Earlier today, American Airlines commenced its latest route, connecting Miami with the British Virgin Islands. The carrier will now fly daily to Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport (EIS), located on Beef Island, a small island off the main island of Tortola.This new route makes American Airlines the only US carrier to fly to the British Virgin Islands from the Continental United States. Flights will operate daily through August 14th, covering the peak summer months, and will then be paused, before resuming again in November, ready for the busy winter period.A ceremony took place at the boarding gate to mark the occasion, with representatives from Miami International Airport, American Airlines, and the British Virgin Islands, as documented on Twitter:

The flight schedule

American Airlines' new service between Miami and Tortola will operate daily, as per the following schedule:

The flights are operated by Envoy Air, under the American Eagle brand, with the Embraer E175 aircraft. According to the latest data from ch-aviation.com, Envoy Air's fleet currently boasts 107 Embraer E175 aircraft, each carrying a total of 76 passengers, and with an average age of 5.5 years old.

Envoy Air's fleet of regional aircraft is perfect for operating to Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport. Despite being the main airport serving the British Virgin Islands, the short runway is unable to accommodate larger aircraft.

Connecting the British Virgin Islands to the world

Thanks to American Airlines' vast network, in addition to that of its global oneworld alliance partners, travel to and from the British Virgin Islands has just become much easier. When the route was first announced last year, the British Virgin Islands' Minister for Communications and Works, Kye Rymer, celebrated the news, saying,

“We are very happy to welcome back American Airlines to the British Virgin Islands. This venture to have direct flights between Miami and the British Virgin Islands will make it significantly easier, faster and more affordable for persons from around the world to come to the British Virgin Islands, which is one of the must-visit tourist destinations in the world. Our residents will also benefit from convenient connections for business and leisure travel to dozens of destinations across American’s route network.”

The new route marks American Airlines' 43rd non-stop Caribbean service from Miami, which acts as the carrier's hub for flights to the region, and beyond to Latin America. So far this year, Miami International Airport (MIA) has seen a 3% increase in passenger numbers from last year, in which a record-breaking 50.7 million passengers passed through the airport. American Airlines itself also recently upgraded its profit guidance for Q2 amid increased demand and lower fuel costs.

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What do you think of American Airlines' latest Caribbean route from Miami? Do you expect more US airlines to operate to the British Virgin Islands in the future? Share your thoughts by commenting below.

Source: Miami Airport, ch-aviation.com, Caribbean National Weekly

• 

  American Airlines

  IATA/ICAO Code:

  AA/AAL

  Airline Type:

  Full Service Carrier

  Hub(s):

  Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Miami International Airport, New York JFK Airport, LaGuardia Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

  Year Founded:

  1926

  Alliance:

  oneworld

  CEO:

  Robert Isom

  Country:

  United States

  Airline Group:

  American Airlines Group

  Region:

  North America

  Loyalty Program:

  AAdvantage

• 

  Miami International Airport

  IATA/ICAO Code:

  MIA/KMIA

  Country:

  United States

  CEO:

  Ralph Cutié

  Passenger Count :

  37,302,456 (2021)

  Runways :

  8L/26R - 2,621m (8,600ft) | 8R/26L - 3,202m (10,505ft) | 9/27 - 3,967m (13,015ft) | 12/30 - 2,853m (9,360ft)

  Terminals:

  North Terminal | Central Terminal | South Terminal