American Airlines Expands Service to St. Kitts

**Non-Stop Flights from Miami Expand from 9 to 11 Weekly; New York JFK Non-Stop Schedule Shifts to Enable More Connections**

Basseterre, St. Kitts (Aug. 8, 2013)-The St. Kitts Tourism Authority today announces that American Airlines will add two more non-stop flights to St. Kitts from Miami and change the schedule for its non-stop flights to St. Kitts from New York JFK beginning Nov. 21, 2013, ideally timed for the peak winter travel season.

The two additional American flights from Miami will operate on Thursdays and Saturdays and will complement the Friday and Sunday flights from Miamithat were added in November 2012. This expands American’s Miami service to 11 flights weekly, including twice daily service for four days per week from Thursday through Sunday.

From JFK, the flights are now scheduled to depart on Wednesdays and Saturdays and overnight on St. Kitts to return the following days (Thursdays and Sundays). The timing of the JFK flight southbound also changes to an afternoon departure from JFK with a morning departurenorthbound the next day, allowing for a greater number of connections in New York.

“I am pleased that American Airlines continues to demonstrate confidence in the strength ofthe St. Kitts& Nevis tourism industry,” said Senator Ricky Skerritt, Minister of Tourism & International Transport. “The addition of two moreflights from Miami is indicative ofincreasing demand for our tourism product. Further, the schedule shift for the JFK flight to a later departure time creates a significant increase inthe number of available connectionsto our destination from the U.S. and other international gateways.”

“Whether it’s for world-class beaches or breathtaking landscapes, we are pleased to give visitors from around the world greater access to St. Kitts with American’s increased service,” said Art Torno, American’s VicePresident for Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America. “With this new schedule, customers can enjoy even more convenient connections to the island from either New York JFK or Miami.”

With the new flights, the southbound American flight AA1741 will depart Miami International Airport(MIA) at 4:45 p.m. and arrive atSt. Kitts’ RobertL. Bradshaw International Airport (SKB) at 8:35 p.m. every Thursdaythrough Sunday. The northbound return flight AA1746 will depart St. Kitts at 8:40 a.m. and arrive at MIA at 11 a.m. every Friday throughMonday.

The southbound American flight AA2051 will depart New York’s John F. KennedyInternational Airport (JFK) at 4:30 p.m. and arrive into St. Kitts at 9:40 p.m. every Wednesday and Saturday. The northbound return flight AA2052 will depart St. Kitts at 9:40 a.m. and arrive atJFK at 1:25 p.m. every Thursday and Sunday. American now uses aBoeing 737-800 aircraft for all flights into St. Kitts.

These two additional daily flights continue a series of service increases to St. Kitts by American Airlines over the past eight years. American first started itsMiami service to St. Kitts in December 2004 with three flights weekly, which grew to five flights weekly in 2006and to daily flights in 2008. The Miami service increased tonine flights per week last year and just one year later, with these two additional Miami flights, to 11 flights per week. American has operated twice weekly service from JFK to St. Kitts since November 2007.

About St. Kitts:

St. Kitts is currently ranked at #2 in a list of the 16 Best Caribbean Vacations and #4 in a list of the 12 Best Islands in the World by US News & World Report.Last year, St. Kitts was named one of “5 Caribbean Islands to Discover Now” by MSNBC. It was also named one of the “Top 12 Spots that should be on your list for 2012” by Caribbean Travel + Life magazine and the island’s Brimstone Hill Fortress was named one of “10 Great Places To Explore The World’s Best-Kept Secrets” by USA Today. St. Kitts was also named a top destination for 2011 by both AOL Travel and British Airways.

Located in the northern Leeward Islands of the Caribbean, it offers a diverse tourism product developed from the destination’s natural beauty, cultural heritage and rich history. The island’s stunning variety of tourism attractions include hiking through the tropical rainforest, riding the region’s only scenic railway which connects the island’s former sugar plantations, visiting the Caribelle Batik factory, touring Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, the only man-made UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Eastern Caribbean, ziplining, and more traditional vacation pastimes such as watersports, golf, shopping, tennis, gourmet dining, gaming at St. Kitts’ exclusive casino or simply relaxing on one of the island’s sandy beaches. Accommodations range from intimate plantation inns to larger hotels and resorts.

For more information about St. Kitts, please contact the St. Kitts Tourism Authority toll free from the US at 1-800-582-6208 or from Canada 1-888-395-4887, e-mail info@stkittstourism.kn, visit www.stkittstourism.kn, or connect on Facebook, Twitter and/or YouTube.