Air travel to Jamaica generates US$235m for GAP in 2024
Published:Friday | May 2, 2025 | 7:35 AM
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Travel at the nation’s two busiest airports generated US$235 million in total revenue last year for the Pacific Airport Group, GAP, the Mexican airport operator’s newly released financials indicate. The outturn was 15 per cent better than in 2023....
Travel at the nation’s two busiest airports generated US$235 million in total revenue last year for the Pacific Airport Group, GAP, the Mexican airport operator’s newly released financials indicate.
The outturn was 15 per cent better than in 2023.
The Montego Bay and Kingston airports under GAP’s control generated revenue of US$148 million and US$87 million, respectively. Some of those revenues flow to the Jamaican Government through the Airports Authority of Jamaica, which issued concessions to GAP’s companies to operate them.
Two-thirds of the flows came from aero revenue, such as landing fees and passenger charges, while non-aero revenue from retail, dining, and advertising contributed one-third of revenue.
GAP manages Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay through MBJ Airports Limited, and Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, NMIA, through PAC Kingston Airport Limited, also called PACKAL.
The airlines Jet Blue, Delta Airlines and Southwest were the top carriers at the airports. In terms of non-aero revenue, retail stores led the list.
In an itemisation of the biggest commercial customers, in terms of revenue paid over to the airport operator, GAP said those at Sangster International were: duty-free store operator Dufry Jamaica Limited, US$15 million; passenger lounge operator VIP Attractions Limited, US$5.3 million; and food and beverage service Express Catering Limited, US$4.6 million.
At NMIA, the list included: duty-free store operator TM Traders Limited, US$3 million; retailer Two Hampers and A Mule Limited, US$700,000, and car rental service Island Car Rental Limited, US$600,000.
Montego Bay airport acts as the tourism gateway during the year, its total passengers dipped to 3.0 per cent to 5.05 million, which includes arrivals and departures. Kingston airport, which acts as the business and residential hub grew its total passengers to 1.8 million or 2.0 per cent higher than 2023.
Both airports invited new store proposals in 2024, with the aim of adding new shops in Montego Bay by mid-2025 and in Kingston by late 2025.
GAP, whose Mexican name is Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico SAB de CV, operates a total of 14 airports – 12 in Mexico and two in Jamaica.
Sangster International ranks fifth in the group in terms of the revenue generated for GAP.
Last year, GAP said four-fifths of the total aeronautical and non-aeronautical revenues, at US$1.6 billion, were generated at five of its 14 airports: Guadalajara earned 27.5 per cent, Los Cabos 16.5 per cent, Tijuana 13.6 per cent, Puerto Vallarta 12.3 per cent, Montego Bay 11.1 per cent. Kingston and the other eight Mexican airports accounted for the other 19 per cent.
The 14 airports generated annual profit of US$425 million for the group in 2024, down 8.5 per cent.
Looking ahead, Jamaica’s airports are expected to maintain their positive trajectory in 2025, supported by strong tourism demand and ongoing improvements in air connectivity.
MBJ Airport invested “US$20.8 million” in 2024, which was 12 per cent more than the previous year.
“In 2024, the capital expenditures were allocated to continued execution of the master plan works to include immigration and security expansion, major landside development works, east concourse expansion, expansion of the check-in hall, Gates 1 to 7 rehabilitation, among other projects,” GAP said in its report.
PAC Kingston Airport spent around US$37 million on NMIA, last year, and intends to invest about US$75 million in 2025, according to disclosures by CEO Sitara English-Byfield at an industry forum last December. The largest project entails the addition of a safety zone at one end of the runway.
Both airports operate under a revised capital development plan, shaped by pandemic-related fallout in the travel market. That plan now extends to 2030.
“The revision process for the capital development programme for 2026 to 2030 commenced in 2024 for both Jamaican airports, with the new model scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026,” GAP said.