Caribbean Airlines is the flag carrier of Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica, based at Piarco International near Port of Spain. It flies to 24 destinations across the Caribbean, the USA, Canada and South America, linking the islands with North American cities. It has no alliance and runs Caribbean Miles. Business and Economy cabins are sold on its 737 MAX jets.
Caribbean Airlines is the state-owned flag carrier of Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica, headquartered in Piarco, Trinidad. Successor to BWIA, it is the largest airline in the Caribbean and flies within the region and to North and South America.
Please note: bookingMentor is an independent travel service and is not affiliated with Caribbean Airlines. Routes, schedules, fleet and baggage rules change, so always confirm the details of your booking with the airline.
Caribbean Airlines is the state-owned flag carrier of Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica, headquartered at Piarco International Airport in Trinidad, with a second hub at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston. It suits travellers island-hopping in the Caribbean, people flying between Trinidad and Tobago, and those heading to Miami, Fort Lauderdale, New York or Toronto. Incorporated on 27 September 2006, it began flying on 1 January 2007 and took over the routes of BWIA, founded in 1939.
Piarco serves Trinidad and the southern Caribbean, and Norman Manley in Kingston serves Jamaica and the routes once flown by Air Jamaica. Caribbean Airlines signed an agreement to take over Air Jamaica on 28 April 2010 and completed the deal on 27 May 2011, keeping about 900 Air Jamaica staff. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago holds most of the shares and the Government of Jamaica the rest; sources put Trinidad's stake at between 84 and 88.1 percent.
Caribbean Airlines flies the domestic link between Trinidad and Tobago. It bought Tobago Express, the domestic regional airline, in 2007 for 24 million US dollars, and that purchase gave it the route.
The airline lists about 28 destinations across the Caribbean, North America and South America, including Caracas. In May 2026 it cut several loss-making routes, ending service to Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, Guyana and Suriname, and reducing Martinique and Guadeloupe from four to two flights a week. Check the current schedule before planning a trip around a smaller island.
Caribbean Airlines is not in a global alliance and no longer pursues codeshares. It uses interline agreements with airlines including Alaska Airlines, Copa Airlines, Emirates, Virgin Atlantic and Winair, which allow one ticket and through-checked bags on many connections.
A new logo and livery arrived in 2020, keeping the hummingbird symbol. World Travel Awards named the airline the Caribbean's leading airline every year from 2010 to 2019. Nirmala Ramai is acting chief executive after Garvin Medera stepped down, and the airline employs about 1,600 people.
On 30 July 2011 flight 523, a Boeing 737-800, overran the runway in Guyana and broke in two; everyone on board survived.
Baggage rules can differ between island routes and flights to North America, so check the allowance for your fare on caribbean-airlines.com.
Checked against trusted sources:
Caribbean Airlines official website
Caribbean Airlines (IATA: BW, ICAO: BWA) is the flag carrier of Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica, based at Piarco International Airport. Founded in 2006 as BWIA’s successor, it flies Boeing 737 MAX 8 and ATR 72-600 aircraft across the Caribbean and to the US, Canada and South America.
| Headquarters | Iere House, Piarco, Trinidad and Tobago |
|---|---|
| Fleet types | Boeing 737 MAX 8 and ATR 72-600 |
| Frequent flyer | Caribbean Miles |
| Official website | caribbean-airlines.com |
Flight routes
Port of Spain (POS) departures12 destinations
Port of Spain (POS) departures3 destinations
Port of Spain (POS) departures5 destinations
The fleet has about 20 aircraft of two types. ATR 72-600 turboprops fly short island hops, and Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets fly longer routes to North America and South America. The MAX 8s arrived from late 2021, and the last Boeing 737-800s left by 2023. Embraer E175 regional jets and cargo aircraft are planned.
Caribbean Airlines sells two cabins, Business and Economy. The aircraft and route decide which Caribbean Airlines cabins you can book.
Premium cabin
Business class on Boeing 737 MAX 8 flights.
Standard seat
The main cabin on every flight.
