American Airlines increasing flights to Anguilla

American Airlines is adding a new scheduled flight to its daily service from Miami International Airport to Anguilla’s Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport beginning November 3.

American’s Anguilla flight schedule through the end of 2022 includes reduced flight frequency “through the off-season months of September and October,” with expanded frequency beginning November 3, said Anguilla Tourist Board (ATB) officials in a statement.

Under the new schedule, weekly service will operate throughout September, increasing to four weekly departures effective October 7. American will operate eight weekly flights between Miami and Anguilla from November 3 through December 1.

During the Caribbean’s “festive” season, taking place between December 18 and January 8, 2023, American will operate 11 weekly flights between Miami and Anguilla. “Expanding access is essential to a destination’s growth, and the introduction of daily air service from the American mainland has been a key driver of our island’s successful recovery,” said Hadyn Hughes, Anguilla’s minister of tourism.

Speaking at a recent Caribbean Tourism Organization conference in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, Hughes noted Anguilla contracted with American Airlines after the government completed comprehensive initiatives to prepare the country’s services and facilities to accommodate increased flights.

Hughes added that the direct flights were achieved without minimum passenger guarantees from the destination. “We’re not paying [American] to bring visitors to Anguilla,” he said.

Nevertheless, Anguilla achieved “record-breaking [arrival] number records” in January, February and March prompting the expanded service for the fall and winter of 2022 and 2023.

Added Hughes, “We believe that this will be our best winter season ever and American’s decision to increase its service to Anguilla indicates that they share our optimism and confidence in our tourism product.”