The largest airline in the Caribbean · flag carrier of Trinidad and Tobago · Miami freighter hub with direct links to the islands
Caribbean Airlines Limited was founded in 2006 inTrinidad and Tobago, is the largest airline in the Caribbean and the flag carrier of Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica, headquartered in Piarco, Trinidad. It operates a Boeing 767 freighter fleet through a Miami hub, with about 14 rotations a week to the Caribbean islands. For Chinese exporters the value is thatChinese cargo reaches Miami first and is then distributed to the Caribbean islands on its freighters and passenger belly capacity.We provide air freight from China, connecting through the US hub into its network to Caribbean countries.
Caribbean Airlines is aA state-owned flag carrier, registered in Trinidad and Tobago, with a legal predecessor in BWIA West Indies Airways, founded in 1939. The new company was formed in September 2006,First flight 1 January 2007, taking over BWIA's fleet and routes.
The companyis headquartered in Piarco, Trinidad, with its main hub at Piarco International Airport, Port of Spain (POS) and a second hub at Norman Manley International Airport, Jamaica (KIN), the latter from the 2011 acquisition of Air Jamaica. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago holds a controlling stake and the company employs more than 1,600 people.
In fleet terms,ten ATR 72-600 turboprops handle short island hops and ten Boeing 737 MAX 8s fly the longer North American routes,a division of work with turboprops on short runways and jets on the large North American market. It belongs to no global alliance, connecting worldwide through interline agreements with Alaska Airlines, Copa Airlines and Emirates.
For cargo customers its most important asset istwo wet-leased Boeing 767-300 freightersandMiami cargo hub. These freighters fly about 14 times a week, linking Miami with Trinidad, Kingston, Montego Bay, Guyana and Barbados; 737 and ATR belly space carries cargo on North American and Caribbean sectors.
From the second half of 2025 the company begannetwork optimisation, exiting several loss-making regional routes and concentrating resources on the Trinidad core hub and the Miami cargo hub. For shippers this means:this is a carrier cutting marginal passenger routes and concentrating on core markets and cargo.
| Full company name | Caribbean Airlines Limited |
| Common Chinese name | Caribbean Airlines |
| Country | Trinidad and Tobago |
| Head office | Piarco (Iere House), Trinidad |
| Founded | September 2006 (predecessor 1939) |
| First flight date | 1 January 2007 |
| Main operating hub | Piarco International Airport, Port of Spain, POS |
| Second hub | Norman Manley International Airport, Kingston, Jamaica, KIN |
| Cargo hub | Miami, United States, MIA |
| IATA two-letter code | BW |
| ICAO three-letter code | BWA |
| Radio call sign | CARIBBEAN AIRLINES |
| Air waybill prefix | 106 |
| Official passenger website | www.caribbean-airlines.com |
| Official cargo website | cargo.caribbean-airlines.com |
| Alliance | None (interline agreements) |
| Fleet size | More than 20 aircraft (including 2 freighters) |
| Destinations served | About 28 (in 22 countries and territories) |
| Ownership | Majority owned by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, with the Government of Jamaica holding a minority stake |
| Employees | Over 1,600 |
| Frequent flyer program | Caribbean Miles |
| Cargo customer service (Port of Spain) | +1 868 669 3000 (option 4) |
| Cargo email | cargo@caribbean-airlines.com |
This is the code assigned by the International Air Transport Association (IATA)Two-letter code, used in flight numbers, tickets and baggage tags; BW484, BW600 and BW526 are its flight numbers.
This is the ICAO-assignedthree-letter identifier, used in air traffic control, flight plans and regulatory documents.BWA and BW belong to two systems: flight plans use BWA, sales systems use BW; they cannot be mixed.
This is the phrase used in radio communications;Call signcontrollers and crews use it, and Caribbean Airlines simply uses its company name as the call sign.
