New terminal needed for Sangster airport by 2034 amid hotel boom, says AAJ CEO
Published:Monday | September 22, 2025 | 2:07 PM
President & Chief Executive Officer of the Airports Authority of Jamaica (AAJ), Audley Deidrick, says the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St James will require a new terminal by 2034, as passenger demand from Jamaica's booming hotel sector is set to outpace capacity.
Speaking today at the opening of the Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, Deidrick explained that while several smaller expansion projects are under way, these will only carry Sangster through the next decade.
With 15,000 to 20,000 new hotel rooms expected across Jamaica in the next five to 15 years, the AAJ has already started master planning for a new terminal designed to meet traffic projections up to 2054.
Meanwhile, Deidrick stated that a new airport for Negril remains part of the Government’s long-term aviation strategy, noting that while new roadways would ease travel from Montego Bay, proximity is critical.
“Airports really should be within about 30 minutes—maximum one hour—from a tourism destination. And the shorter the timeline, the more effective that airport is as an access point,” he said.
Currently, it is taking visitors up to three to four hours to get from Sangster Airport to Negril.
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