivity on a route frequently traveled by Americans visiting friends and relatives in Jamaica.”

“This new partnership with American Airlines will afford passengers many opportunities to experience [the] diversity that our capital city offers,” said Donovan White, Jamaica’s director of tourism, “while still being able to connect to other resort areas.”

American has offered flights to Jamaica for “more than four decades,” said José A. Freig, the company’s vice president of international. “We are looking forward to our continued expansion this year with a new route between Kingston and our Philadelphia hub,” he said.

“This new route will complement our current Kingston-Miami service and allow us to further strengthen our network in Jamaica,” Freig added, “which will include this year up to 80 weekly flights to the U.S.”