Durrant Pate/Contributor

In an Our Today news follow-up……..Canada’s Porter Airlines has announced launch dates for flights from three Canadian cities to Montego Bay’s Sangster International Airport.

·      Toronto to Montego Bay service begins on November 23, 2026, and will fly up to five times weekly between the two cities. 

·      Ottawa to Montego Bay service begins on November 25, 2026, with two weekly flights. 

·      Hamilton to Montego Bay service begins on December 20, 2026, with two weekly flights. 

·      Flights to Aruba, San Jose (California), and Los Cabos (Mexico) were also a part of the announcement.

Jamaican officials are excited about what it means for the two countries, which share over 250 years of trade relations and friendship. Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett, says, ”This new airlift from Porter Airlines is a powerful affirmation of Jamaica’s standing as Canada’s premier winter sun destination. Connecting Montego Bay directly to Toronto, Ottawa and — for the first time for Porter — Hamilton opens our island to an even wider circle of Canadian visitors.”

For his part, Director of Tourism, Donovan White, applauded the announcement and what it means for Canadian visitors to the island. According to him, “Canada consistently ranks among Jamaica’s most important source markets, and this announcement from Porter reinforces why. Three new non-stop gateways to Montego Bay give Canadian travellers unprecedented ease of access to our beaches, culture and hospitality.”

Regional Director for Canada at the Jamaica Tourist Board, Angella Bennett, also weighed in on the announcement, saying, “Canadian travellers have a deep and enduring love for Jamaica, and demand from markets like Toronto, Ottawa and southern Ontario has never been stronger.” 

Porter Airlines has been aggressive in its international expansion since moving into Toronto Pearson International Airport and adding the Embraer E195-E2 aircraft to its fleet. One of the destinations high on their radar is the Caribbean market. 

They have received Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) approval to fly to a number of Caribbean countries, with air services having started to the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands last December.