* Caribbean Airlines [http://www.caribbean-airlines.com], a [[Trinidad]]-based offers flights between islands and [[Canada]], [[US]], [[Europe]] and other airport in [[South America]]
* Caribbean Airlines [http://www.caribbean-airlines.com], a [[Trinidad]]-based offers flights between islands and [[Canada]], [[US]], [[Europe]] and other airport in [[South America]]
* American Eagle is another notable air carrier between islands
* American Eagle is another notable air carrier between islands
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* REDjet [http://www.flyredjet.com/] a [[Barbados]]-based airlines offers budget flights between [[Jamaica]], [[Antigua]], [[Saint Lucia|St. Lucia]], [[Barbados]], [[Trinidad]], and [[Guyana]]. As of March 21st, they are having financial difficulties and have suspended all flights.
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* REDjet [http://www.flyredjet.com/] a [[Barbados]]-based airlines offers budget flights between [[Jamaica]], [[Antigua]], [[Saint Lucia|St. Lucia]], [[Barbados]], [[Trinidad]], and [[Guyana]]. As of March 16th, 2012, they are having financial difficulties and have suspended all flights.
The islands of the Caribbean Sea or West Indies are an extensive archipelago in the far west of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly strung between North and South America. They've long been known as a resort vacation destination for honeymooners and retirees, but a small movement toward eco-tourism and backpacking has started to open up the Caribbean to more independent travel. With year-round good weather (with the occasional but sometimes serious exception of hurricane season in the late summer and early fall), promotional air fares from Europe and North America, and hundreds of islands to explore, the Caribbean offers something for almost everyone.
The Caribbean islands were first inhabited by the Arawak Indians, then were invaded by a more aggressive tribe, the Caribs. Unfortunately, neither could appreciate their victory forever, although the Arawaks may have had a quiet reign of nearly two millenia. Then the Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, French, Danish, and British arrived, after which the Carib population steeply declined due to various factors. The islands have known many historic battles and more than a few pirate stories.
Regions
Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and the Cayman Islands, often grouped as Greater Antilles, are by far the largest countries in the area and the most visited by travellers. In the north is the Lucayan Archipelago, which includes The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Caribbean also includes the Lesser Antilles, a group of much smaller islands to the east. Further to the west and south, there are various less frequently visited islands that belong to Central and South American countries.
Lucayan Archipelago
Nations and territories of the Caribbean
Bahamas a cluster of islands north of the Greater Antilles and southeast of Florida
These countries are not part of the Greater or Lesser Antilles but are variously close to it, and are commonly associated with the Caribbean (e.g. members of CARICOM, the Caribbean Community).
Bermuda — some distance to the north of the Caribbean, but commonly associated with the region
Nueva Esparta — is one of the 23 states of Venezuela, granted free-port status in 1973 and located in the Caribbean Sea, just a short distance off the northeastern coast of Venezuela.
Aruba, (AUA) - by Delta Airlines, AirTran, American Airlines, Jetblue Airways, US Airways, United Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Continental Airlines and SLM
American Airlines [8]: from Miami to; Antigua, Aruba, Barbados, Curaçao Dominican Republic, Grand Cayman, Grenada, Jamaica, Kingston, Montego Bay, Puerto Rico, Santo Domingo, St. Croix, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Trinidad
British Airways [9]: from London (LGW) to Antigua, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Tobago and from Manchaster to Saint Lucia.
Caribbean Airlines [10]: from London to Barbados, Saint Lucia, London - Antigua, Belfast - Tobago (see BWIA Route map [11])
Cayman Airways[12]: from the Cayman Islands to multiple gateways in the US
Condor/Thomas Cook [13]: from Frankfurt (FRA), see Condor Route map [14]
Iberia [16]: from Madrid to Havana, San Juan de Puerto Rico and Santo Domingo.
Insel Air [17] Direct flights from Miami and Inter-Island travel. Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Haiti, Las Piedras, Miami, Puerto Rico, Santo Domingo, St. Maarten, Suriname, and Valencia.
JetBlue [18] to Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Saint Maarten, Puerto Rico, Aruba, Saint Lucia and Barbados mostly to New York and Boston and some also to Washington DC, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale.
Virgin Atlantic [19]: from London to Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Havana, Jamaica, St Lucia, Tobago and from Manchester to Barbados and St Lucia
WestJet [20]: from Lester B. Pearson Toronto International Airport to Princess Juliana Airport.
Get around
Numerous companies offer cruises, charters, and boat tours in the Caribbean.
By plane
LIAT [21] has connections between most of the eastern Caribbean
