May 7, 2024
Trinidad and Tobago based carrier Caribbean Airlines has announced further expansion within the Caribbean, with the addition of Puerto Rico to its route map. Operating three times weekly, Caribbean will link Trinidad to Puerto Rico via Barbados with their fleet of ATR 72-600s.
Unfortunately this might be a bit discouraging for those flying from either Trinidad to Puerto Rico, and vice versa, because of the long flight time and stop in between. However it does fall in line with a different airline mindset as they further expand operations out of Barbados. While the flight does not originate in Barbados itself, it does offer additional connectivity for those considering flying onto other destinations via Barbados.
Garvin Medera, CEO of Caribbean Airlines, commented on the new route, stating, “We are excited to expand our passenger and cargo services to San Juan, Puerto Rico, as part of our ongoing effort to better connect the Caribbean. This move is crucial to our growth strategy and represents our commitment to offering our customers convenient and reliable travel and trade options. At Caribbean Airlines, we embrace the spirit of ‘Welcome Home,’ and we look forward to extending that warmth and hospitality to our passengers traveling to and from Puerto Rico.”
From the map on the right side, Caribbean connects to a number of Eastern Caribbean islands, as well as Trinidad and Guyana out of Barbados.
The new route which starts on July 14, 2024, is now bookable as follows:
Flight Number Origin Departure Time Destination Arrival Time Frequency
BW290 Port of Spain (POS) 2:15 p.m. Barbados (BGI) 3:15 p.m. Tuesdays, Fridays, Sundays
(Starts July 14, 2024)
BW290 Barbados (BGI) 4:30 p.m. San Juan (SJU) 7:10 p.m. Tuesdays, Fridays, Sundays
(Starts July 14, 2024)
BW291 San Juan (SJU) 10:10 a.m. Barbados (BGI) 12:35 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays
(Starts July 15, 2024)
BW291 Barbados (BGI) 1:20 p.m. Port of Spain (POS) 2:20 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays
(Starts July 15, 2024)
Frontier Airlines launching non-stop flights to Barbados, Trinidad and Santiago de los Caballeros from San Juan, Puerto Rico
Credit: Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines is also expanding its Caribbean presence, adding three addition routes out of its San Juan, Puerto Rico base. In two separate announcements, Frontier will add flights to Barbados and Trinidad, as well to its third city in the Dominican Republic.
“As we anticipate an exciting and potentially record-breaking summer travel season, we’re thrilled to further expand our route map,” said Josh Flyr, vice president of network and operations design, Frontier Airlines. “More destinations served means more affordable and convenient travel options for consumers across the U.S., Caribbean and beyond.”
All three routes will each be operated three times weekly with Airbus A320neos. What’s most interesting is that unlike Caribbean Airlines, they will be tackling both Trinidad and Barbados separately. Those wanting to fly between Trinidad and San Juan would see a trip time under two hours versus five hours if they flew with Caribbean Airlines on their slower ATR with the stop in Barbados.
Even though Frontier has dirt cheap flights, Caribbean travelers aren’t exactly light packers, so their ticket prices may be more on par with what Caribbean Airlines is offering when you add in the additional Frontier frills such as a carry-on, checked bag and seat selection.
Of course they may be willing to forgo a few items to take advantage of the shorter flight time and cheaper fares.
Frontier’s flight schedule is as follows:
Flight Number Origin Departure Time Destination Arrival Time Frequency
F9270 San Juan (SJU) 11:45 a.m. Barbados (BGI) 1:25 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays
(Starts July 3, 2024)
F9271 Barbados (BGI) 2:30 p.m. San Juan (SJU) 4:15 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays
(Starts July 3, 2024)
F9269 San Juan (SJU) 3:18 p.m. Santiago de los Caballeros (STI) 4:29 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays
(Starts June 14, 2024)
F9268 Santiago de los Caballeros (STI) 5:53 p.m. San Juan (SJU) 7:03 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays
(Starts June 14, 2024)
F9281 San Juan (SJU) 12:11 p.m. Port of Spain (POS) 2:02 p.m. Sundays, Thursdays, Fridays
(Starting July 11, 2024)
F9280 Port of Spain (POS) 3:14 p.m. San Juan (SJU) 5:07 p.m. Sundays, Thursdays, Fridays
(Starting July 11, 2024)