St. Pete-Clearwater Lands International Flights Again As BermudAir Adds Caribbean And Belize Service
St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) is returning to the international scheduled passenger map.
BermudAir will launch seasonal winter service from St. Pete-Clearwater/Tampa Bay (PIE) to Providenciales, Turks and Caicos (PLS), Belize City (BZE), and Anguilla (AXA), giving the compact Tampa Bay airport its first scheduled international passenger service since Swoop ended Canadian flights in 2022.
The routes begin in late December 2026 and run into early May 2027, covering the peak winter leisure travel season. BermudAir will operate the flights with Embraer E190 aircraft, a right-sized regional jet for thin, premium leisure markets that would be difficult to support with larger narrowbodies.
For PIE, this is a meaningful development. The airport has grown rapidly as a domestic leisure gateway, largely through Allegiant Air’s operation, but international flying has been missing from the schedule for several years. BermudAir changes that, and it does so with destinations not currently served nonstop from nearby Tampa International Airport (TPA).
BermudAir Brings International Flights Back To PIE
BermudAir’s new St. Pete-Clearwater/Tampa Bay schedule includes two nonstop resort routes and one direct same-plane service to Anguilla.
| Route | Service Type | Start Date | End Date | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Pete-Clearwater/Tampa Bay (PIE) – Providenciales (PLS) | Nonstop | December 21, 2026 | May 3, 2027 | 2 weekly, Mondays and Thursdays |
| St. Pete-Clearwater/Tampa Bay (PIE) – Belize City (BZE) | Nonstop | December 20, 2026 | May 2, 2027 | 2 weekly, midweek and Sundays |
| St. Pete-Clearwater/Tampa Bay (PIE) – Anguilla (AXA) | Direct | December 24, 2026 | May 2, 2027 | 1 weekly, Thursdays |
The distinction between nonstop and direct matters. BermudAir’s announcement identifies Turks and Caicos and Belize as nonstop routes from PIE. Anguilla is described as direct service, meaning passengers can reach AXA without changing aircraft, but the flight may operate via another point.
The Belize service also has an interesting regulatory structure. BermudAir says it will operate under fifth-freedom rights, with flights originating in Bermuda or Turks and Caicos. For passengers starting in the Tampa Bay region, the practical selling point remains straightforward: a nonstop PIE–BZE option during the winter season, subject to government approval.
PIE Gets Its First International Service Since Swoop
St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport has seen international service before, but its recent network has been almost entirely domestic.
Canadian leisure carriers have served the airport over the years, including Air Transat, CanJet, Sunwing, and Swoop. The most recent scheduled international service came from Swoop, which operated flights from Toronto Pearson (YYZ) and Hamilton (YHM) before those routes disappeared as the airline was folded into WestJet.
Since then, PIE’s growth has been driven by domestic leisure traffic. Allegiant Air is the dominant carrier at the airport, using St. Pete-Clearwater as a lower-cost and highly convenient alternative to Tampa International Airport (TPA). The result has been a strong domestic route map and rising passenger volume, but no scheduled international service.
BermudAir’s arrival fills that gap.
This is not a return to the old Canadian-only model. These new routes take PIE beyond Canada, giving the airport scheduled links into the Caribbean and Central America. That is a different kind of international service and a stronger test of whether PIE can function as an outbound international leisure gateway for the Tampa Bay region.
A Different Role For St. Pete-Clearwater
PIE has historically been strongest as an inbound Florida leisure airport.
Allegiant’s model is built around bringing passengers from smaller U.S. cities to the Tampa Bay beaches, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Florida’s Gulf Coast. The airport’s marketing pitch is simple: easy access, short walks, lower congestion, and nonstop service to vacation markets.
BermudAir reverses part of that logic.
Instead of focusing only on travelers coming to Tampa Bay, the new flights also position PIE as a convenient departure point for local residents heading outbound to winter sun destinations. That is a meaningful shift.
The Tampa Bay region has a large and growing population, and many travelers in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, and Sarasota counties are used to driving to Tampa (TPA), Orlando (MCO), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Miami (MIA), or Atlanta (ATL) for international leisure flights. A nonstop or direct option from PIE changes that calculation.
