Pictured: The inaugural Wingo Airlines flight from Medellín, Colombia, arrived at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay on Tuesday, June 23 with 117 passengers on board.

KINGSTON; Jamaica; Friday, June 26, 2026 – Jamaica marked another significant milestone in its airlift expansion strategy with the arrival of Tuesday’s inaugural Wingo Airlines flight from Medellín, Colombia, which touched down at Sangster International Airport (SIA) in Montego Bay. The new route further strengthens connectivity between the island and the fast-growing Latin American market and advancing efforts to diversify its visitor base.

The inaugural flight arrived with 117 passengers on board, while 121 passengers departed Montego Bay on the return service to Medellín, underscoring the strong early interest.

The new service is expected to boost visitor arrivals from Colombia and the wider South American region while creating greater opportunities for cultural exchange, trade and investment.

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, welcomed the new service as a strategic addition to Jamaica’s expanding airlift network. “This inaugural Wingo Airlines flight from Medellín represents another important step in our efforts to diversify Jamaica’s tourism markets and deepen our presence in Latin America. Colombia continues to be a market of tremendous potential, and this second direct connection makes it easier than ever for travellers to experience the destination.”

Director of Tourism, Donovan White, noted that improved accessibility remains central to the destination’s continued success. “Expanding air connectivity is critical to sustaining Jamaica’s tourism growth and ensuring that more visitors can conveniently access our destination. This new service from Medellín not only enhances our reach into Colombia but also strengthens Jamaica’s competitiveness within the region. We look forward to working with Wingo Airlines to build demand and introduce even more Colombian travellers to the unforgettable experiences that await across our island.”

Colombia has emerged as an increasingly important source market for the Caribbean, driven by strong outbound travel demand and growing interest in authentic cultural and leisure experiences.

Deputy Director of Tourism for the Americas, Phillip Rose, emphasized the importance of deepening engagement within the Latin American market.”The launch of this new route reflects the growing appeal of Jamaica among Colombian travellers and reinforces our commitment to expanding our footprint across the Americas. We have seen encouraging demand from this market, and through targeted partnerships and sustained promotional efforts, we are confident that this service will open the door for even greater visitor growth and stronger people-to-people connections between our countries,” said Rose.

Wingo Airlines will operate the Medellín–Montego Bay service three times weekly, with scheduled flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

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ABOUT THE JAMAICA TOURIST BOARD  

The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), founded in 1955, is Jamaica’s national tourism agency based in the capital city of Kingston. JTB offices are also located in Montego Bay, Miami, Toronto and London. Representative offices are in Berlin, Madrid, Milan, Amsterdam, Mumbai, Tokyo and Paris.

Jamaica is home to some of the world’s best accommodations, attractions and service providers that continue to receive prominent global recognition. In 2025, TripAdvisor® ranked Jamaica as the #13 Best Honeymoon Destination, #11 Best Culinary Destination, and #24 Best Cultural Destination in the World. In 2024, Jamaica was declared ‘World’s Leading Cruise Destination’ and ‘World’s Leading Family Destination’ for the fifth consecutive year by the World Travel Awards, which also named the JTB the ‘Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Board’ for the 17th consecutive year.

Jamaica earned six Travvy Awards, including a gold for ‘Best Travel Agent Academy Program’ and silver for ‘Best Culinary Destination – Caribbean’ and ‘Best Tourism Board – Caribbean’. The destination also received bronze recognition for ‘Best Destination – Caribbean’, ‘Best Wedding Destination – Caribbean’, and ‘Best Honeymoon Destination – Caribbean’. Additionally, Jamaica received a TravelAge West WAVE award for ‘International Tourism Board Providing the Best Travel Advisor Support’ for a record-setting 12th time.