Traveling from the West Coast to the Caribbean is now more convenient than ever before

For many travelers residing on the West Coast of the United States, the absence of direct flights to the Caribbean from major international airports in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle has been a long-standing frustration. Typically, getting to the Caribbean involves layovers and transfers at airports such as Atlanta, New York, Houston, or Miami. Due to time zone differences and extended layover times, this journey can take up an entire day or might necessitate an overnight stay. With enticing options like Mexico and Hawai‘i nearby, numerous travelers in the Pacific time zone often forgo the Caribbean altogether.

"The route from the West Coast to the Caribbean has been challenging for airlines," states Brian Sumers, an industry analyst and author of "The Airline Observer," an aviation-focused newsletter. "These flights consume a significant amount of aircraft time, and airlines typically prefer to allocate those 12 to 14 hours of [round-trip] airplane and crew resources to more reliable routes that yield higher revenue."

However, this situation may be changing. Recently, Alaska Airlines, Cayman Airways, and JetBlue have all launched nonstop flights from Los Angeles to the Caribbean, with Alaska also introducing a route from Seattle. Here’s what you need to know and whether we might see additional Caribbean flights originating from the West Coast in the future.

New nonstop flights connecting the West Coast with the Caribbean

Alaska Airlines connects Seattle and Los Angeles to the Bahamas

In December 2023, Alaska Airlines launched new direct flights from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Nassau, Bahamas (NAS), as well as from Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Nassau. This marked the inaugural direct flight from Seattle to the Bahamas.

These routes, operated on Boeing 737 aircraft, commenced with four flights per week from Los Angeles and three from Seattle. The seasonal Seattle flights concluded this spring but are set to return in the winter. The Los Angeles flights will operate through the summer, with one to two flights weekly until the winter schedule starts in late November, according to the airline. Flight durations from Seattle are approximately 6 hours for both outbound and return trips, while Los Angeles flights take about 5 hours and 19 minutes outbound and 6 hours and 13 minutes on the return leg.

Kirsten Amrine, vice president of revenue management and network planning for Alaska Airlines, stated, "We are delighted with the positive response these routes have received, thanks to their convenience and accessibility. As summer approaches, we are eager to continue providing this nonstop service for our passengers departing from Los Angeles."

Direct flights from Los Angeles to Grand Cayman with Cayman Airways

Cayman Airways launched new direct service from Los Angeles (LAX) to Grand Cayman (GCM) in late 2022, increasing frequency from once a week to twice weekly by late 2023. The outbound flight from LAX takes 5.5 hours and is operated with Boeing Max 737-8 aircraft; the return journey lasts 6 hours.

In a press release, Cayman Airways highlighted that a "significant achievement" for 2023 was the "successful inaugural year of service to Los Angeles, exceeding expectations and indicating the demand for an additional weekly flight."

Sumers remarks, "I’m not surprised that Cayman Airways is operating flights from Los Angeles because it’s a government-owned airline... and it’s likely acceptable for them to incur losses on a long route if it attracts the right visitors to the Cayman Islands."

Direct flights from Los Angeles to the Bahamas with JetBlue

Last November, JetBlue launched its first nonstop service between Los Angeles and Nassau, offering weekly flights every Saturday using Airbus A321 aircraft, with an estimated travel time of about 5 hours and 45 minutes for outbound flights and approximately 6 hours and 30 minutes for the return journey.

"This new route was established to connect our Los Angeles customers to a desired travel destination," stated JetBlue Corporate Communications to Dinogo, "expanding our network and international footprint in the Caribbean while providing a direct flight option to Nassau."

The year-round service is anticipated to persist, as "JetBlue is satisfied with the performance" thus far, according to the airline's statement.

Will additional flights to the Caribbean be introduced from the West Coast?

Are these flights just a one-off event, or are they indicative of a new trend? That’s the question many West Coast travelers are probably pondering.

Caribbean tourism officials are certainly hopeful that these direct routes will be maintained. Joy Jibrilu, CEO of Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board, expressed via a statement to Dinogo, "We are excited to have new nonstop flights to Nassau from the West Coast through JetBlue and Alaska Airlines. These new routes have sparked a notable rise in interest in Nassau and Paradise Island, making it easier than ever for travelers to access our sunny getaway."

The airlines are not yet committing to the addition of more flights or destinations. "Alaska is always investigating potential route expansions and remains attentive to new opportunities to enhance its network to meet changing traveler demands," the airline conveyed in an email to Dinogo. JetBlue echoed this uncertainty in a corporate communications statement, noting that the airline "constantly evaluates all market opportunities to better serve our passengers."

"I believe we may witness an increase in routes from the West Coast to the Caribbean," states Sumers. "The North American air market is quite crowded. There aren’t many new routes for airlines to explore. Sure, you can add another flight to Los Cabos, but is that really necessary? [The airlines] might as well experiment with something new for a season and see how it performs."

Therefore, travelers from the West Coast should monitor the popularity of current Caribbean flights and stay alert for potential new routes as airlines look for additional revenue streams.