For passengers in St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, Palm Harbor, Dunedin, and the beaches, PIE can be dramatically easier than larger airports. Parking, terminal access, walking distances, and security flows are all part of the airport’s value proposition.
If BermudAir can convert that convenience into bookings, PIE could become more than a domestic Florida leisure airport.
The Destinations Fit Winter Leisure Demand
The three destinations are well chosen for a seasonal winter program.
Providenciales (PLS) is the main air gateway to Turks and Caicos and one of the Caribbean’s most premium beach markets. It is associated with high-end resorts, villa travel, diving, luxury leisure, and Grace Bay tourism. For Tampa Bay travelers, nonstop service to PLS removes the need to connect through Miami (MIA), Charlotte (CLT), Atlanta (ATL), or another hub.
Belize City (BZE) serves a different but equally strong leisure market. Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport is the country’s main international gateway and provides access to Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, Placencia, inland eco-lodges, Mayan sites, reefs, diving, fishing, and adventure tourism. Belize has grown in popularity with U.S. travelers who want a mix of beaches, nature, culture, and English-speaking ease of travel.
Anguilla (AXA) is a smaller and more exclusive island market. The island is known for luxury resorts, beaches, dining, and high-end Caribbean travel. A direct same-plane route from PIE could appeal to travelers who want to avoid the usual multi-step journey through St. Maarten (SXM), San Juan (SJU), or other regional gateways.
Together, the routes give PIE a premium leisure flavor rather than a mass-market international program.
BermudAir’s E190 Is A Good Fit
BermudAir will operate the expansion with Embraer E190 aircraft.
That aircraft choice is important. The E190 is much smaller than the Airbus A320-family and Boeing 737 aircraft used by most major U.S. and leisure carriers. BermudAir’s E190s are configured for 96 passengers in a two-class layout, allowing the airline to serve thinner routes where a 180-seat or 190-seat narrowbody might be too much aircraft.
That is exactly the kind of platform PIE needs for these markets.
Turks and Caicos, Belize, and Anguilla are attractive destinations, but none is likely to support large daily aircraft from St. Pete-Clearwater at launch. A 96-seat E190 operating one or two times weekly gives BermudAir a more disciplined way to test demand.
The aircraft also supports BermudAir’s premium-leisure positioning. The airline markets a two-class cabin with no middle seats, which fits resort passengers who may be willing to pay for convenience, comfort, and nonstop or direct access rather than simply chasing the lowest fare.
For an airport like PIE, the E190 lowers the risk of launching international service. It gives the airport meaningful connectivity without requiring large capacity commitments.
Why BermudAir Is Expanding Beyond Bermuda
BermudAir launched in 2023 as a boutique airline built around Bermuda service, but its winter expansion shows a broader ambition.
The airline cannot grow indefinitely by serving only Bermuda from a limited set of North American cities. By adding Turks and Caicos, Belize, Anguilla, and other premium leisure destinations, BermudAir can use its aircraft across more markets, build brand awareness outside Bermuda, and create a broader island-focused network.
The PIE routes are part of that shift.
BermudAir’s expansion includes multiple new routes to Turks and Caicos and Belize from U.S. cities such as Newark (EWR), Boston (BOS), Baltimore/Washington (BWI), Raleigh-Durham (RDU), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Orlando Sanford (SFB), and St. Pete-Clearwater/Tampa Bay (PIE). It is also expanding seasonal Anguilla service and adding other winter network moves.
This is a logical evolution. The airline has a small fleet, relatively low-capacity aircraft, and a brand built around warm-weather premium leisure travel. That makes it a natural candidate to test routes that larger airlines may overlook.
Why PIE Makes Sense For BermudAir
BermudAir’s choice of PIE is strategic.
At Tampa International Airport (TPA), BermudAir would be a small airline among many. TPA is larger, busier, and already has a broad domestic and international network. At St. Pete-Clearwater (PIE), BermudAir becomes the airport’s headline international carrier.
That visibility matters for a small airline.
PIE also matches BermudAir’s likely customer profile. The airport is compact, easy to use, and strongly leisure-oriented. For passengers heading to Turks and Caicos, Belize, or Anguilla, the simplicity of the airport experience is part of the product. A premium leisure trip feels more attractive when the departure airport is not stressful.
