KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica’s tourism sector is marking a major milestone in its regional expansion strategy, with senior officials announcing a groundbreaking new nonstop air link between Colombia’s Medellín and Jamaica’s popular tourist hub Montego Bay, set to launch in 2026.
Operated by Colombian low-cost carrier Wingo Airlines, the new service is scheduled to commence operations on June 23, 2026, a move that tourism leaders say will cement Jamaica’s position as a top vacation choice for Colombian leisure travelers and open the door to increased visitor flow from across the Latin American region.
Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, emphasized that the new route represents a critical leap forward for the country’s long-term tourism development goals. “Today we are seeing a concrete outcome of our targeted strategy to deepen our connections with Latin American markets,” Bartlett stated during the announcement. “This new route does more than add a new destination to regional flight networks; it directly answers the rising demand from Colombian travelers eager to visit Jamaica’s shores, and it underscores our unwavering commitment to making Jamaica more accessible to visitors from across Latin America.”
The service will operate on a consistent weekly schedule, with three flights departing every week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. This regular timetable is designed to accommodate both leisure travelers planning getaways and travel industry professionals arranging itineraries for clients, offering unmatched flexibility and convenience for travel between the two cities.
To kick off the new route, Wingo has introduced introductory one-way base fares starting at just $159 USD, a price that already includes all applicable taxes and fees. Tickets are already open for booking through the airline’s official digital and in-person booking channels. Looking ahead, Wingo projects that the route will offer close to 32,000 seats per year for travelers, and the carrier will be the only airline offering a nonstop connection between the two cities, giving it exclusive access to this growing travel market.
Donovan White, director of Jamaica’s tourism agency, framed the new route as a collective win for the country and its regional travel partners. “This is the result of years of collaborative work to open up new air routes across Latin America, a push that will help us diversify our visitor base and expand our overall tourism market share,” White explained. “This is a victory for Jamaica and for all of our longstanding partners who have invested time and effort to make this new connection a reality.”
The upcoming Medellín route builds on the already strong momentum of Jamaica’s expanding partnership with Wingo. Just this week, the airline launched its first nonstop service between Bogotá and Montego Bay, which launched with two weekly flights. Due to unexpectedly high consumer demand, that route is already scheduled to increase frequency to three weekly flights as early as this coming June.
Philip Rose, deputy director of the Jamaica Tourist Board, noted that the consecutive route launches send a clear signal about the growing appeal of Jamaica in the Colombian market and across Latin America. “The launch of the Bogotá service, paired with our announcement of the upcoming Medellín route, makes it impossible to miss that demand for Jamaica travel is rising rapidly across Colombia and the broader region,” Rose said. “Investing in stronger air connectivity is the foundation for unlocking new, high-potential tourism markets and driving consistent, sustainable growth in visitor arrivals over the long term.”
Jorge Jiménez, vice-president of commercial and network planning at Wingo, expressed the carrier’s enthusiasm for the expansion into the Jamaican tourism market. “We are thrilled to grow our footprint in Jamaica with this exciting new route,” Jiménez said. “This connection creates mutually beneficial opportunities: it gives Colombians easier access to Jamaica’s world-famous beaches and culture, while also opening up the chance for Jamaican travelers to explore everything Colombia has to offer. Medellín and the surrounding regions offer a vibrant, one-of-a-kind travel experience that we’re excited to connect to Jamaica.”