Princess Diana Beach. A soon-to-open Robert De Niro hotel. A Nobu restaurant right on the beach. A beautiful oceanfront boutique hotel. The most exclusive golf course and new luxury resort community in the Caribbean.
Barbuda is buzzing right now, and Antigua’s sister island just welcomed another serious addition: a brand-new international airport.
The new Barbuda International Airport officially opened this weekend, featuring an expanded 6,100-foot runway and a full LED runway lighting system that will allow for regular night landings.
Most importantly, the longer runway can receive larger aircraft — both private jets and commercial planes like the Embraer 170.
That’s along with a new, modern FBO for private jets — increasingly interested in Barbuda thanks in large part to its new Barbuda Ocean Club luxury community — a project by the Discovery Land Company that includes the aforementioned Tom Fazio-designed golf course. Next year, De Niro’s Nobu Beach Inn is also targeting an opening.
“This new Barbuda International Airport is a shining testament to the visionary leadership of our government”, said Charles Fernandez , Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Transportation, in a statement provided to Caribbean Journal “We have taken bold steps to modernize this island, ensuring that its air links are second to none in this region so that Barbuda can also take advantage of the remarkable growth in our country’s tourism that we have seen this year.”
It’s a dramatic new addition for an island that has been working to cultivate a renaissance since the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma back in 2017. Now, Barbuda is entering a new era of growth.
The launch of the airport is a “game changer for Barbuda,” said Colin C. James, CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, “as we look to attracting the luxury traveler and private jet owners from around the world and showcasing the island’s natural beauty, pink sand beaches, eco-experiences, wellness attributes and culture to all our visitors.”
Barbuda is also set for a boost from another kind of visitor this winter: luxury cruise passengers.
The island is expected to welcome 23 small-ship cruises and a total of 5,039 cruise passengers for the upcoming winter season, Fernandez said.
So who’s flying into Barbuda?
Right now, regional carriers like Liat 20 (which keeps adding new islands across the Caribbean), BMN Air and Calvin Air are listed for travel to Barbuda, though it’s likely the number of airlines will be significantly increasing in the next few years.
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