This is Caribbean Airlines'three-digit AWB prefix, its IATA numeric code. Waybills it carries are numbered in the format106-XXXXXXXX, with 106 as the first three digits followed by 8 digits for 11 in total, the direct way to establish the actual carrier.
| Aircraft type | In service | On order | Main use | Notes on cargo operations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 767-300 freighter | 2 aircraft | — | Scheduled freighter service from the Miami hub to Caribbean islands | Wet-leased; the only main-deck freighter type |
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | 10 aircraft | 2 aircraft | North American trunk routes (Miami, New York, Toronto, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando) | Passenger belly as supplementary capacity |
| Boeing 737-800 | 1 aircraft | — | Regional routes focused on the Jamaican market | Passenger aircraft belly capacity |
| ATR 72-600 | 10 aircraft | 4 aircraft | Eastern Caribbean island hops and short-runway airports | Belly suits small, time-critical shipments |
| Embraer E175 | — | 5 aircraft | Deliveries from 2026, for regional fleet renewal | Cargo capability subject to the delivered configuration |
| Boeing 737-800F | — | 2 aircraft | Planned narrowbody freighter capacity | Direction for expanding owned freighter capacity |
| ATR 72-600F | — | 2 aircraft | Planned turboprop freighter capacity | Aimed at inter-island cargo |
This is the airline's only large freighter; the two aircraft arewet-leased, with the lessor responsible for operational support and Caribbean Airlines using them on its own routes.
Key figures:maximum structural payload about 56.5 tonnes, typically about 52.7 tonnes; total hold volumeabout 438 cubic metres; the main deck takes about22 to 24 standard 88x125 inch pallets, with LD2 and LD3 containers in the lower hold;main deck door about 3.40 x 2.59 m;range at full payload about 6,025 km.
Fit with the network:every Miami to Caribbean sector is within its full-payload range, so it can carry full loads without trading payload for fuel, and its field performance suits island airports with limited runways.
What it means for shippers:for full pallets, machinery or peak-season space blocking, it is the only option on this lane that offers undiminished payload; in peak season passenger bellies fill with baggage, which raises the value of the freighter.
10 in service and 2 on order, the international trunk type. All its cargo value is inBelly capacity: about 44 cubic metres in the lower hold, suited to bulk cargo and small LD3 containers, mainly on Port of Spain to Miami, New York and Toronto sectors.
Once the core of the fleet with a peak of 21 aircraft, only 1 remains in service, deployed mainly on Jamaican routes. The company is replacing them with 737 MAX 8s and has ordered two 737-800F conversions.
10 in service and 4 on order, all-economy 68 seats, the mainstay of island hops. Many Eastern Caribbean islands have short runways, so only turboprops can link several points in a day. Belly capacity is about 10.6 cubic metres with about 1,700 kg of payload. The company has also ordered 2 ATR 72-600F freighters with 75 cubic metres of hold and 9 tonnes maximum payload, which will raise inter-island capacity on delivery.
The published order book also lists2 737-800F and 2 ATR 72-600F freighters. The former typically carries 20 to 24 tonnes with 140 to 190 cubic metres of hold, and the latter is designed for regional and island markets, so cargo will form a three-tier structure of widebody mainline, narrowbody regional and turboprop inter-island.
Airbus A340-300left the fleet in 2007 on inheritance from BWIA, and since then the company hasnot operated intercontinental long-haul routes, which is why its network has no Europe or Asia coverage; the remaining 767-300ER, 737-800 and Dash 8 aircraft have been retired or replaced by ATRs.
Public trade press reports show that Caribbean Airlines cargo has appointedMegacap S.A. Limited (Shanghai Meikai Aviation Services Co., Ltd.)as its cargo general sales and service agent for China, accepting China-origin cargo through six stations:
central Beijing office, Beijing airport office, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Dalian
Megacap is an airline passenger and cargo general sales agent headquartered in Shanghai, founded in 2011 and holdingClass I air agency qualification, and has long represented several foreign airlines for passenger and cargo sales in China.
One caution:this agency information comes from trade press reports in 2022 and is third-party data; whether the agreement has been renewed and whether stations and contacts have changed must be rechecked before appointment.
Verify independently through the following routes rather than booking on a single third-party source:
Route one:visit the official cargo websitecargo.caribbean-airlines.comsales contact page and review the current agent and station list, which prevails.
Route two:call cargo customer service in Port of Spain+1 868 669 3000 (option 4)or emailcargo@caribbean-airlines.comto ask for the current GSSA name and scope of authorization in China.
