Belizean-born pilot Jason Smith flies inaugural JetBlue flight from New York to Belize

by Charles Gladden

BELIZE CITY, Wed. Dec. 6, 2023

On Wednesday, December 6, a JetBlue flight, which departed from the John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in Queens, New York, landed at the Philip Goldson International Airport (PGIA) in Belize, marking the long-awaited first direct flight from the Big Apple to the Jewel.

When the newly formed partnership between JetBlue and the Philip Goldson International Airport (PGIA) was announced in June of this year, New York became the 11th city in the United States of America from which airline passengers can travel directly to Belize.

“The path to New York is looking closer. We are profoundly thankful to JetBlue for choosing to embark on this journey with us,” said Jorge Espat, CEO of the Philip Goldson International Airport.

“We are thrilled to be here today to celebrate another exciting occasion, our first flight from Philip Goldson International Airport to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York … Adding new routes like this one is really important for our long-term success, because it provides more options for our customers traveling between New York and Belize, whether it’s for leisure or to visit their friends and family. With our presence in New York, and in the northeast, we have an incredible customer base who are excited to make this connection, and that is why we’re here in Belize today,” said Jeffrey Godell, Vice President of Government and Airport Affairs at JetBlue.

Founded over 25 years ago, JetBlue grew from a small airline based in New York to become the sixth-largest airline in the United States, serving over 1,000 destinations domestically and internationally, which includes the Caribbean, Latin America, Canada, Europe, and now, Belize.

During the official inaugural flight ceremony, Michelle Kwan, United States Ambassador to Belize, highlighted in her speech that the flight was a historic milestone for both countries.

“It is such an honor to be here today to celebrate this incredible milestone for the United States and Belize, and to highlight the growing partnership and strengthen the ties between United States and Belize … I know when the wheels of flight 2781 touched down just a few moments ago, it represented a very important milestone for Belize and JetBlue, but it also is a much larger story to this about the relationship of our two countries as a powerful symbol of how interconnected we are,” she said.

Ambassador Kwan further mentioned, “Flights like these enable all of us to experience new cultures, reconnect with our family heritage, do business together, of course, and at the same time, a reminder [of] how much we have in common. So, with this new route, Belizeans will also have new opportunities to visit their relatives in Belizean American communities. This is an incredible inauguration of, really, this new bridge between our countries.”

Present at the ceremony was Prime Minister of Belize, Hon. John Briceño who remarked, “It’s going to play a significant role because then, more and more people of the northeast would be able to say that they could come in one day and quickly, with one flight, they could be in Belize. So, I think it is opening up a new area for Belize and for Americans to be able to come and access Belize quite easily.”

PM Briceño also revealed that Belize is near to completing talks with a European carrier for direct flights to Belize to make it unnecessary for passengers to stay overnight in other international airports before arriving in Belize.

Amandala would like to note that the pilot who flew the first inaugural flight for JetBlue to Belize is a born Belizean, Jason Smith, originally from Punta Gorda Town.

There will be all-year round-trip flights between Belize and New York three times a week—Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.