The Tribune

American Airlines will offer year-round service between Chicago and Nassau starting from summer 2019, expanding the route from a seasonal winter service.

The move strengthens the carrier's commitment to The Bahamas, and rounds out its current roster of flights to this destination from Charlotte, Miami, Philadelphia, Washington DC and Dallas/Fort Worth.

"American has a long and proud history in The Bahamas, and we look forward to continuing to strengthen our footprint next summer as our Nassau-Chicago service begins to operate year-round," said Alfredo Gonzalez, the carrier's managing director for the Caribbean.

"This new route will provide our customers flying to and from The Bahamas with year-round access to this important destination and connecting hub in the United States, where we currently operate more than 480 daily flights to more than 130 destinations around the world."

The move comes as the Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD) celebrates a banner year for 2018 to-date, having just posted record-breaking summer travel.

"We continue to be delighted with our 31-year partnership with American Airlines, a carrier which offers more than 130 weekly flights to six destinations in the country," said Jan Knowles, NAD's vice-president of marketing and commercial development. "American Airlines provides a robust schedule of flights between The Bahamas and the United States, helping to drive air travel growth."

More than 3.5 million passengers passed through Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) during NAD's 2018 financial year, with the airport serving 55 destinations via 24 airlines.