Route three:ask us to verify, confirming the currently authorized agent, applicable rates and document requirements before booking.
Risk note:Treat any organization claiming to be its China office but unable to show carrier authorization or a 106-prefix master waybill with caution; legitimate channels do not ask for freight payment to a personal account.
Telephone:+1 868 669 3000 (option 4)
Email:cargo@caribbean-airlines.com
Covering:booking and enquiries for Trinidad, Guyana, Montego Bay and other stations
Telephone:+1 305 526 6880 | fax +1 305 526 7260
Contact:Nanette Duncan / Michael Mc Leod / Bruce Ying
US toll-free:1-888-828-5206
Company:Strategic Air Services
Address:1701 N.W. 63rd Avenue, Building #8A4500, Miami, FL 33126
Telephone:+1 305 526 6880 | fax +1 305 526 7260
Email:mia-ops@stratair.net
Contact:Elizabeth-Ann Seebaransingh
Telephone:+1 646 943 0664
Toll free:1-888-828-5206
Note:Sales coverage for New York and some US states, with regional representatives covering individual states
Company:Airline Services International Inc
Address:5160 Explorer Drive, Suite 4, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Telephone:+1 905 629 4522 ext. 813 | +1 905 629 0700
Toll free:1-888-828-5206
Kingston:AJAS Cargo, Norman Manley International Airport | +1 876 945 6405 / 6408 / 6413 / 6428
Montego Bay:AJAS Cargo, Sangster International Airport | +1 876 940 9061 / 9062
Email:cargobookings@caribbean-airlines.com
China-origin cargo uses atwo-leg connection: the first leg from China to the United States (mainly Miami or New York), the second leg on Caribbean Airlines from the Miami hub or New York to Caribbean countries. What it sells isthe carriage of China-origin cargo after it reaches the Americas.
| China ports | Connection path | First-leg connection | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai Pudong PVG | PVG to Miami MIA to Caribbean islands | US-lane flight arranged by us to Miami (MIA) | Main East China channel |
| Beijing Capital PEK | PEK to Miami or New York to Caribbean islands | US-lane flight, or truck consolidation to an East or South China gateway | North China cargo |
| Guangzhou Baiyun CAN | CAN to Miami or New York to Caribbean islands | US-lane flight, or water-borne consolidation via Hong Kong or Shenzhen | South China cargo |
| Shenzhen Bao'an SZX | SZX to Miami or New York to Caribbean islands | US-lane flight, or road haulage to Guangzhou or Hong Kong for acceptance | South China cargo |
| Hong Kong HKG | HKG to Miami or New York to Caribbean islands | US-lane flights (widest capacity choice) | Widest capacity choice |
| Dalian Zhoushuizi DLC | DLC to Shanghai or Beijing to Miami to Caribbean islands | Domestic connection to Shanghai or Beijing, then a US-lane flight | Northeast China cargo |
| Route | Flight number | Indicative schedule | Reference flight time | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port of Spain POS to Miami MIA | BW484 | Daily | About 4 hours 05 minutes | Primary cargo channel |
| Miami MIA to Port of Spain POS | BW483 | Daily | About 3 h 45 min | Primary cargo channel |
| Port of Spain POS to New York JFK | BW540 | Daily (reference) | About 5 h 20 min | US East Coast cargo flows |
| New York JFK to Port of Spain POS | BW551 | Daily (reference) | About 5 hours | US East Coast cargo flows |
| Georgetown GEO to New York JFK | BW526 | Daily | About 6 hours | Guyana |
| New York JFK to Georgetown GEO | BW527 | Daily | About 5 hours 40 minutes | Guyana |
| Port of Spain POS to Toronto YYZ | BW600 | Monday to Saturday | About 6 h 05 min | Canada |
| Toronto YYZ to Port of Spain POS | BW601 | Monday to Saturday | About 5 hours 40 minutes | Canada |
| Georgetown GEO to Toronto YYZ | BW617 | Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday | About 6 h 15 min | Guyana to Canada |
| Port of Spain POS to Fort Lauderdale FLL | BW480 | Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday | About 4 hours 05 minutes | South Florida |
| Port of Spain POS to Kingston KIN | — | Several flights weekly (reference) | About 2 h 50 min | Subject to the carrier's current timetable |
| Port of Spain POS to Bridgetown BGI | BW216 / BW217 | Daily | About 1 hour | Barbados |
| Port of Spain POS to Tobago TAB | BW1512 / BW1513 | Daily | About 25 minutes | Short domestic sectors |
| Port of Spain POS to Georgetown GEO | BW462 / BW463 | Daily (reference) | About 1 h 15 min | Guyana |
| Port of Spain POS to Orlando MCO | — | No stable published schedule can be confirmed at present | About 4 hours 05 minutes | Seasonal route |
Caribbean Airlines is aa regional carrierthat has not flown intercontinental routes since the A340 retired in 2007, so it has neither the aircraft nor the traffic rights for China routes. Its cargo product is designed to beconnecting, and a China general agent exists precisely to win the carriage of China-origin cargo once it reaches the Americas.
