American Airlines has launched regular flights to Norman B. Saunders International Airport (XSC) in South Caicos, Turks and Caicos Islands, marking its 42nd airport in the Caribbean. The new route aims to meet growing demand for exotic destinations.
The route is operated by Envoy Air, the airline’s regional subsidiary, using 76-seat Embraer 175 aircraft. There are two weekly flights—on Wednesdays and Saturdays—departing from Miami International Airport (MIA), offering a total of 304 seats per week.
During the inauguration, Tourism Minister Zhavargo Jolly, a native of South Caicos, emphasized the symbolic value of this direct air service, considering it part of a broader effort for the island’s economic and social revitalization.
The launch had originally been scheduled for February but was delayed due to certification processes at the local airport.
South Caicos Airport features a 1,824-meter runway and a small terminal. It currently offers flights to Providenciales (PLS) and Grand Turk (JAGS) via interCaribbean and Caicos Express Airways. The terminal is located approximately 2.4 kilometers from Cockburn Harbour, the island’s most populous town.
With this addition, South Caicos joins the 41 weekly frequencies American Airlines already operates in Providenciales, connecting to cities such as Charlotte (CLT), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Philadelphia (PHL), and Miami, as well as seasonal routes to Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), and New York (JFK). These operations use Airbus A321, A321neo, Boeing 737-800, and Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.
American Airlines in the Caribbean
American Airlines has the largest network of routes in the Caribbean among U.S. carriers, operating in 42 destinations, according to Cirium. Its passenger profile includes a mix of U.S. tourists and Caribbean residents with ties to the United States.
Given that several Caribbean airports have infrastructure limitations for aircraft like the Boeing 737 and A319, the airline has increased the use of regional jets such as the Embraer 175, which is adapted for shorter runways. Envoy Air, which operates this fleet, has 125 E175s and 43 E170s, with Miami serving as the fourth-largest base for this aircraft type.
According to Cirium, 60.8% of American Airlines' Caribbean flights depart from Miami, followed by Charlotte (18%) and Dallas/Fort Worth (6.8%). Puerto Rico and Haiti are not currently listed, the latter due to a temporary suspension of its routes.
• Anguilla: The Valley (AXA)
• Antigua & Barbuda: Saint John (ANU)
• Aruba: Oranjestad (AUA)
• Bahamas: Freeport (FPO), George Town (GGT), Governor's Harbour (GHB), Marsh Harbour (MHH), Nassau (NAS), and North Eleuthera (ELH)
• Barbados: Bridgetown (BGI)
• Bermuda (BDA)
• Bonaire: Kralendijk (BON)
• Cuba: Camagüey (CMW), Holguín (HOG), Havana (HAV), Santa Clara (SNU), Santiago de Cuba (SCU), and Varadero
• Curaçao: Willemstad (CUR)
• Dominica: Roseau (DOM)
• Grenada: St. George (GND)
• Guadeloupe: Point-à-Pitre (PTP)
• Cayman Islands: Grand Cayman (GCM)
• Turks and Caicos Islands: Providenciales (PLS) and South Caicos (XSC)
• British Virgin Islands: Tortola (EIS)
• U.S. Virgin Islands: St. Thomas (STT) and Saint Croix (STX)
• Jamaica: Kingston (KIN), Montego Bay (MBJ), and Ocho Rios (OCJ)
• Martinique: Fort-de-France (FDF)
• Dominican Republic: La Romana (LRM), Puerto Plata (POP), Punta Cana (PUJ), Santiago de los Caballeros (STI), and Santo Domingo/Las Américas (SDQ)
• St. Maarten: Philipsburg (SXM)
• Saint Kitts and Nevis: Basseterre (SKB)
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Kingstown (SVD)
• Saint Lucia: Vieux Fort (UVF)
• Trinidad and Tobago: Port of Spain (POS)
New destinations like Tobago and Barbuda may be added in the future, as both airports have undergone infrastructure expansions aimed at attracting new airlines.
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