Cheap flights to Montego Bay from £267

City overview

Montego Bay is a resort in the heart of Jamaica’s Riviera section. It is known to the locals as “MoBay”. Travellers are eager to dip their toes into the smooth white sands of the Jamaican coast, whether it’s for a break with friendsor a romantic getaway, a flight to Montego Bay is the first step toward a holiday in paradise.

Aside from the 10-mile shoreline and aquamarine waters, Montego Bay actually plays a pivotal role in world history. Christopher Columbus was the first European to set foot ashore Montego Bay in 1494, just two years after discovering America. Today, the resort area is Jamaica’s most popular destination. Explore the sugar cane hills or relax under a banana tree. Golf on some the greenest courses in North America or ride the river on a bamboo raft built for two. Enjoy the reggae sounds that play through the island and take in one of the various music festivals that happen year-round.

Montego Bay climate

The majority of people travelling to Montego Bay, wish to take advantage of Jamaica’s year-round warm climate. Temperatures stay the same pretty much all year round. July and August are the hottest months, with temperatures on average between 23 and 32 degrees Celsius. The coldest months of January through March, differ only slightly, with temperatures generally between high 20s to 30 degrees. 

Getting around Montego Bay

Getting from the airport

Most travellers take a flight to Sangster International Airport (MBJ), which is an international airport located around 3 miles (5 km) east of Montego Bay. Many resorts and hotels organise transport from the airport. Taxis and car hire companies are also available.

What is good to know if travelling to Montego Bay?

• Samuel Sharpe, the slave who helped expedite the emancipation of Jamaica, was born on Montego Bay and today remains a national hero. He grew up on a 24-mile plantation and today, three-hour guided tours of the Croydon coffee and pineapple plantation have become a must-do in Montego Bay. You’ll savour some of the best exotic fruits on the island and get some insight into pineapple and coffee production.
• Join the bathing club in Doctor’s Cave. The famous beach club started in 1906 when a group of doctors formed a bathing club on beach property. The only access to the private beach area was through a cave, hence the name. The cave was destroyed by a hurricane in 1932, but the bathing club beach has lived on. Today, travellers can access the beach from Montego Bay’s Gloucester Avenue. The entranceway is lined with changing rooms, showers, gift shops and bars.
• Don’t miss a stop at the Montego Bay Marine Park. Anyone can visit the park but depending on what you want to do will depend on what zone you stay in. To conserve natural resources, different zones are designated for different activities (watersports and fishing, for example). Private operators also run undersea submarine tours of the reefs.

Montego Bay airport overview

Sir Donald Sangster International Airport, or Sangster International, is located close to Montego Bay, Jamaica. Handling an average of nine million passengers per year, it is the third-busiest of the country’s international airports (after Norman Manley in Kingston and the Ian Fleming Airport in Saint Mary Parish) and serves as the main international gateway for tourists visiting the north coast of Jamaica.

Flights to Sangster International Airport come from a number of destinations including Havana, Montreal, Toronto, Atlanta, Miami, New York, Rome, London, Frankfurt, Boston, Madrid, Amsterdam, Detroit, Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Chicago.

Thanks to a six-year renovation plan, which was completed in 2009, the terminal building has doubled in size and now includes additional gates, expanded arrivals amenities and parking facilities as well as improved ground transport. Moreover, a greater selection of shops and dining venues were introduced, bringing it up to par with international airport standards. Staff are generally friendly and facilities are clean and neat. Save for long queues during peak hours, Sangster International is a pleasant start and end to a holiday in Jamaica.