A new wave of nonstop flights is connecting U.S. travelers to the Caribbean without a layover, and the latest comes from United Airlines, which will begin the only nonstop service between New York and St. Croix this fall. The route starts Oct. 31 with weekly Saturday flights between Newark and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It arrives during the busiest period in the region’s history, after the Caribbean welcomed roughly 35 million stay-over visitors in 2025; carriers are moving fast to claim space on the map.
This post may contain affiliate links that may earn us a commission. For more information, see our Disclosures.
The numbers behind the rush are hard to ignore. The region drew about 35 million stay-over visitors last year, a 2.5% increase over 2024 and another year above pre-pandemic totals. The United States is the single largest source market, sending close to 17 million of those travelers. That demand has pushed airlines to add direct routes to islands that long required a connection through San Juan or Miami. For sun-seekers, it means fewer layovers and more say over where to spend a winter week.
United puts St. Croix within one flight of New York
United will fly the route between Newark and St. Croix on Saturdays aboard a Boeing 737-700 with 126 seats, including 12 in business class. The carrier already flies between Newark and St. Thomas, so the addition offers travelers a second gateway to the U.S. Virgin Islands and easier island-hopping. With the new service, United reaches 23 Caribbean destinations from Newark, more than any other airline from the New York area, and gives St. Croix its only nonstop link to the New York market.
American adds St. Croix and the closest Bahamian island
American added Saturday service from Chicago O’Hare to St. Croix, a route it says no other airline flies nonstop, alongside new O’Hare service to Curaçao. In February, it also launched the only nonstop U.S. service to Bimini, the closest Bahamian island to Florida, flying three times a week from Miami on a regional Embraer jet. The route makes a quick weekend trip out of an island most travelers used to reach by ferry or charter.
Southwest enters the Caribbean again
The growth is not limited to legacy carriers. Southwest began flying to St. Maarten on April 7, its first new international destination since 2021. Service opens with a daily nonstop from Orlando, with weekend flights from Baltimore/Washington two days later. The low-cost airline had already added St. Thomas to its map weeks earlier, a sign of a wider move into a region it had mostly skipped.
Delta builds weekend beach routes
Delta leans into Saturday-only flights built around long weekends. New 2026 routes include Atlanta to Grenada and to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, plus Boston to Aruba and service to Nassau from both Boston and New York’s LaGuardia. The pattern points to a clear target: travelers who want a short, direct beach trip with no connecting hub. Seasonal scheduling also lets carriers test the island demand before adding year-round flights.
Where the race goes next
The growth has room to run, and forecasters expect Caribbean stay-over arrivals to climb 3% to 4% in 2026, with air connectivity cited as one of the main drivers of continued momentum. Cruise traffic is set to expand as well, after a record 35.5 million port visits last year. More nonstop routes mean tougher competition on island fares and easier access to smaller destinations that rarely saw direct U.S. service.
That competition is the real payoff for travelers. As airlines stake out islands like St. Croix and St. Maarten, the map of easy winter escapes keeps widening, and trips that once took two flights are turning into a single boarding pass.
Jennifer Allen is a retired chef turned traveler, cookbook author and nationally syndicated journalist; she’s also a co-founder of Food Drink Life, where she shares expert travel tips, cruise insights and luxury destination guides. A recognized cruise expert with a deep passion for high-end experiences and off-the-beaten-path destinations, Jennifer explores the world with curiosity, depth and a storyteller’s perspective. Her articles are regularly featured on the Associated Press Wire, The Washington Post, Seattle Times, MSN and more.