Aruba Airport Experiences Record-Breaking Q1 Performance
Aruba Airport continues to solidify its position as one of the leading airports in the Caribbean, achieving record-breaking numbers in the first quarter of 2024 by processing over 412.000 passengers.
Traffic Statistics
Aruba Airport witnessed remarkable growth in passenger traffic and seat capacity during the first quarter of 2024, with revenue-generating passengers experiencing a remarkable 21.5% increase compared to Q1 2023. This growth can be attributed in part to a significant 27.6% increase in seat capacity compared to the same period last year, particularly with seat capacity to Latin America increasing by 43.9% and to the U.S. by 32.6%. Additionally, the Q1 load factor reached an impressive 84.1%, marking a 4.3-point increase over Q1 2023. These traffic statistics emphasize the strong demand for travel to and from Aruba.
Route Network Highlights
The driving force behind the surge in traffic during Q1 was the increase in frequency and seat capacity from both the U.S. and Latin America.
JetBlue, in comparison to Q1 2023, substantially increased its operations. From Newark (EWR), the airline increased its frequency from 2 weekly flights to daily flights. Similarly, service from New York (JFK) was strengthened with the addition of a third daily flight and a fourth flight on Saturdays, resulting in a total of 22 weekly flights.
Delta also increased its service, expanding from daily to 13 weekly flights on its Atlanta (ATL) route compared to Q1 2023.
Meanwhile, Spirit enhanced its service from Fort-Lauderdale (FLL), expanding from 4 weekly to daily flights.
The Latin American region also witnessed notable growth in seat capacity in contrast to Q1 2023. Wingo, for instance, expanded its existing service by adding an additional weekly flight on both its Bogota (BOG) and Medellin (MED) routes, resulting in a total of 3 weekly services on each route. Additionally, the airline launched a new connection in Colombia by introducing 2 weekly flights connecting Aruba to Cali (CLO).
Copa Airlines, compared to Q1 2023, increased its frequency from Panama (PTY) from daily flights to 10 weekly flights.
The expansion of these routes underscores the increasing connectivity and demand for travel to and from Aruba.
Airline and Route Performance
In Q1 2024, JetBlue emerged as the dominant player at Aruba Airport, securing the largest market share in terms of revenue-generating passengers, claiming an impressive 21.2%. American Airlines closely followed, attaining 18.6% market share, while Delta Air Lines maintained a solid presence with 14.3%. Currently, JetBlue serves 3 destinations, American Airlines serves 6, and Delta Air Lines serves 3 destinations, with all three airlines offering connects between Aruba and the U.S.
Analyzing the primary gateway cities, New York stood out as the largest contributor to seat capacity, encompassing JFK, EWR, and LGA, with a substantial 22%. Boston (BOS) followed at 11%, and Miami at 7%.
These figures underscore the diverse travel options available to passengers departing from Aruba Airport.
Please click here to get a closer look at Aruba Airport’s Q1 Performance.