Several regional passenger routes were dropped in 2026, so whether cargo can still reach Dominica, St Kitts, Tortola and San Juan, and where it transits, needs rechecking. On the positive side, the company is concentrating resources back on Trinidad and the Miami hub and adding freighters. If the receiving point is a small island on a dropped route, tell us before ordering so we can arrange an alternative connection.
United States · Miami MIA (cargo hub) United States · New York JFK United States · Fort Lauderdale FLL United States · Orlando MCO Canada · Toronto YYZ
Of these,Miami is the cargo hub, while New York and Toronto are passenger belly gateways; China-origin cargo mainly enters the network through Miami.
Trinidad and Tobago · Port of Spain POS Trinidad and Tobago · Tobago TAB Jamaica · Kingston KIN Jamaica · Montego Bay MBJ Barbados · Bridgetown BGI Guyana · Georgetown GEO Guyana · Ogle OGL Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Argyle SVD Grenada · St George's GND Saint Lucia · Castries SLU Antigua and Barbuda · St John's ANU St. Maarten SXM Bahamas · Nassau NAS Curacao CUR Martinique · Fort-de-France FDF Guadeloupe Cuba · Havana HAV Suriname · Paramaribo PBM Venezuela · Caracas Panama · Panama City
This is Caribbean Airlines' home region and the area with the most complete interline and ground agent network; receiving points in the dozen or so small Eastern Caribbean island states are mostly reachable via Trinidad, Barbados or St Maarten.
| Destination / route | Change | Effective date | Published loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jamaica to Fort Lauderdale | Suspended | 2 November 2025 | About USD 7.20 million |
| Trinidad to Puerto Rico (San Juan) | Suspended | 10 January 2026 | About USD 4.92 million |
| British Virgin Islands (Tortola) | Route suspended; Barbados hub resources withdrawn to Trinidad | From January 2026 | Not disclosed separately |
| Dominica | Ceased operations | June 1, 2026 | About USD 730,000 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Ceased operations | June 1, 2026 | About USD 1.65 million |
| Guyana (Ogle) to Suriname (Paramaribo) | Direct sector suspended | June 1, 2026 | About USD 1.24 million |
| Martinique and Guadeloupe | Cut from 4 to 2 flights a week | June 1, 2026 | About USD 1.23 million and USD 1.86 million respectively |
| Tobago ↔ Barbados (BW212 / BW213) | Nonstop sector dropped, Port of Spain to Barbados nonstop retained | September 2026 | Not disclosed separately |
Most of the twenty-odd Caribbean countries and territories have populations of only tens of thousands to a few hundred thousand, and very few carriers serve them nonstop. Caribbean Airlines is the only regional carrier that links most of the smaller Eastern Caribbean islands into one network, so Chinese cargo does not have to be re-handled from island to island.
It operates 2 767-300 freighters on about 14 scheduled cargo services a week. Freighters carry cargo only, so capacity is not cut when tourist-season baggage fills the passenger aircraft, and that is where freighter value shows most clearly in peak season.
