Jamaica Flights Tight, Virgin Pauses MBJ After Nov 10

Published on Nov 6, 2025, 8:34 am CST

5 min read

Key points

Virgin Atlantic will pause Montego Bay flights after Monday, November 10, aiming to resume limited service later in November
Sangster International is operating on a limited basis while Kingston remains active for commercial and relief flights
The U.S. State Department kept Jamaica at Level 3 on November 3, and U.S. airlines issued time-boxed waivers and fee relief

Impact

Who Is Affected: Travelers booked to or from Montego Bay and Kingston through late November, especially on Virgin Atlantic services
Key Dates: Limited MBJ operations ongoing; Virgin pause after November 10; multiple waivers covered October 25 through early November
What To Do: Check airline emails and manage booking for reaccommodation, consider rerouting via Kingston, and hold extra connection time
Airports: Montego Bay running limited schedules with some gates offline, Kingston and Ocho Rios supporting both commercial and relief flights
Waivers: American, Delta and Southwest published exception policies and advisories, with some bag-fee and change-fee flexibility

Jamaica's post-hurricane recovery is bringing air service back in steps, with tight seat supply and intermittent schedule changes. Montego Bay's Sangster International Airport (MBJ) is open for limited commercial flying while also supporting relief operations, and Kingston's Norman Manley International Airport (KIN) remains active. Virgin Atlantic says it will pause Montego Bay flights after Monday, November 10, and is targeting a late-November restart with limited frequencies, signaling that capacity will remain constrained for several weeks. The U.S. State Department left Jamaica at Level 3, Reconsider Travel, and updated related alerts on November 3.

Airline-by-airline snapshot

Virgin Atlantic: The carrier states it will "reduce [its] flying schedule to Montego Bay, pausing flights after Monday 10 November until late November, when [it hopes] to resume limited services," and will contact affected customers directly. Travelers should expect reaccommodation options or refunds depending on fare rules and third-party bookings.

American Airlines: American resumed limited operations into Jamaica soon after the storm, including a phased return at Montego Bay and Ocho Rios (OCJ), and extended specific relief measures such as baggage-fee waivers at impacted airports during the initial restart. Seats remain tight while schedules rebuild.

Delta Air Lines: Delta published exception policies covering travel to and from Jamaica over the October 25 to November 2 window, with rebooking permitted by November 5 under defined conditions. Some itineraries may still see rolling adjustments as airport capacity stabilizes.

Southwest Airlines: Southwest continues to flag "infrastructure challenges" at Montego Bay, warning of possible delays, diversions, or cancellations through at least November 8, and advising customers to monitor flight status closely.

Other carriers have issued or updated waivers on similar timelines, generally tied to the late-October through early-November disruption window, with standard rebooking rules and limited fare-difference waivers. Travelers should check their specific ticketing rules and airline advisories.

Airport status and constraints

Montego Bay (Sangster International Airport): MBJ reopened for limited commercial flying alongside relief operations as infrastructure repairs progress. Industry reporting notes partial gate closures and incremental capacity restoration, which will cap daily departures and foster knock-on delays. Expect queues at peak times and longer minimum connection buffers when self-connecting.

Kingston (Norman Manley International Airport): KIN has supported both commercial and relief flights throughout the recovery period, including cargo operations for humanitarian aid. For some travelers, routing through Kingston may offer better availability than Montego Bay until repairs at MBJ advance.

Ocho Rios (Ian Fleming International Airport): Operations are limited due to aircraft size and facilities, but movements have supported the broader recovery and provided selective commercial options.

Advisory context

The State Department continues to rate Jamaica at Level 3, Reconsider Travel, and published storm-related alerts through the U.S. Embassy in Kingston on November 3 and November 4. These notices confirm that airports are open with limited commercial operations and urge travelers to keep extra flexibility while essential services are restored island-wide.

Latest developments

Government and airport operators report ongoing restoration of terminal infrastructure and airfield capacity, with relief flights and cargo priorities still sharing resources with passenger operations. News outlets covering the recovery note continued pressure on tourism infrastructure, especially around Montego Bay, which will keep airline schedules from returning to normal immediately.

Analysis

Through mid to late November, Jamaica-bound travelers should plan for scarce seats, reroutes, and schedule changes, especially into Montego Bay. Virgin Atlantic's pause concentrates UK-Jamaica demand onto fewer carriers and gateways, which can push prices higher and limit same-day alternatives. If you must travel soon, compare availability into Kingston and arrange ground transport to resort areas on the north coast, allowing extra time for road conditions and daylight arrivals. For U.S. itineraries, leverage airline exception policies published around Hurricane Melissa's impact window; even as those windows close, many carriers still allow one-time changes when flights receive a schedule change. Keep all receipts if disrupted, and confirm whether your ticket or credit-card benefits cover trip interruption.

Background

Airlines rebuild schedules in phases after major storms: airports must certify runway and lighting integrity, repair terminal damage, and re-staff operations. Carriers then re-add flights based on aircraft and crew positioning, local demand, and airport throughput. That staged approach explains why Kingston has more consistent availability today while Montego Bay's schedule fills in more slowly.

Final thoughts

Jamaica flight capacity remains tight in November, with Virgin Atlantic pausing Montego Bay after November 10 and a gradual rebuild across all carriers. If your plans are flexible, push travel to late November or December, monitor airline emails daily, and consider Kingston as a practical alternate while Montego Bay ramps back up.