Passenger traffic at Jamaica’s two international airports fell in the first half of 2026, with the steepest drop at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. Figures released by Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico, the Mexico-based operator that holds the airport concessions, show Sangster handled 1.91 million passengers from January to June, down 26.7 percent from 2.60 million in the same period of 2025. The data was reported by Caribbean Today and the Caribbean Media Corporation on July 10, 2026.
The numbers
At Sangster, June traffic was 336,300 passengers, down 23.4 percent from 438,900 in June 2025. Over the six months, the airport lost roughly 690,000 passengers against the year before, based on the two totals above.
Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston held up much better. It handled 850,200 passengers from January to June, down 3.6 percent from 881,500 a year earlier. June traffic there was 151,000, slightly below the 152,200 recorded in June 2025.
What officials say caused it
For Montego Bay, the main causes cited are Hurricane Melissa, which struck Jamaica in October 2025, and reduced hotel room capacity while repairs continue at tourism properties. Montego Bay is the island’s main resort gateway, so when large all-inclusive hotels are closed the airport feels it immediately. At Kingston, airport officials pointed to lower arrivals from certain US markets, along with other external challenges affecting tourism.
The report also notes that Spirit Airlines ceased operations on May 2. Before it closed, Spirit accounted for about 3.5 percent of traffic at Kingston and 2.6 percent at Montego Bay. The airport operator said the effect on Jamaica’s airlift was limited, so it is not the main driver of the decline.
What is coming back
The report points to two sources of recovery. The first is the reopening of repaired hotels. Several have dates this winter: Iberostar’s JOIA Rose Hall reopens December 1, Sandals South Coast has a November 18 reopening date, and Bahia Principe Explore Jamaica returns December 1 in Runaway Bay, which we covered in our post on the Runaway Bay reopening. Half Moon is completing a phased reopening, and Sandals is converting the former Sandals Royal Caribbean into Sandals Caribbean Cay, explained in our post on that change.
The second is new air service. Wingo launched Medellin, Colombia to Montego Bay in June. Porter Airlines plans nonstop flights from Toronto, Ottawa and Hamilton in the 2026-27 winter season, as covered in our post on Porter’s winter network. Aeromexico also plans its first nonstop flights between Mexico City and Montego Bay from March 2027, covered in our Aeromexico route post.
How this compares with the wider region
Jamaica’s decline stands out against a regional picture of slower growth. As covered in our post on the Caribbean stayover slowdown, the Caribbean Tourism Organization reported stayover arrivals up 1.9 percent. Jamaica’s airport figures are weaker than that regional number, which fits a country still rebuilding its room inventory.
What it means if you are planning a trip
Lower traffic does not mean a poor holiday, but it does shape the trip in a few ways.
- Fewer open rooms in the Montego Bay area has meant tighter choice, so check that your chosen resort is open and fully operating on your dates.
- Facilities at reopened resorts can return in phases. Ask which restaurants, pools and room types are open.
- Airline schedules are being rebuilt. Confirm your flight is still operating before paying for non-refundable extras.
- Consider travel protection that covers disruption, and read what it excludes.
Our guide to how travel insurance works for an all-inclusive trip explains the basics, and the post on separate tickets versus one booking helps when you are connecting to Jamaica.
What the figures do not show
The data counts passengers, which include residents, returning Jamaicans and visitors, so it does not isolate tourist arrivals. It also covers only through June, before the winter season begins, and the report does not provide figures for the months since. Look for the operator’s later monthly releases to see whether the recovery officials expect has started. We have not seen July to October figures for Jamaica, so we cannot say how traffic has moved since mid-year.
One more caution on reading the headline: a percentage drop compares against a strong 2025 base, and the first months of that year were before the hurricane. That helps explain why the six-month decline is so large, and why later months of 2026 may look less severe even if the recovery is gradual.
Source: Caribbean Today and Caribbean Media Corporation, “Passenger Traffic Declines at Jamaica’s Two International Airports in the First Half of 2026,” July 10, 2026, citing Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico figures.