Delta, JetBlue, Frontier — these are major airlines that pretty much everyone has heard of. However, there’s a smaller airline you may be unfamiliar with that just added some impressive routes that might make your summer travel plans a bit easier. Cape Air, a New England-based airline that’s been around since 1989, recently announced it’s expanding routes for the Northeast and the Caribbean.
All of the new routes are open for booking, with New England routes including New Bedford to Boston, Islip (The Hamptons) to Boston, and Norwood to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. These options help travelers cut down on the chaos and traffic of venturing to an airport like Boston’s Logan International or for those seeking a seamless trip to summer and early-fall hotspots like The Hamptons or Martha’s Vineyard (an iconic American island), all while avoiding long ferry lines or bumper-to-bumper traffic. These added routes include new daily service, including a July 3 launch of four-time-daily flights between Long Island (ISP) and Boston’s Logan International Airport.
“This is a significant moment for Cape Air,” said Aaron Blinka, vice president of planning at Cape Air, in a statement. “Each new route reflects our commitment to thoughtful, strategic growth—connecting more communities with smarter, more convenient travel options.” The expansion also includes flights between St. Thomas, which has one of the Caribbean’s best beaches, to St. Barth’s. The twice-daily flights begin on October 13, 2025, and are targeted to luxury travelers, cruisers, and those simply seeking the added convenience of island-hopping.
What to know before flying on Cape Air
Though Cape Air has been around for more than 30 years and is one of the United States’ largest commuter airlines, you may not know much about the logistics of flying with the carrier. From the small fleets to the baggage limitations, there are quite a few things to keep in mind if you plan to book these new routes or any of Cape Air’s other 300-plus daily flights. Probably the most important factor is the aircraft types you’ll encounter while flying on Cape Air. The airline operates Cessna 402s, Tecnam P2012 Travellers, and a few Britten-Norman Islanders. In other words, the planes are small, fitting fewer than a dozen passengers. As expected, such small flights also have some baggage limitations. Depending on the aircraft, there’s no overheard or underseat storage for small personal items, and all bags need to be checked planeside. For select Tecnam Traveller flights, the personal item can’t exceed 12 by 6 by 8 inches if it’s to be stored under a seat. Luckily, the personal or gate-checked bags are free, and checked bags can range from $30 to $80 depending on the weight. With this in mind, you may want to pack your suitcase as efficiently as possible to save space.
Cape Air’s motto is “MOCHA HAGoTDI,” or “Make our Customers Happy and Have a Good Time Doing It.” It partners with well-known airlines like Alaska, American, Delta, Qatar, and United for easier connections to larger cities and international destinations. According to some reviews, Cape Air scores high for cleanliness, value, and check-in and boarding processes, but some fliers have experienced issues regarding pilot shortages and delayed schedules. Whether or not you book with Cape Air and any of its extended routes, summer travel can be daunting, so it’s always best to be prepared and plan for possible delays or hiccups.
