New flights out of Dubai to Montego Bay will see Jamaica even more connected to the Middle East.

On April 10 the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay will welcome its first Emirates Airline inbound flight from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The flight will kick-start a weekly schedule of Emirates Airline aircraft arriving and departing Jamaica via Frankfurt, Germany.

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has hailed the announcement of the new weekly scheduled flights “a major achievement for Jamaica’s tourism sector”, and that it is the result of years of advocacy and strategic discussions led by himself, Minister of State Delano Seiveright; Director of Tourism Donavan White, and Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) chairman John Lynch.

Emirates will operate the route with a Boeing 777-300 aircraft. Minister Bartlett further noted that “the new service, facilitated through a codeshare agreement with German airline Condor, will significantly expand Jamaica’s reach in the Middle East and the broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, bringing more opportunities for both tourism and trade.”

“This is indeed a mega achievement for Jamaica’s vibrant tourism sector,” he said, adding: “It is the culmination of years of effort, dating back to 2021 when we first met with representatives of Emirates to explore the possibility of opening up the Caribbean gateway. This flight service signals Jamaica’s expanding footprint in the global tourism market, and it also opens the door for trade linkages, allowing our agricultural and manufacturing sectors to access the lucrative markets of the Middle East.”

The new flight service will operate weekly on Wednesdays, and it is expected to further diversify Jamaica’s visitor base while enhancing trade and cultural exchanges. The flights between Frankfurt and Montego Bay will be operated by Condor Flugdienst GmbH.

“This new flight arrangement will position Jamaica as one of the gateways to the Caribbean from the Middle East and this strategic partnership should see more visitors from the Middle East visiting Jamaica and the Caribbean and vice versa,” Minister Bartlett noted.

He stressed that this new route is not just a victory for tourism but Jamaica’s economy.

“Emirates flying to Jamaica will create new opportunities for our manufacturers, agricultural producers, and entertainers. This is a key step in driving multi-destination tourism and strengthening the supply side of the sector,” he added.

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