JetBlue adds Grenada to Caribbean Network

US carrier JetBlue Airways has announced its intent to add another destination to its ever-expanding network in the Caribbean. Subject to government operating authority, the low-fare operator will launch flights between New York's John F Kennedy International Airport and Grenada's Maurice Bishop International Airport this summer.

The airline plans to introduce a twice weekly service on the route from June 11, 2015 with Airbus A320 rotations every Thursday and Sunday. Grenada will be JetBlue's 90th destination and its 32nd destination in the Caribbean and Latin America.

"We cannot wait to add Grenada to our network of Caribbean destinations," Dave Clark, vice president, network planning, JetBlue ahead of his departure from this year’s Routes Americas forum in Denver, USA.

The Caribbean island of Grenada has seen remarkable growth in tourism arrivals recently thanks to a fresh marketing approach, the opening of a new Sandals resort and a very resilient and committed tourism sector. The country consists of Grenada itself and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea. It is located northwest of Trinidad and Tobago, northeast of Venezuela, and southwest of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The destination is also known as the ‘Island of Spice’ because of the production of nutmeg and mace crops of which it is one of the world's largest exporters. It’s approximately 344 square kilometres in size with an estimated population of 110,000, the majority in its capital city, St George's.

"Grenada is one of the most beautiful and adventurous destinations in the Caribbean, and our new non-stop service will make it much easier to get there. Whether you go for the white sand beaches, world class diving, flagship resorts, or rich history, we believe passengers will want to return again and again," added Clark.

The new service will put JetBlue in direct competition with Delta Air Lines and Caribbean Airlines which have now served this market non-stop for almost five years. US carrier Delta launched its flights in July 2010, while Caribbean Airlines replaced the long-standing Air Jamaica brand on the route from December 2010 after acquiring its rival.

In the chart, below, we look in greater detail at bi-directional O&D and Segment demand between New York JFK and Grenada over the past ten years.

Richard Maslen

Richard Maslen has travelled across the globe to report on developments in the aviation sector as airlines and airports have continued to evolve and…