NMIA reports impressive growth
PAC Kingston Airport Limited (PACKAL) is reporting impressive increases in passenger movement, flights, and cargo at Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA).
Chief Executive Officer Sitara English-Byfield gave the the update at a bi-annual forum hosted by the company at Jamaica Pegasus hotel in St Andrew on Thursday.
“January was the highest January we have ever seen at Norman Manley, and now we are at 580,000 passengers up to April 2025 — finally above 2019. We are 10 per cent above 2024,” English-Byfield disclosed.
She said aircraft movement for the same period is up 11 per cent above 2024 while cargo, which has always outpaced passenger traffic, is 33 per cent above 2024, and 103 per cent above 2019.
“We believe the [COVID-19] pandemic has led to more persons shopping online. We have a proliferation of shippers so there is significantly more cargo coming into Norman Manley,” the PACKAL boss said.
As far as market share is concerned, English-Byfield said the United States remains the number one destination from Jamaica, standing at 64 per cent for 2025, up from 62 per cent in 2024, the Caribbean being number two with 16.5 per cent, down from 19 per cent in 2024. Canada stands at 10 per cent of traffic, similar to 2024, while the United Kingdom is down to 5.8 per cent from 6.1 per cent, and the rest of the world is up 3.1 per cent compared to 2.7 per cent in 2024.
English-Byfield said arrivals from those markets show continued growth, with most coming from the United States which is up by 13.4 per cent. While the Caribbean is down 3.3 per cent, Canada is up 11 per cent and the United Kingdom, up seven per cent.
She said JetBlue continues to be the number one carrier, American Airlines number two, and Caribbean Airlines number three.
As to PACKAL’s contribution to the Jamaican economy, English-Byfield said, “between October 2019 when we started operating and April 2025 we have contributed US$220 million or J$34.8 billion to the economy in the form of revenue share to the Government of US$163 million, taxes of US$9 million, [and] capital expenditure so far of US$48 million.”
