CHARLOTTE AMALIE — The world’s largest airline American Airlines launched a pair of new winter flights to St. Thomas.
American Airlines said the new service to St. Thomas started from Chicago (ORD) and Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) on December 21, 2019.
Flights from Chicago O’Hare International Airport will serve Cyril E. King International Airport on Saturdays, began Christmas Eve through April 4, 2020. Flights from Dallas-Fort Worth also began Christmas Eve and will operate year-round on Saturdays.
Using Airbus 319 equipment with a 128-seat capacity, American Airlines #1109 departs Chicago at 9:20 a.m., arriving on St. Thomas at 3:59 p.m. The return service AA #1109 departs St. Thomas at 5 p.m., landing in Chicago at 8:34 p.m.
The Dallas-Fort Worth service, on Boeing 757 aircraft with 176 seats, departs Dallas-Fort Worth on AA #1237 at 8:55 a.m., landing on St. Thomas at 3:40 p.m. AA #1251 departs St. Thomas at 1:51 p.m., arriving in Dallas-Fort Worth at 5:32 p.m.
“American Airlines is pleased to provide nonstop service to the beautiful island of St. Thomas from these important hubs,” said Alfredo Gonzalez, American’s Managing Director, Caribbean. “We would like to thank the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, the Virgin Islands Port Authority, and other agencies for working seamlessly with us to make these flights possible.”
This winter, American Airlines also increased its capacity to St. Thomas with the addition of a third daily flight between Miami and St. Thomas.
“We are delighted to inaugurate these flights which open up and enhance the very important Chicago and Texas markets,” Joseph Boschulte, Commissioner of Tourism, U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, said. “We are very happy with the deepening of our partnership with American Airlines and look forward to working with their team to bolster airlift to our Territory this winter and beyond.”
The third daily flight, which began earlier this week, operates as a “same day turn”, departing Miami International Airport at 8:35 a.m. and arriving at Cyril E. King International Airport at 12:14 p.m. The return service departs St. Thomas at 1:06 p.m. the same day it arrives, landing in Miami at 3:11 p.m.
American will also extend Charlotte-St. Croix flights during the holiday period, and will serve the island with thrice-weekly flights from Miami over the summer.