JetBlue gearing up for high season in the Caribbean

JetBlue’s winter schedule to the Caribbean calls for an average of 200 daily flights to 25 island gateways, more than ever before, according to Scott Lawrence, vice president of network planning.

New routes include Chicago-San Juan, launching Nov. 20; Fort Lauderdale-Haiti, Dec. 5; Fort Lauderdale-Trinidad, May 1; New York-Haiti, Dec. 5; and New York-Haiti, Feb. 24.

The carrier will meet peak winter demand by deploying new Airbus A321s on specific routes. The plane has 190 seats versus the 150-seat A320 aircraft.

The new A321s will enter service straight from the factory and will not yet have in-flight television, radio or movies.

JetBlue has new interline agreements with LIAT and Seaborne Airlines. JetBlue customers connecting on LIAT will have access to new destinations (Antigua, Grenada, St. Kitts and St. Vincent) when transferring at Barbados and St. Maarten.

Seaborne connections open up St. Kitts, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, La Romana in the Dominican Republic and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, all via San Juan.

The carrier’s expanded partnership with Cape Air adds Culebra, Puerto Rico, and Tortola, BVI, via San Juan.

Follow Gay Nagle Myers on Twitter @gnmtravelweekly.