The 767-300 freighter offers about 438 cubic meters of total volume and a main deck door of roughly 3.40 × 2.59 meters. Machinery, full pallets and bulky light cargo move more economically and safely this way than split across several belly-capacity bookings.
Its official product guide has a dedicated perishables chapter listing handling requirements for pharmaceuticals, vaccines, fresh cut flowers, chilled and frozen seafood, fruit and vegetables, and the e-booking platform covers temperature control, lithium batteries and dangerous goods.
Miami is the US gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean, with dense services and strong terminal resources. Chinese cargo enters the Caribbean network with a single transhipment at Miami, without routing through Europe or multiple connections.
Caribbean markets are small and consignees scattered; if the two legs go to different agents, responsibility tends to be passed around when something goes wrong. We arrange both the China leg and the Miami connection under one instruction, so a single tracking reference runs end to end.
Caribbean Airlines uses air waybill prefix 106. On its MAWB the carrier is the airline itself rather than a chain of sub-contracted carriers, so liability sits with the party named on the document.
It has ordered 2 737-800F and 2 ATR 72-600F dedicated freighters, a long-term fleet commitment that is a positive signal for exporters who need dependable capacity.
Most Caribbean island states have limited manufacturing and depend heavily on imports, while ocean transit is long and clearance slow. That sustains year-round air demand for appliance and electronics replenishment, new apparel and footwear ranges, auto parts, medical consumables and small e-commerce parcels. These shipments are light per consignment but high in value, and a stock-out is expensive, which is exactly the profile that suits belly capacity and freighters.
Boeing 767 freighters fly scheduled cargo services between Miami and Trinidad, Kingston, Montego Bay, Guyana and Barbados, about 14 a week. Capacity is predictable, and charters cover temporary demand.
Freighters stop at the hubs; the legs from hub to secondary islands move in passenger belly holds. 737 and ATR belly capacity links the hubs with secondary islands on sectors such as Trinidad to New York, Toronto, Barbados and Saint Vincent, and the ATR 72-600 is the only type that can land on the short runways of the smaller islands.
Its official product guide has a dedicated perishables chapter covering time-limited goods such as fruit and vegetables, chilled and frozen seafood and pharmaceuticals: condition is checked on acceptance and leakage or contamination is prevented, and staff are trained for it. A written product guide is the real evidence of cold-chain capability.
The published list covers general cargo, express, perishables, live animals, valuables, newspapers and periodicals, human remains, dangerous goods, heavy cargo and wet cargo. Limits: no customs brokerage; human remains are handled only through funeral establishments; live animals require advance notice to the cargo terminal and a health certificate.
It is connected to e-booking platforms including WebCargo and CargoAi for capacity search, quoting and booking, supports e-AWB, shipment tracking and temperature-controlled and dangerous goods handling, and offers cargo insurance and a freight loyalty program.
It works with the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association on freight discounts and insurance benefits, has carried cargo to Havana twice a week since 2022 with a Cuban ground handler, and has restarted cargo service to Suriname and Curaçao.
You provide the commodity, weight and volume, origin, delivery point and transit-time requirement; we return a routing, a price and an assessment of feasibility
Once the plan is agreed we secure capacity; for special or temperature-controlled cargo we apply to the carrier for approval at the same time
Invoice, packing list and export declaration documents; for the Caribbean also local requirements such as the CARICOM invoice
After export clearance, deliver to the terminal by the carrier's cut-off; cargo must be in a fit-to-fly condition
Mind the carrier acceptance cut-off; late cargo rolls to the next flight
On arrival at the US hub the cargo connects to a Caribbean Airlines freighter or belly hold, and we follow the connection
Clearance at destination is handled by the consignee or its appointed broker; we support with documents
Delivery as agreed or consignee pickup, with signed proof returned and filed
Caribbean Airlines Cargo rules state thatthe cargo acceptance cut-off is 4 hours before departure, and all customs formalities must be completed first. Documentation requirements differ by destination country and a US hub connection takes time, so allow a further buffer. Cut-off times form part of the rate rules and are subject to the carrier's current rules and our written confirmation.
Clear roles and interfaces between the three parties are what keep this routing stable. We do not make commitments on the airline's behalf and do not decide trade terms for the customer; what we do islink the individual steps into one chain that can be executed, tracked and held accountable.
