This Popular Island Is Now The Caribbean’s Most Connected Destination – And A New Airport Is Coming!

Now that fall has arrived, the Caribbean will soon be a hotbed for tourists seeking sun-drenched shores, loungers under palm trees, and of course, open barstools at posh resort swim-up bars.

While some of us can’t wait to sip PSLs until pumpkin farms run out of stock, others are getting ahead of cooler weather, realizing summer vibes don’t have to end.

You might think The Bahamas or the Dominican Republic are the top dogs of travel, and in some cases they certainly are, but not when it comes to connectivity.

A new report revealed it’s actually one of our favorite island escapes here at Travel Off Path.

Boasting captivating culture, sensational eats, friendly locals, and world-class resorts and beaches, you might be surprised to learn it’s actually Jamaica that’s become easiest to reach for a paradise vacation.

But that’s not all — Jamaica says, “hold mah Red Stripe mahn!”. There’s a new airport in the works eyeing to make one of the nation’s top beach locales a straight shot from the U.S.

Montego Bay Leads The Way

Chances are that if you’re visiting Jamaica in the future or have already had the pleasure of vacationing on this dreamy island before, Montego Bay is/was your gateway.

In total, Jamaica’s airports directly serve 55 international destinations (including numerous U.S. hubs), with Montego Bay being the busiest of the bunch.

Largely deemed safer than other regions of Jamaica, which have been on the wrong end of State Department-issued travel advisories and U.S. Embassy-led security alerts in recent years, Montego Bay is undeniably the crown jewel.

In fact, some tourists don’t even step foot outside their swank resort.

Though if you ask us here at Travel Off Path, you’re doing yourself a huge disservice not mingling with arguably the Caribbean’s friendliest locals, savoring the flavor of roadside jerk chicken stands, and enjoying nearby beach towns like American-favorite, Negril.

But hey, there’s nothing wrong with sippin’ cocktails poolside, enjoying views of the vast blue Caribbean Sea, either, which is one of Montego Bay’s biggest draws for those arriving by both plane and cruise, another very popular way to get here.

Cruisers are expected to account for 1.4 million passengers by year’s end, while Montego Bay’s Sangster International Airport will continue to grow in more ways than one (yep, we call that foreshadowing in the industry 😉)

Should You Venture Beyond Montego Bay?

Full disclosure, I have not been to Montego Bay. Call me a weirdo for opting for Kingston and Port Antonio instead, but I loved immersing in Jamaica’s more cultural, lesser-known corners.

Seeing Bob Marley’s house was pretty neat, and so was eating my way through New Kingston, the vibrant side of what’s otherwise considered a run-down no-go zone, which, from my experience, is definitely true if you don’t know where you’re going.

Why anyone would fly into Kingston if Montego Bay is your final destination makes little to no sense, but there’s a lot to enjoy surrounding Kingston, such as a day trip through scenic coffee farms in the Blue Mountains and excursions to Port Antonio, a far cry from Montego Bay’s “Americanized” resort strip.

Plus, I found a cool little beach town outside Kingston, almost no tourists seem to know about — and the fresh-cooked lobster was fantastic!

Ocho Rios is another resort town that doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, and should undoubtedly be on your radar.

Lined with underrated resorts, stunning nature excursions (including postcard waterfalls), and an authentic sense of real Jamaica, it’s been stuck in Montego Bay’s shadow far too long.

In summary, Americans can fly directly to the following 3 Jamaican airports:

• Montego Bay (MBJ)
• Kingston (KIN)
• Ocho Rios (OCJ) – only 1 flight from Miami (MIA)

Major Airport News! 🚨

Alright, you’ve stuck around for the big tease — but there’s actually 2 major airport announcements coming out of Jamaica!

1) Montego Bay:

Aforementioned Sangster International Airport isn’t content being the most connected airport on the Caribbean’s most connected island.

There’s a $750 million revamp taking place in order to prep for triple the amount of passengers this popular airport is already seeing.

Sangster will open a brand new terminal to do so, and will be outfitted the latest gizmos and gadgets such as better biometrics capabilities, smart kiosks, and self bag drops, etc — and most importantly, an improved HVAC system (Kingston, take note!).

2) Negril:

This one is a game-changer! A huge chunk of travelers flying into Montego Bay head to the paradise shores of Negril.

Home to the famous “7 Mile Beach” and Rick’s Cafe, known perhaps more for epic sunsets and thrilling cliff jumps than the delicious food served, Jamaica’s goal is to make Negril easier to reach than ever by building a new airport.

While shovels have yet to hit the dirt, plans are already advancing, with the site chosen in Little London and a master plan in place to cut travel times to one of Jamaica’s most beautiful destinations.

There’s no official timeframe announced, but it’s certainly something major to look forward to when planning a Jamaican vacation for years to come.