Jamaica Airports Record Passenger Decline as Country Recovers from Hurricane Melissa

  • Passenger traffic at Jamaica’s two international airports declined during the first half of 2026 as the country continued to recover from the effects of Hurricane Melissa and other challenges affecting the tourism sector.
  • Figures released by Mexico-based airport concession operator, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), show that Sangster International Airport1 handled 1.91Mn passengers between January and June. This was a 26.7% decline compared with the 2.60Mn passengers recorded during the same period in 2025. The reduction has been linked largely to the impact of Hurricane Melissa, which reduced hotel room availability as repair work at several tourism properties is ongoing.
  • Meanwhile, Norman Manley International Airport recorded a smaller decline, processing 850,200 passengers during the six-month period. That represented a 3.6% decrease from the 881,500 passengers handled during the corresponding period last year. Officials attributed the decline at the Kingston-based airport to lower visitor arrivals from some markets in the United States, Jamaica’s largest tourism source market.
  • Despite concerns over the closure of low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines on May 2, GAP said the impact on Jamaica’s air connectivity was limited. Before ending operations, the airline accounted for approximately 3.5% of passenger traffic through Kingston and 2.6% through Montego Bay. Tourism stakeholders remain optimistic about a recovery, pointing to new and expanded air service expected to improve Jamaica’s connectivity. An example of this includes low-cost carrier Wingo, launching a new route connecting Medellín, Colombia, with Montego Bay.
  • Jamaica is also expected to benefit from expanded service by Porter Airlines, which plans to introduce nonstop flights from Toronto, Ottawa and Hamilton during the 2026–2027 winter tourism season. Tourism officials said the restoration of hotel capacity, along with new air routes, should help support a rebound in visitor arrivals and airport passenger traffic in the coming months.

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1Sangster International Airport, located in Montego Bay, is Jamaica’s busiest airport and serves as the main gateway for visitors travelling to the island’s major tourism destinations, including Ocho Rios and Negril.

(Sources: Caribbean National Weekly)