China leg, trans-Pacific leg, US hub connection and inter-island distribution in the Caribbean: four legs, one chain and one point of contact throughout.
Send the commodity, weight and volume, origin and delivery point and we will return a workable routing and an itemized quote.
Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited · Goodhope Freight · international freight forwarder
No. The Caribbean Airlines network has no points in mainland China or Hong Kong, and the airline has had no long-haul intercontinental type since its A340s were retired in 2007. Its cargo value lies in the leg after Chinese cargo reaches the United States, mainly Miami, where 767 freighters and 737 and ATR belly capacity distribute it across the Caribbean.
The standard pattern is a two-leg connection: the first leg flies from Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong or Dalian to the United States, landing mainly in Miami or New York; the second distributes from the Miami hub or from New York to Caribbean countries on Caribbean Airlines. We arrange both legs, so the customer deals with one contact.
It is a mixed passenger and cargo carrier. The cargo fleet core is 2 wet-leased Boeing 767-300 freighters carrying about 52.7 tonnes of payload and roughly 438 cubic meters of volume on about 14 flights a week. It has also ordered 2 737-800F and 2 ATR 72-600F aircraft, moving toward a three-tier structure of widebody mainline, narrowbody regional and turboprop inter-island freighters.
106 is its three-digit air waybill prefix, and documents it carries are numbered in the form 106-XXXXXXXX. Check that the first three digits are 106 and that the carrier box matches Caribbean Airlines. Other codes: two-letter code BW, ICAO code BWA, callsign CARIBBEAN AIRLINES.
Yes, and it is a core capability. The hubs are Port of Spain as the main hub, Kingston as the second hub, with Barbados and Georgetown as regional points; re-distribution at a hub is routine and numerous interline agreements reach further destinations. Cargo for the smaller Eastern Caribbean islands usually connects in Trinidad, Barbados or Sint Maarten.
It accepts general cargo, express, perishables, live animals, valuables, newspapers and periodicals, human remains, dangerous goods, heavy cargo and wet cargo; the perishables guide covers pharmaceuticals, vaccines, chilled seafood, cut flowers, fruit and vegetables. Limits: no customs brokerage; human remains only through funeral establishments; live animals need advance notice to the terminal and a health certificate.
In two ways. On the passenger side it is withdrawing from Dominica, Saint Kitts, Tortola, San Juan and the Tobago to Barbados nonstop sector; where your delivery point is among them we route via Trinidad, Barbados or Sint Maarten. On the cargo side it is concentrating resources back on the hubs and adding freighters. These are commercial decisions, not safety ones.
The published acceptance cut-off is 4 hours before departure, with all customs formalities completed beforehand. In practice allow more buffer: clearance document rules differ by destination and a US hub connection takes time. Cut-off forms part of the rate rules, so for each shipment the carrier's current rules and our written confirmation apply.
Mostly it can be done. Its destinations cover the main Eastern Caribbean islands plus Cuba, Suriname, Venezuela and Panama, served by freighters and ATR belly capacity. Dominica, Saint Kitts, Tortola and San Juan have been dropped, so for delivery points there we arrange an alternative routing. Some small islands have short runways and accept turboprops only; tell us the airport when you request a quote.
The rate is set by chargeable weight, commodity type, routing, transit time and season, and for the Caribbean also by aircraft suitability at the destination airport and the number of connections. In peak season the certainty of freighter space usually justifies the premium; in low season belly capacity is cheaper. Give us the cargo details and we will quote against current capacity with two alternative routings.
Produced by Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited (Goodhope Freight). Caribbean Airlines and its related names and marks belong to their respective owners. This company is an independent freight forwarder with no affiliation, investment, joint venture or agency relationship with Caribbean Airlines Limited. Caribbean Airlines has no points in mainland China or Hong Kong; the China to Caribbean solutions described here combine a China to US sector with a US to Caribbean sector carried by Caribbean Airlines and are not its own nonstop flights from China. Information is compiled from public sources for reference only and is not a transport commitment; schedules, rates and capacity are subject to carrier confirmation at the time of booking and our written confirmation.