Jamaica is a mountain with a coastline wrapped around it. The Blue Mountains climb straight up behind Kingston in the east. In the west, Cockpit Country folds into limestone hills that the roads simply go around. Everything flat enough for a runway sits on the edge of the island, close to the sea.

Which airport you land at decides which coast you start on. Two international airports carry almost all the traffic. Montego Bay serves the beaches of the north and west, while Kingston sits on the south coast beside the capital and the harbour. A third, small airport near Ocho Rios handles private jets and a few regional flights. Punta Cana and San Juan move more people across the region. Among the islands of the Commonwealth Caribbean, Montego Bay is usually the busiest.

Sangster International Airport, Also Known as Montego Bay Airport (MBJ)
Most visitors to Jamaica land here. The runway lies right along the shore, and the final approach comes in low over clear water with the hotels of the Hip Strip just beyond the fence. Outside the terminal, the air is warm and heavy, and transfer reps wait in rows holding name cards.

American, Delta, United, JetBlue and Southwest fly in from across the United States. Air Canada, WestJet and Porter cover Canada, mostly in winter. British Airways flies from London Heathrow. TUI brings in holiday flights from several British airports and from Amsterdam, and Condor flies from Frankfurt. Negril lies west along the coast road, and Ocho Rios lies east along the North Coast Highway.

In winter, the afternoon arrivals tend to bunch together, and the immigration hall fills up with them. Departures to the United States crowd the check-in desks and security lines around the middle of the day, so leave the hotel early and plan on about three hours at the airport. Club MoBay sells fast track through arrivals and departures, with a lounge on the departures side.

Norman Manley International Airport (KIN)
This international airport serves Kingston, which sits on the Palisadoes, a thin strip of sand and mangrove that closes off Kingston Harbour from the open sea. There is water on both sides of the runway. Across the harbour, the Blue Mountains rise in layers of green, often with cloud resting on the peaks. The road past the airport ends at Port Royal, the old pirate town.

Jamaicans living abroad come home through here, and so do business travellers and people bound for the coffee farms up in the mountains. British Airways flies here from London Gatwick. Caribbean Airlines links Kingston with Port of Spain and other islands, and Copa connects it with Panama City. American and JetBlue fly to the United States.

Ian Fleming International Airport (OCJ)
This small airport on the St Mary coast takes its name from the creator of James Bond, whose home, GoldenEye, stands a short drive away. It serves Boscobel. The runway is short, so it takes private jets and small regional aircraft. American Airlines flies here from Miami on Embraer regional jets, which makes it the quickest way into Ocho Rios from the United States. Travellers from anywhere else usually fly into Montego Bay and drive.

Small aerodromes at Negril and Port Antonio take charter and private flights. Jamaica has no regular domestic airline, so getting between coasts usually means a road journey.

Getting Around
Knutsford Express runs coaches from its station at Sangster to Kingston, Ocho Rios, Negril and other towns. In Kingston, official taxis wait outside arrivals for the ride along the Palisadoes into the city. You can hire a car at both main airports. Jamaica drives on the left. Many north coast resorts arrange their own transfers from Montego Bay.

Practical Information
Every arriving passenger must complete Jamaica's online immigration and customs form, known as the C5, before landing. Many nationalities can enter without a visa for a holiday stay. Others need one arranged in advance. Entry rules and flight schedules change, so confirm the details with your airline or the Jamaican authorities before you travel.

Magelline Perspective
For the beaches of Montego Bay, Negril, Falmouth or Ocho Rios, fly into Sangster. For Kingston, the Blue Mountains or the quieter coast around Port Antonio, Norman Manley puts you on the right side of the island. If you want both, land at one and leave from the other. The island is small, so an open-jaw ticket works well. The drive between the two coasts runs through hill towns and market villages that most beach visitors never see.