The island of Jamaica is home to three international airports; the Norman Manley International Airport in the capital city of Kingston, The Ian Fleming International Airport in the north coast parish of St. Mary and the Donald Sangster International Airport in the western city of Montego Bay. The Donald Sangster International began operations in 1947, it has undergone significant development over the years and today can handle up to 9 million passengers per year. The length of the runway is 8704, and the airport can accommodate large aircrafts such as the Boeing 747. The Donald Sangster International Airport accommodated over 41,000 flights in 2017, which amounted to over 4.2 million passengers, this was over 70% of the total visitors to Jamaica. This airport is the most advanced in the English speaking Caribbean, in terms of technologies that make the arrival and departure process seamless, and MBJ is regarded as the gateway to Jamaica. We will highlight the importance of the Donald Sangster International Airport to the Jamaican economy and why it is such a national treasure.
One of the reasons why The Donald Sangster Airport is so vital to Jamaica is because it is the gateway that facilitates the continued economic development of the country. The Jamaican economy is dependent on tourism as a generator of foreign exchange – the nation earned USD three billion from the industry last year which is by far the most by any Industry on the Island. The sector according to the World Travel and Tourism report in 2017, employed both, directly and indirectly, a total of 318, 500 people or 27.5% of the total Jamaican workforce in 2016. The Industry is expected to continue on this growth trajectory and will to a large extent be dependent on smooth operations at the Donald Sangster International Airport to bring the visitors to the island. The economic importance of the MBJ airport to the Jamaican economy cannot be over-stated!
The Donald Sangster International Airport (MBJ) is also centrally located in Montego Bay and is just 90 minutes away from Ocho Rios and Negril. This allows easy access to the three main tourist destinations in Jamaica. The location of the airport close to the resort towns is one of the reasons why it is the preferred choice for so many of the world’s top airlines. Airlines can fill their seats up because of the sheer volume of people that fly into MBJ for holiday purposes. The connectivity of the airport through the availability of world-class and efficient ground transportation is another reason why visitors prefer flying into MBJ when taking a trip to Jamaica. When you fly into MBJ, you can find transportation to anywhere in Jamaica that you want to go!
The Donald Sangster International Airport (MBJ) also includes several duty-free shops and delectable restaurants that are available to make your Jamaican experience even more interesting. You can get all your Jamaican souvenirs, Jamaican coffee and rum, local art and craft and also some of the best quality jewellery available anywhere on the island. The airport also includes international chain restaurants such as Quiznos and Wendy’s, along with several authentic Jamaican restaurants that serve the best of Jamaican cuisine. You will not go hungry or have a shortage of shopping opportunities while you are at the world class MBJ Airport, these are some of the reasons why MBJ has been voted the Caribbean’s leading airport every year since 2011!
Finally, if you are planning to fly to Jamaica, the Airport to fly into is the Donald Sangster International Airport. You will have more flight options out of your town or city, you will get to your local destination quicker after landing, you will have the opportunity to grab your favourite Jamaican souvenirs, and importantly, you will be greeted by warm smiles from the friendly and efficient staff at the airport. You will have the best possible start and end to your Jamaican trip when you make MBJ your airport of choice!