Caribbean Airlines’ loyalty programme. Join Caribbean Miles online before you fly so the trip counts.
Caribbean Miles has three tiers: Silver, Gold and Executive Gold. Members earn miles on Caribbean Airlines flights and redeem them for award travel.
Cabins are Business, Economy Plus and Economy. The loyalty programme is Caribbean Miles, with Silver, Gold and Executive Gold tiers. The in-flight magazine Caribbean Beat has been published every two months since 1992.
Caribbean Airlines does not give every passenger the same allowance: the route, the cabin and the fare you buy each change it. Your BW e-ticket shows what you have.
Expect the allowance on Caribbean Airlines to change with distance and cabin: higher cabins include more than basic economy on the same flight. Look up your route on the baggage page of caribbean-airlines.com.
The four steps below take you from your Caribbean Airlines booking to the gate, whether you depart from POS or another airport on its network.
Online check-in for BW flights is on the official Caribbean Airlines website. You need the BW booking reference or e-ticket number and the passenger’s surname.
Booking ref + surnameInternational Caribbean Airlines passengers need a passport and whatever visa, residence permit or entry documents the destination requires. Domestic BW passengers should bring a photo ID the airline accepts.
Passport · visa · IDCaribbean Airlines closes its check-in counters before departure, and passengers who miss the cut-off can be refused boarding. Leave room for bag drop and security at POS.
Check your deadlineHand in checked luggage at the Caribbean Airlines counter or bag drop, then keep your boarding pass and passport ready for security and the gate.
Caribbean Airlines counterCaribbean Airlines fares out of Port of Spain move with the season and the fare brand. These habits help keep the price down.
Compare a full week of Caribbean Airlines departures; midweek days are often priced below Fridays and Sundays.
Midweek flightsFares rise around Carnival, Christmas and the summer holidays. Book early for those dates.
School holidays · festivalsLook at the next Caribbean Airlines fare up: if it bundles a hold bag or easier changes, it may beat the basic fare plus extras.
Baggage & changesOn busy Caribbean Airlines routes such as POS to New York, booking several weeks ahead usually leaves more fares to choose from.
Popular routesMembership of Caribbean Miles lets your Caribbean Airlines trips count towards rewards, and members hear about offers first.
Before you flySearch Caribbean Airlines alongside every other airline on your route, with flexible dates.
Search Caribbean Airlines flightsOthers of this kind you opened on this device, so you can get back to them quickly.
There are two: BW for IATA and BWA for ICAO, and pilots use the radio callsign CARIBBEAN AIRLINES.
Its main hub is Piarco International (POS) in Port of Spain, and its head office is in Iere House, Piarco, Trinidad and Tobago.
No. It links up with other airlines through interline deals, for example with Copa Airlines for onward travel in Latin America.
Two types, with ten of each in June 2026: Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets and ATR 72-600 turboprops.
Yes, it is called Caribbean Miles. Add your Caribbean Miles number when you book so the miles are credited.
Look at your e-ticket or Manage Booking on caribbean-airlines.com. The figure depends on your BW route, cabin and fare type.
Get an answer from the bookingMentor travel team and travellers who have flown Caribbean Airlines.
Everything travellers ask before flying Caribbean Airlines.
Last reviewed on 10 October 2026 against caribbean-airlines.com and published airline records.
Caribbean Airlines uses the IATA code BW and the ICAO code BWA. Its radio callsign is CARIBBEAN AIRLINES.
The Caribbean Airlines baggage allowance depends on your route, cabin and fare. The Baggage allowance section of this guide gives 4 figures, by cabin and route where they differ. Check the allowance printed on your ticket before you pack.
Check in on caribbean-airlines.com. The Check-in section of this guide walks through it in 4 steps.
Caribbean Airlines was founded in 2006, 20 years ago.
Contact Caribbean Airlines through its official website, caribbean-airlines.com.
We use necessary cookies to make this site work. With your permission we would also like to remember your preferences, measure how the site is used, and show relevant ads and partner offers. You can change your mind at any time under "Cookie settings" on our Privacy policy page.
