Sunrise Airways expands domestic routes to Jacmel and Jérémie

Sunrise Airways will launch new domestic routes on Nov. 17, connecting Jacmel and Jérémie to Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haïtien, the airline announced Friday, Nov. 7. The five-times-weekly service expands regional air access as Haiti works to rebuild internal mobility amid prolonged flight restrictions and ongoing insecurity.

The service marks another step in Haiti’s broader effort to restore internal connectivity after years of disruptions due to insecurity and infrastructure limitations.The routes offer a lifeline to two southern cities long underserved by reliable transport options. Jacmel, a coastal city south of the capital known for its artistic and architectural heritage, and Jérémie, located on the tip of the Grand’Anse peninsula, are often difficult to access due to road degradation, landslides and insecurity along overland routes.

These latest expansions build on Sunrise’s June relaunch of domestic operations under a government agreement designed to revive the aviation sector after Haiti’s main airports shut down earlier this year due to violence. The Haitian government committed up to $11 million in insurance guarantees to support Sunrise’s return to the skies, sparking both optimism and criticism over transparency and priorities.

“This symbolizes determination and hope,” said Yves François Ducarmel, Director General of Haiti’s National Airport Authority, during the relaunch earlier this year. “It’s a collective commitment to reconnect people, revive tourism, and strengthen internal trade routes.”

The newest domestic routes come just days after IBC Airways inaugurated international service from Miami to Les Cayes. That flight—operated daily—sold out its first two weeks within days of opening reservations, highlighting the strong demand from the southern diaspora for more direct and affordable travel options.

For many in the diaspora, particularly in cities like Miami and New York, the lack of direct connections to ancestral hometowns has long made return travel difficult. IBC’s service is seen as a potential model, and Sunrise’s expansion into Jacmel and Jérémie may similarly meet latent demand.

Yet while flight availability grows, cost remains a barrier. A round-trip ticket between Cap-Haïtien and Port-au-Prince was previously listed at $298, pricing out many Haitian families. Critics have raised concerns that the government’s support for Sunrise creates a de facto monopoly and does little to resolve underlying affordability issues

“Subsidizing a monopoly means making the population pay twice: once through high prices, and again through taxes,” said Haitian economist Enomy Germain on social media, referencing the government’s insurance guarantees to Sunrise.

Security, too, remains an open concern. The U.S. commercial flight ban into Port-au-Prince, triggered by gunfire near the airport in late 2024, remains in effect through March 2026. No U.S.-based airlines currently operate routes to the capital, though Sunrise continues to serve international routes into Cap-Haïtien and now domestic ones across Haiti.

Despite these challenges, officials hope that Sunrise’s new flights will not only improve access to underserved regions but also signal stability to the diaspora and international partners. Whether this momentum will lead to a broader aviation recovery remains to be seen.

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