Airfare is usually the largest single expense of a Jamaican holiday, and the price you pay can vary enormously for what is essentially the same journey. The good news is that a handful of choices make most of the difference. This page walks through them: which airport to use, when to book, how to compare airlines, and whether to use an online search or a travel agent.
Four things that set the price
The fare you are offered depends mainly on:
- the airport you depart from;
- the airport you arrive at in Jamaica;
- how flexible your dates are;
- how long you plan to stay.
Spending an hour or two testing different combinations of these can save a surprising amount of money.
Montego Bay or Kingston?
Jamaica has two main international gateways: Sangster International in Montego Bay and Norman Manley International in Kingston. As a general pattern, travellers starting in the United Kingdom often find lower fares into Montego Bay, while those starting in the United States and Canada frequently see better prices into Kingston. That is only a tendency, though, and the sensible approach is to price both.
The cheaper ticket is not automatically the cheaper trip. If your hotel is in Kingston, a lower fare into Montego Bay can be wiped out by the ground transport needed to cross the island. The reverse is true for a resort on the north-west coast. Remember too that distances in Jamaica are short, and a domestic flight takes no more than around an hour.
When to book
Book early. A common approach is to buy the ticket as soon as the accommodation is confirmed.
- Winter is peak season because of the warm, dry weather, and fares are at their highest. Travellers who want to go then should start looking as early as September.
- Autumn tends to be the best time to find a deal. Late October and early November have been described as a sweet spot, after which prices for winter travel can rise sharply.
- Summer is busy as well, with school holidays filling flights and keeping fares close to winter levels. Aim to have summer trips booked by about May.
Midweek departures, particularly Monday to Thursday, are often cheaper than weekend ones.
Comparing airlines
Fare comparison sites are useful for getting a picture of the market, but it is also worth checking the airline’s own site, which sometimes shows lower prices or special promotions. Which carrier is cheapest depends on where you start from.
- From the eastern United States, American Airlines and JetBlue are worth checking first, especially from Miami and New York, and low-cost carriers such as Spirit have been known to undercut the competition.
- From Canada, Air Canada is a natural starting point.
- From the United Kingdom, Virgin Atlantic is a popular choice, and booking several months ahead can save a good deal.
- Jamaica’s former national carrier, Air Jamaica, was long a favourite with both locals and visitors, and it built a reputation around packages and partnerships with other airlines. Check which airlines currently serve your route, since the market changes.
New and low-cost airlines regularly enter this market, sometimes with fares comparable to the price of a checked bag on a traditional carrier. Keep an eye on baggage and seat fees, which can narrow the gap.
If the search comes up empty
When a website shows no availability, it can still be worth phoning the airline. Carriers do not always release every seat to agents and wholesalers, so a few may remain that online tools cannot see.
Online or travel agent?
Most travellers from North America now book directly online, unless the flight is part of a package. Online booking is quick, and it lets you decide for yourself about connections and arrival airport. A travel agent, on the other hand, gives you someone accountable if something goes wrong, along with a receipt you can refer to at the airport. Agents can sometimes match online prices and often know which days of the week are cheapest.
Whichever route you take, remember that an airline promises to get you to your destination rather than to provide luxury, so the aim is simply to pay as little as sensible for the seat.
A simple checklist
- Decide how many days you can move your dates either way.
- Price flights into both Montego Bay and Kingston.
- Add ground transport to the total for each option.
- Compare an aggregator against the airline’s own website.
- Set a price alert and book once the fare looks good.
A day’s difference in departure or a change of arrival airport can be worth a few hundred dollars, so the time you spend comparing is rarely wasted. For more on arrival points, see the page about the airports in Jamaica, or read the general advice on travelling to Jamaica.