Southwest Airlines has added new service from Fort Lauderdale in Florida to Montego Bay, Jamaica. The new non-stop flight to Sangster International Airport brings the number of United States gateways operated by Southwest to Jamaica to four.

Hon. Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, spoke at an official inaugural welcome event on June 4th, 2017 after arriving on the first flight from Fort Lauderdale together with Paul Pennicook, Director of Tourism; Ellen Torbert, Southwest’s Vice President, Diversity and Inclusion, and other executives from the airline. Bartlett praised Southwest as the “most connected” airline in the US today. According to Bartlett, “Southwest is moving from more gateways and secondary airports than any other airline in the US and therefore the connection with Jamaica is perfect.” Torbert noted that, with the addition of the new Southwest route, the airline is marking an historic six summer departures per day to Jamaica. The other flights to the island depart from Baltimore/Washington, Chicago, Orlando, and Houston.

Edited: Stepanie K.