Lush rainforests, waterfalls, a boiling lake, and the Caribbean’s longest hiking trail (and one of the world’s greatest luxury resorts). Dominica is one of the Caribbean’s great islands for adventure — but it hasn’t always been easy to get there.
That changed a few years ago when American Airlines kicked off its first-ever nonstop service between the mainland United States and Dominica in 2021.
Now, with demand surging and Dominica’s travel renaissance in full swing, American Airlines is planning to significantly ramp up its flights to the island out of Miami International Airport.
Beginning in the second quarter of this year, American Airlines will be operating daily flights, with service running for almost the entirety of the summer schedule.
That will mean daily flights from June 5 to Aug. 5, seven days per week, up from what is currently thrice-weekly service on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. American will also operate daily flights from Nov. 5 to March 31, 2025, a huge boost for the peak winter tourist season.
“This decision underscores American Airlines’ confidence in Dominica’s tourism product and reflects a significant opportunity for more leisure visitors from our primary source markets in the US and Canada,” said Denise Charles-Pemberton, Dominica’s Minister of Tourism, in a statement provided to Caribbean Journal. “We welcome travelers to explore Dominica’s top-class offerings, including diving, hiking, whale watching, and wellness activities, as we continue positioning ourselves as a premier destination in the Caribbean.”
The ramped-up service comes as Dominica just welcomed a new international hotel brand, IHG, which debuted its InterContinental brand at the former Kempinski resort in northern Dominica.
The island’s biggest resort, the all-inclusive, historic Fort Young, recently unveiled a dramatic transformation and expansion project that landed it on the 2024 list of the coolest hotels in the Caribbean.
And Dominica’s legendary, ultra-luxe Secret Bay resort is also in the midst of a broader expansion.
“Dominica is set to enhance its connectivity and become a hub for Caribbean travel and exploration,” the Discover Dominica Authority told Caribbean Journal.
American’s Dominica flights are part of a broader strategy by the airline to connect Miami with smaller, typically underserved Caribbean airports; that includes recently launched service to islands like Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands, both of which also now receive flights on American’s Embraer 175 aircraft. (https://www.caribjournal.com/2024/04/02/dominica-american-airlines-flying-daily-soon/)
