You Can Fly to This Quaint Caribbean Island for Under $200 Thanks to This New Jet Blue Route

St. Kitts is a little-known Caribbean island that has slowly become more popular among travelers. This picturesque island sees fewer tourists per year than St. Lucia and the Bahamas, but it’s one of the Caribbean’s best-kept secrets. Last year, roughly 540,000 people visited St. Kitts, but JetBlue’s new route will likely make this charming island an even bigger travel hot spot.

Previously, it was harder to get to St. Kitts than many other Caribbean hotspots, but JetBlue just made it much easier. As of November 2nd, 2023, you can take off on a direct flight from New York City to St. Kitts. The flight will take 4 hours and 45 minutes before you land in paradise.

JetBlue’s recent press release sparked excitement in the world of international travel. The initial tickets went for as low as $179 each way from New York. You can also upgrade to the “Blue” class for $209 and pick your seat ahead of time.

Flights will depart from John F. Kennedy International Airport. This is part of JetBlue’s plan to connect more NYC residents to Caribbean islands like St. Kitts and Nevis. JetBlue now offers flights to over 25 Caribbean countries providing more access than most major airlines.

These flights will take place on Airbus A320 planes which are notable for producing minimal emissions. They are also quite comfortable, and JetBlue will give passengers the chance to choose from over 100 DIRECTV channels on their flights. David Jehn of JetBlue said, “This new nonstop route aims to continue to grow our presence in the Caribbean and bring more choices for our customers."

St. Kitts is one of two islands in St. Kitts and Nevis, and it’s the most popular of the two islands among travelers. Known for its turquoise water and white sands that you can expect in the Caribbean, St. Kitts affords travelers a leisurely vacation. St. Kitts is home to several high-end resorts by Marriott, Hyatt, and Four Seasons.

Each beach in St. Kitts is public, and the most popular beaches include Cockleshell Beach and Banana Bay Beach. The island is 18 miles and features incredible views, beaches, and bays. It’s also notable for its beautiful hiking trails. Central Forest Reserve National Park alone has 5 trails that take you along waterfalls and provide breathtaking views.

St. Kitts is also a popular golf destination because of its many courses and clubs. Local dishes like saltfish and dumplings and conch fritters are staples of any vacation to St. Kitts. Only home to 47,600 residents, St. Kitts is a relatively quiet and uncrowded vacation spot compared to Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.

Jetblue also opened up a route to another Caribbean destination, Belize. Travelers can visit Belize with direct flights from New York City starting this December. JetBlue’s latest expansions to Belize, Grenada, and St. Kitts have made it easier than ever to visit as many Caribbean destinations as possible.

They will be the only airport to offer flights from Boston, Massachusetts to Grenada as well. The new slew of flights that JetBlue and other airlines offer to the Caribbean lines up with the recent rise in travel to the islands. The recent travel boom combined with the wider availability of international flights has led to many U.S. travelers looking toward Caribbean destinations.

Travelers from the United States have been visiting the Caribbean in droves since 2021. In 2022, 3.2 million more U.S. travelers visited the Caribbean than in 2021. Travelers from the U.S. made up just over 14% of all international travelers visiting Caribbean islands.

JetBlue’s CEO said, “We are proud to continue diversifying our network and to introduce even more options to connect our customers in our focus cities of New York, Boston, Orlando, and Los Angeles to the places they want to fly”. They are slowly rolling out direct flights from major U.S. cities, but will hopefully expand their services soon.

It’s worth visiting St. Kitts soon before the bubble bursts and it becomes one of the biggest vacation spots in the Caribbean. Whether it be the sprawling golf courses or gorgeous foothills, there are countless reasons to go to St. Kitts, and JetBlue just made it easier.