Air Caraïbes (ICAO: FWI) is a French West Indian airline primarily serving the Caribbean region and metropolitan France.
Air Caraïbes was founded in July 2000 through the merger of several local airlines, including Air Guadeloupe, Air Martinique, Air Saint Barthélémy, and Air Saint Martin, to address the air transport demands of the French Caribbean territories. Its origins can be traced back to Société Caribéenne de Transports Aériens, established in September 1994. The airline is part of Groupe Dubreuil, a family-owned French aviation conglomerate.
The airline's main operational base is Pointe-à-Pitre International Airport in Guadeloupe, with Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport in Fort-de-France serving as a focus city. Its primary gateway for transatlantic flights is Paris Orly Airport in Metropolitan France. Air Caraïbes operates a modern fleet consisting of Airbus A330-300s, Airbus A350-900s, Airbus A350-1000s, and ATR 72-600s, with plans for further fleet expansion.
Air Caraïbes offers both scheduled and charter services, operating a comprehensive regional network across the West Indies and long-haul transatlantic flights to and from Paris Orly. Its route network connects Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, and various other Caribbean islands, including Saint-Martin, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and the Bahamas. The airline is not a member of any major global airline alliances like Star Alliance, SkyTeam, or Oneworld. It offers several cabin classes: Economy Class, Caraïbes Class (Premium Economy), and Madras Class (Business Class). Notable services include "TGV Air," which connects French provinces to the Caribbean via Paris, and "navigAIR," an air-sea link to certain Caribbean islands.
Traveler reviews for Air Caraïbes generally indicate a positive experience, though common complaints highlight specific areas for improvement.
What Travelers Love:
Common Complaints:
Overall, Air Caraïbes is generally regarded as a good full-service airline that provides value for money on its routes to the Caribbean. While its in-flight service and modern fleet are often praised, improvements in economy class comfort and customer service responsiveness could enhance the overall traveler experience.
Air Caraïbes maintains a generally strong safety record, with one significant incident in its history.
The most notable incident was Air Caraïbes Flight 1501 on March 24, 2001, when a de Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otter crashed during its final approach to Saint Barthélemy Airport, resulting in the loss of all 19 people on board. The crash was attributed to inadvertent thrust lever movement, leading to severe thrust asymmetry. Beyond this tragic event, the airline has upheld an exceptional safety record, particularly considering the challenging operational environment in the Caribbean. Minor incidents have included turbulence-related injuries, in-flight engine shutdowns, and temporary runway excursions, which are generally well-managed operational occurrences.
Air Caraïbes is IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) certified, indicating its adherence to internationally recognized operational safety standards. The airline has received a 7/7 safety rating from AirlineRatings.com, reflecting a very good overall safety assessment based on available data, including a "Passed" incident rating and audit record. The fleet, which includes modern Airbus A350s and ATR 72-600s, is strategically enhanced and modernized to ensure comfort and efficiency, underscoring the airline's commitment to safety and environmental sustainability. There is no specific information available regarding safety awards or recognitions in the search results.
| Route | Destination | Flights | Distance | Aircraft | Last Seen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FDF → PTP |
Pôle Caraïbes
Pointe-a-Pitre
|
463 | 121 mi | AT72 | Dec 11, 2025 |
| PTP → SFG |
L'Esperance
Grand Case
|
299 | 176 mi | AT72 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| PTP → FDF |
Martinique Aime Cesaire
Fort De France
|
192 | 121 mi | AT72 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| FDF → ORY |
Paris Orly
Orly (near Paris)
|
109 | 4261 mi | A35K | Dec 9, 2025 |
| CAY → ORY |
Paris Orly
Orly (near Paris)
|
36 | 4407 mi | A359 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| PTP → ORY |
Paris Orly
Orly (near Paris)
|
23 | 4199 mi | A35K | Dec 4, 2025 |
| ORY → PTP |
Pôle Caraïbes
Pointe-a-Pitre
|
18 | 4199 mi | A35K | Nov 20, 2025 |
| SFG → PTP |
Pôle Caraïbes
Pointe-a-Pitre
|
16 | 162 mi | AT72 | Aug 28, 2025 |
| ORY → CAY |
Cayenne-Rochambeau
Matoury
|
8 | 4407 mi | A359 | Aug 29, 2025 |
| ORY → FDF |
Martinique Aime Cesaire
Fort De France
|
7 | 4261 mi | A332 | Nov 29, 2025 |
| CUN → ORY |
Paris Orly
Orly (near Paris)
|
5 | 5306 mi | A359 | Dec 11, 2025 |
| PUJ → ORY |
Paris Orly
Orly (near Paris)
|
5 | 4725 mi | A359 | Nov 16, 2025 |
| ORY → CUN |
Cancun Int'l
Cancun
|
4 | 5525 mi | UNKNOWN | Oct 11, 2025 |
| SDQ → ORY |
Paris Orly
Orly (near Paris)
|
3 | 4518 mi | A333 | Nov 13, 2025 |
| ORY → PUJ |
Punta Cana Int'l
Punta Cana
|
3 | 4433 mi | UNKNOWN | Aug 22, 2025 |
| ORY → LDE |
Tarbes-Lourdes Pyrenees
Tarbes
|
1 | 400 mi | A35K | Sep 11, 2025 |
| LDE → ORY |
Paris Orly
Orly (near Paris)
|
1 | 400 mi | A35K | Sep 7, 2025 |
| TLV → FCO |
Leonardo da Vinci Int'l (Fiumicino Int'l)
Rome
|
1 | 1417 mi | A35K | Sep 3, 2025 |
| ORY → SDQ |
Las Americas
Punta Caucedo
|
1 | 4958 mi | A332 | Nov 20, 2025 |
| SDQ → PUJ |
Punta Cana Int'l
Punta Cana
|
1 | 86 mi | A359 | Sep 11, 2025 |
Airline statistics are based on flight route observations collected from FlightAware AeroAPI and other sources. Flight counts represent observed operations, not scheduled frequencies. Route data is continuously updated as new flight information becomes available.