Curaçao Celebrates New South Florida Flight Connection With Azul

Brazilian-based airline adds route to Curaçao via Fort Lauderdale

 

WILLEMSTAD – December 2024 – Azul Airlines celebrates the launch of a new flight option for travelers seeking to visit Curaçao by way of  South Florida. The new route runs from Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Curaçao International Airport (CUR) four days a week: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. The return flight from CUR to FLL subsequently operates on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.  This offering comes in conjunction with the doubling of flights between Belo Horizonte Airport, Brazil (CNF) and Curaçao International Airport (CUR) to four flights per week.

 

The announcement is made less than one year after the launch of Azul’s initial weekly route to the island. In June 2023, Azul initiated the route between Belo Horizonte and Curaçao with a frequency of one flight per week.  In less than a year, this increased to two flights per week, and now the number of flights will again double, reaching a total of four weekly flights and the addition of the Fort Lauderdale connection, a remarkable trajectory.

 

The milestone is a direct reflection of the growing interest in demand for the Dutch Caribbean island from the Brazilian and South Florida markets, marking a significant boost to the island’s tourism strategy.  This is the most recent airlift announcement in a series of increased service and added seasonal airlifts from major airlines including Delta, JetBlue Airways, American Airlines, United Airlines, WestJet and Air Canada.

 

The island’s blossoming tourism growth shows no signs of slowing down, having seen a 20% increase in stayover arrivals across markets in October  2024, as compared to October of the previous year. This figure aligns with the island’s stellar overall 2024 growth numbers with the Curaçao Tourist Board reporting exceptional increases in visitors welcoming a staggering  1,217,952 arrivals from January through October 2024. A 23% increase compared to the same period last year.

 

The growth of the destination is supported by hospitality partners continuing to build new hotels, enhance their world-class amenities and create new experiences. The brand-new Art Hotel Curaçao is slated to open at the beginning of 2025. Coming soon for the adults,  Dreams Curaçao Resort, Spa & Casino is launching an elevated experience with a new exclusive Preferred Club and 52 brand-new beachfront suites in Il Mare, Adults-Only Preferred Club, Dreams Curaçao. While additional hotels will be entering the new year with recent or scheduled improvements, including the historic Avila Beach Hotel renovating their sought-after oceanfront rooms; Baoase Luxury Resort unveiling luxe re-designed accommodations; an expansion to Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort’s Salty Iguana Ocean Grill;  and property and retail expansions at Elements Hotel & Shops Curaçao and Renaissance Wind Creek Curaçao Resort.

 

“The expansion of Azul’s flight routes to Curaçao marks the continued success and momentum of our island’s growth. Year to date, we have had a 26% increase in visitors from the United States and a 72% increase in Brazilian visitors compared to last year,” stated Muryad de Bruin, Counterpart Director at the Curaçao Tourist Board. “In Florida, the Broward County market has been on our radar for quite some time as a natural extension of the interest we’ve seen from Miami and the success of existing daily routes offered from Miami International Airport. We’re ecstatic  to end the year on this high note with the ongoing success of the island resulting from collaborative efforts across our tourism  and economic development partners.”

 

For more information on the destination of Curaçao, please visit www.curacao.com.

ABOUT CURAÇAO

Home to more than 35 captivating beaches, a diverse heritage spanning 55 different cultures, including Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese, a “love it or love it” attitude, and stunning European architecture, Curaçao – which sits on the outer fringes of the Hurricane Belt – remains an unrivaled tropical escape in the Southern Caribbean. Ranked by Condé Nast Traveler as one of the “best islands in the Caribbean,” Curaçao’s natural beauty, world-class dive sites, pristine beaches and idyllic weather have won it further accolades and recognition. Its capital city, Willemstad – a UNESCO World Heritage site – features the iconic and colorful Handelskade backdrop, vibrant street art, and a growing portfolio of boutiques, al fresco restaurants and trendy cafes, just to name a few of the many reasons why Curaçao continues to flourish as one of the most exceptional islands in the region.

 

For general travel updates, visit www.curacao.com or call toll-free 1-800-328-7222. Connect with the Curaçao Tourist Board on social media by following us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/curacaotb, Twitter: @CuracaoTravel and Instagram: @CuracaoTB