A Haitian airline has launched twice-weekly direct flights between Antigua and Barbuda and Barbados, adding a regional link as Caribbean carriers work to rebuild short-haul routes in the region.

The new Sunrise Airways non-stop service was inaugurated on July 22 with a flight from V.C. Bird International Airport, which left at 10:45am and arrived at Grantley Adams International Airport one hour and twenty minutes later.

It operates on Wednesdays and Sundays and is described by airline and tourism leaders as adding travel capacity and strengthening commercial, tourism and cultural links between the islands. The route adds to regional air links for business travel, visitors and inter-island travel.

Launch at Grantley Adams International Airport

A ribbon-cutting ceremony at Grantley Adams International Airport was attended by Government officials, tourism authorities, aviation stakeholders, industry representatives, airport authorities, members of the media and other guests.

Gary Stone, Chief Executive Officer of Sunrise Airways, said: “The arrival of Sunrise Airways to Barbados will strengthen commercial, tourism, and cultural ties while promoting economic growth and deeper integration across our Caribbean community as ‘One Caribbean’. This inaugural flight represents our commitment to offering efficient, reliable, and affordable travel options to Barbadian and Antiguan travellers, delivered with great Caribbean service onboard.”

Airline and tourism leaders tout regional value

Sunrise Airways says the new connection, as well as providing additional travel capacity, is intended to support commercial relations, tourism activity and cultural exchange between the two destinations.

The launch comes as Caribbean airlines continue trying to stitch together short-haul networks after years of disruption.

Whether the new service can generate enough demand to remain viable beyond the initial publicised launch phase remains to be seen. Governments and tourism bodies across the region have been looking for ways to improve connectivity, but the durability of new routes remains a key question for airlines and policymakers alike.

For Barbados, the Antigua link sits within a wider strategy to draw more regional visitors and keep the Caribbean moving between hubs. For Antigua and Barbuda, the flight offers another direct route to a nearby market that could help tourism, trade and people-to-people travel.

Ian Gooding-Edghill MP, Barbados Minister of Tourism, said: “The Caribbean remains Barbados’ third largest source market. Last year, we welcomed over 102,000 visitors from across the region, a 7.8% year-over-year increase and a testament to the growing strength of intra-Caribbean travel. That’s why this launch is more than just the arrival of a new flight; it is a vital step forward in deepening the bonds that hold our Caribbean family together.”

Sunrise to further widen network

Sunrise Airways says it plans to keep expanding its intra-Caribbean network in the coming months. By the end of 2026, the airline expects to serve 23 destinations across 15 countries across the region.

For now, the Antigua-Barbados service adds another thread to the region’s patchwork of air links. Whether it becomes a lasting success will depend on demand, reliability and the ability of airlines and tourism authorities to sustain the route beyond the launch ceremony. For Cayman, the broader lesson is clear: Caribbean connectivity is being rebuilt one flight at a time, and the Islands’ own place in that network will matter.