The Cayman Islands will see a significant increase in inbound flight capacity during the peak winter travel season, with scheduled airlift for January to April 2026 projected to grow by 18.1% year on year.
The expansion will deliver an estimated 358,512 inbound seats, marking the strongest first-quarter outlook in recent years and reinforcing air access as a central driver of Cayman’s stayover tourism strategy.
Much of the increase is being driven by expanded service from major North American source markets.
Chicago will see 98 additional flights through American Airlines and United Airlines, Miami will add 129 flights via American Airlines and Cayman Airways and Fort Lauderdale will contribute 79 additional flights on JetBlue and Spirit Airlines.
Canadian connectivity will also strengthen with Porter Airlines adding 66 flights from Toronto and 40 from Ottawa.
A representative of the Cayman Islands Government said the growth reflects a deliberate and coordinated approach to air service development.
“The success of the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism multi-pronged aviation strategy … focuses on strengthening existing airline partnerships, attracting new carriers and driving demand from emerging markets,” the representative said.
Building on the success of 2025
The growth follows a year in which increased airlift played a decisive role in Cayman’s tourism performance, with stayover arrivals reaching 450,441, making it the third best year on record.
Expanded capacity across major North American markets supported steady gains throughout 2025, culminating in the launch of six new routes in December. Total inbound seat capacity for that month reached 88,014 seats, representing a 16% increase year on year, with the strongest gains recorded on routes from Miami, Chicago, Washington, DC, Ottawa and Toronto.
The focus on airlift reflects broader evidence linking Caribbean flight capacity to tourism growth. Research by the International Monetary Fund shows that a 1% increase in the number of flights is associated with an immediate 0.3% rise in tourist arrivals, increasing to about 1% over the course of a year.
Canada emerged as one of the strongest-performing source markets in 2025, supported by a 9% increase in airline seat capacity. New services from Porter Airlines out of Toronto and Ottawa, alongside expanded capacity from Air Canada and WestJet, helped push that market beyond pre-pandemic levels, making Canada the first source market to surpass 2019 arrival figures.
In the United States, increased airlift from Dallas–Fort Worth, Miami, Chicago and Minneapolis contributed to a 4.8% increase in December arrivals.
Airlines have continued to scale up their Cayman operations for the winter season. JetBlue has expanded service from Boston, United Airlines has grown its Newark route, and Delta has added capacity with flights from Minneapolis and Detroit. Cayman also remains the only Caribbean destination with nonstop service from Los Angeles, while Cayman Airways is set to launch a seasonal weekly direct flight from Austin beginning in May.
Forward-looking forecasts suggest the winter capacity increase is part of a sustained growth trajectory. Fitch Solutions projects tourist arrivals will reach approximately 486,400 in 2026. While volumes are expected to remain below the pre-pandemic peak of 502,700 arrivals recorded in 2019, Fitch anticipates that Cayman will surpass that level by 2027.
Tourism Director Rosa Harris has said that the added service has strengthened Cayman’s ability to meet winter travel demand and support the local tourism sector.
“With expanded airlift driven by new and returning routes from leading US carriers – Spirit Airlines, JetBlue, Delta, and United – alongside the debut of Canadian airline Porter, the Cayman Islands is strategically positioned to capture peak winter demand and deliver for our on-island tourism partners,” she said.
Supporting airlift-growth
Supporting the increase in winter airlift is a series of long-term infrastructure investments at Owen Roberts International Airport, including additional aircraft stands, a general aviation apron, runway extensions and upgraded radar systems. In addition, speaking at the Chamber of Commerce Economic Forum on 23 Jan., Minister for Infrastructure Jay Ebanks said jetways are planned as part of the airport upgrade.
Tourism officials have said the planned runway extension, scheduled for completion in 2027, will enable nonstop flights that are not currently feasible, opening the door to potential direct services from additional European cities.
The expansion is unfolding amid broader airlift growth across the Caribbean, as destinations compete for market share. Jamaica is projecting a 4.4% increase in seat capacity across its main airports through the winter season, supported by new North American and European services and expanded regional links. The Bahamas has also announced a major push to increase international airlift from Canada for winter 2026.
Cayman’s air service development efforts have gained industry recognition, with the destination shortlisted in the ‘destination’ category at the Routes Americas Awards, which are judged by airlines and recognise effective air service development and marketing initiatives.
Against this regional backdrop, the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism is set to participate in the Air Connectivity Summit hosted by the Caribbean Tourism Organization in Bermuda on 24 Feb.
Held alongside the CTO’s Spring Business Meetings, the one-day summit will focus on the future of Caribbean air connectivity, with discussions centred on improving air access, supporting sustainable route development and aligning aviation strategies with regional tourism growth.
A CIDOT representative said forums such as the summit provide valuable opportunities to “connect with key stakeholders across the Caribbean to foster bi-lateral government collaboration and partner on air connectivity across our region.”
The Cayman Islands delegation will include representatives from the Ministry of Tourism and Trade Development and the Department of Tourism.
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I have said before for a number of reasons we cannot count on large numbers of European visitors filling jumbo jets on direct flights from Europe. Compared with the U.S and Europe itself we are a very expensive destination with only the sting rays and scuba diving as attractions. Looking at all the attractions in Florida and elsewhere in the U.S., not to mention Europe, where prices and flight costs are much lower, we simply cannot compete. We must not dig up a large portion of the pristine North Sound for a vanity project of very dubious value.
I understand that Spirit Airlines which is on Fort Lauderdale route with JetBlue came in recently with 17 passengers. I mean it may sound all good to have additional air traffic but what sense does that make with such low numbers .