Update: October 30, 2025, at 10:05 a.m. ET
Hurricane Melissa is heading toward Bermuda on Thursday after
devasting Jamaica and other islands in the Caribbean, leaving a devastating
path of destruction in its wake.
According to Weather.com,
emergency relief flights are operating at Jamaica’s main international airport,
which reopened late Wednesday, as crews distributed water, food and other basic
supplies.
*This article will no longer be updated. Please check out
how travel companies are helping
impacted areas.
Update: October 29, 2025, at 2:55 p.m. ET
After making landfall in Jamaica as one of the most powerful
storms in history, Hurricane Melissa moved through Cuba on Wednesday. The heavy
rain, high winds, and storm surge were still being felt in Turks and Caicos and
the Bahamas, according to Weather.com.
Government officials in Jamaica said the plan is to open
Norman Manley International Airport for relief flights on October 29, with
regular flights resuming on Friday or Saturday. They did not reveal a timeline
for the reopening of Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St James.
In response to the devastation of Hurricane Melissa, the Carnival
Corporation, the Micky & Madeleine Arison Family Foundation, and Holland
America are making donations to Direct Relief, a global humanitarian nonprofit
that provides emergency medical assistance and disaster relief to those in
need. Direct Relief has already begun its plans to help people impacted in
Jamaica.
Update: October 29, 2025, at 8:25 a.m. ET
After making landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 storm,
Hurricane Melissa has made landfall in Cuba as a Category 3 storm, bringing
heavy rain, high winds, and storm surge to the Caribbean nation.
According to the National
Hurricane Center, Hurricane Melissa made landfall near New Hope, Jamaica,
as a Category 5 with winds of 185 mph and a pressure of 892 millibars, making
it one of the most powerful storms in recorded history.
On Wednesday, Melissa made landfall in Cuba with maximum
sustained winds of 120 mph, bringing flooding rain and coastal storm surge to
the island. As the storm progresses toward Bermuda on Thursday, bands of rain
and wind also continue to stream across portions of Haiti, the Dominican
Republic, the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos.
Airlines serving the region have already jumped into action,
issuing travel advisories and waiving change fees for impacted travelers, as
well as planning extra flights to assist with evacuations when airports in
Jamaica reopen.
The major cruise lines serving the region have altered itineraries
in recent days to avoid the path of Melissa, including Carnival Cruise Line,
Disney Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean International.
Update: October 28, 2025, at 1:58 p.m. ET
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5
hurricane on Tuesday afternoon, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) calling the storm one of the most powerful on record.
According to the National
Hurricane Center, Melissa struck the Caribbean island nation with maximum sustained
winds of 185 miles per hour and a pressure of 892 mb, making it one of the
strongest hurricanes ever recorded.
The travel industry stands ready to support Jamaica in the
aftermath of the storm.
Update: October 28, 2025, at 7:55 a.m. ET
The travel industry is avoiding Jamaica this week as Hurricane
Melissa is expected to make landfall on the popular island destination as a
Category 5 storm on Tuesday afternoon.
According to the National
Hurricane Center, hurricane-force winds are expected to impact the island
throughout the day, with storm surge of 9 to 13 feet forecast. Melissa is also
expected to dump 15 to 30 inches of rain, which could result in catastrophic
flash flooding and landslides.
Once the hurricane passes Jamaica, it is forecast to impact Southeast
Cuba on Tuesday through Wednesday morning, with the Turks and Caicos Islands feeling
the effects throughout Wednesday.
Melissa is expected to remain a hurricane as it passes near
Bermuda on Friday morning.
Major cruise lines serving the impacted portions of the
Caribbean Sea have started to make itinerary changes, including Carnival Cruise
Line, Celebrity Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean International.
In addition, Jamaica has shuttered its main airports as the
storm approaches, resulting in carriers in the United States that serve the
popular destination issuing travel advisories, waiving change fees, and
canceling flights for impacted travelers.
Update: October 27, 2025, at 8:05 a.m. ET
On Monday, Hurricane Melissa strengthened into a Category 5
storm that was heading toward Jamaica.
According to the National
Hurricane Center (NHC), islands on Melissa’s path through the Caribbean Sea
will be hit with torrential rainfall, with Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican
Republic receiving as much as 15-30 inches of rain.
Local officials are warning that the massive influx of rain
and wind could result in deadly flash flooding and landslides. Between Midday
Monday and midday Tuesday is expected to be the most destructive, with the
hurricane moving past the islands by Wednesday morning.
Current projections have the storm staying out at sea as it
moves along the East Coast of the United States later this week, but coastal
areas will still feel the impact of the high winds and heavy rain associated
with the storm.
As cruise lines prepare to make changes to avoid sailing
through the impacted area, all airports in Jamaica were closed on Sunday ahead
of the hurricane’s landfall, according to the island’s transportation minister.
Update: August 26, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. ET
Several more major airlines have issued
travel waivers for destinations set to be impacted by Hurricane
Melissa in the coming days, which currently consist of Jamaica’s
major gateways.
Delta
Air Lines has issued a change fee waiver for travel to Kingston and Montego
Bay on flights originally scheduled through October 28, provided customers
rebook on flights on or before October 31.
Meanwhile, United
Airlines has issued waivers for those traveling to Montego Bay through October
29 with tickets purchased on or before October 23. Change fees and fare differences
for the same will be waived as long as customers’ rebooked flights depart by
November 5.
American
Airlines is allowing flyers to change their travel plans to Boscobel,
Kingston and Montego Bay through October 29 without incurring penalties. To be
eligible, their ticket must have been purchased on or before October 23, the original city
pairs must remain the same and their rescheduled flight must depart by November
1.
Southwest
Airlines’ waiver applies to flights to Montego Bay through October 29. To qualify,
rescheduled flights must occur within 14 days of the original travel date and
be between the original city pairs booked. If the airline cancels customers’
flights and they choose to cancel their trip as a result, they may also be eligible
for a full refund (even if the ticket was sold as non-refundable).
JetBlue
will also waive change fees and fare differences for travel to Kingston and Montego
Bay through October 28 (booked on or before October 23). Passengers will need
to rebook their flights for travel through November 5 to be eligible. Those whose
flights are canceled by the airline may also opt for a refund.
Original Text
As Hurricane Melissa barrels toward Jamaica, flight cancelations and airport closures come into focus.
The Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, Jamaica, will close at 9 p.m. after its final flight.
Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay is open for now but may also close as well. Flights have been added to allow travelers to leave the island.
JetBlue flights scheduled for Sunday and Monday to and from Montego Bay’s Sangster International Airport and Kingston’s Norman Manley International Airport have been cancelled.
American Airlines is waiving change fees for travelers with flights to Ocho Rios, Kingston and Montego Bay between October 25-27, 2025. The airline also plans to cancel flights to Kingston on October 26.
Air Canada has canceled several flights to Jamaica and has added two outbound flights to assist travelers returning home. Caribbean Airlines and Southwest have also canceled flights due to Hurricane Melissa.
Anyone traveling to the region should contact their air carrier for the most up-to-date information.
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