Silver Sands Beach, about 30 miles east of Jamaica's Montego Bay. Photo: Phil Clarke Hill/contributor via Getty
This weekend marked the maiden flight of new nonstop service from Austin to Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Why it matters: Now you can leave Austin on a Saturday and kick up Caribbean sand that very evening.
- If you go: We recommend this refresher course on Jamaican greetings.
Between the lines: The new American Airlines flight "provides more access to Jamaica from this important U.S. state to support our booming travel recovery," Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica's minister of tourism, said.
Yes, but: Holy cow, the Austin airport is getting busy — and another new destination adds to the squeeze.
- This is the eighth international route out of Austin for American alone.
- Flashback: We wrote last month about unrest in the airline's pilot ranks as it makes Austin a key part of its expansion strategy.
What's next: On Thursday, Richard Branson will be in town to celebrate the recent launch of Virgin Atlantic's nonstop service to London.
The second-best theory of food and travel: If you can't make it all the way to Montego Bay, your best bet is to grab a bite at Nyam Sunshine, a Jamaican-Honduran food truck we love near ABIA, so it's almost like you're getting on a plane.
- Also, when he visited ATX, our boss really, really liked Canje.
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