The airport also serves a growing local catchment. The Tampa Bay region has millions of residents, strong inbound and outbound leisure demand, and a population that increasingly values nonstop vacation access. Many travelers in Pinellas County and surrounding areas may prefer PIE if the schedule and fare work.
That gives BermudAir a chance to build a niche that does not depend on competing directly with the largest carriers at TPA.
Not Just A Secondary Airport Story
It would be easy to frame PIE only as Tampa’s smaller alternative airport, but that misses the point.
PIE has its own identity. It is marketed as “Tampa Bay The Easy Way,” and its terminal experience is central to that brand. The airport emphasizes short walking distances, simple parking, and nonstop service. It is not trying to be TPA. It is trying to be a different kind of airport.
That positioning has worked domestically. The question is whether it can work internationally.
BermudAir will test that idea. If passengers respond, PIE could make a stronger case to other niche international carriers and resort-market airlines. If the routes struggle, the airport’s international ambitions may remain limited to occasional seasonal experiments.
Either outcome will be useful. For route planners, the winter 2026–2027 schedule will provide real-world evidence of whether the Tampa Bay region will support international leisure flying from PIE.
The Competitive Landscape Is Favorable
One reason the routes are interesting is the lack of direct local competition.
PIE currently has no scheduled international passenger service, and nearby Tampa (TPA) does not offer nonstop service to Turks and Caicos, Belize, or Anguilla. That means BermudAir is not simply duplicating existing Tampa Bay nonstop options. It is adding new city pairs for the region.
That matters commercially.
Passengers who want to fly from Tampa Bay to Providenciales (PLS), Belize City (BZE), or Anguilla (AXA) generally have to connect through another airport. A nonstop or direct flight from PIE saves time, reduces connection risk, and gives BermudAir a clear convenience advantage.
The routes also avoid the most obvious competitive traps. BermudAir is not launching PIE–Cancun (CUN), PIE–San Juan (SJU), or PIE–Nassau (NAS), where larger airlines might respond more aggressively. It is choosing higher-yield, lower-density leisure markets where a smaller aircraft can be an advantage.
Government Approval Remains A Caveat
All of the new services are still subject to government approval.
That caveat is standard for new international routes, but it is important. BermudAir must secure the required operating authorities, bilateral permissions, and any necessary approvals for its planned fifth-freedom structure on Belize service.
Until those approvals are complete and flights are operating, the schedule remains planned rather than fully settled.
That said, tickets are going on sale, and both the airport and airline have publicly announced the routes. The commercial intent is clear: BermudAir wants PIE in its winter network, and PIE wants international flying back on the board.
What Success Could Mean For PIE
If the routes perform well, the implications could be larger than three seasonal services.
PIE could use BermudAir’s performance as proof that the airport can support outbound international leisure flying. That could help attract additional Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, or Canada service in future seasons.
The airport does not need dozens of international routes to succeed. Even a handful of seasonal markets could broaden its role in the Tampa Bay region and reduce its dependence on domestic Allegiant traffic.
For BermudAir, success at PIE would validate the idea that smaller, lower-cost U.S. leisure airports can support premium resort flying with the right aircraft. That could shape future expansion beyond Tampa Bay.
The key metrics will be load factor, yields, repeat booking strength, package demand, and whether the routes can support multiple winter seasons.
Bottom Line
St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) is getting scheduled international passenger service back for the first time since Swoop ended Canadian flying in 2022.
BermudAir will launch seasonal winter flights from PIE to Providenciales (PLS), Belize City (BZE), and Anguilla (AXA), using Embraer E190 aircraft. Turks and Caicos and Belize will operate as twice-weekly nonstop services, while Anguilla will operate weekly as a direct same-plane service. The routes run from late December 2026 into early May 2027, subject to government approval.
For PIE, the announcement is significant because it moves the airport beyond its domestic leisure role and positions it as an outbound international gateway for Tampa Bay residents. For BermudAir, it is part of a broader strategy to grow beyond Bermuda and build a premium leisure network across the Caribbean and Central America.
The routes are modest in frequency, but that is the point. A 96-seat E190 and a seasonal schedule give BermudAir a realistic way to test demand without overcommitting capacity.
If the service works, PIE’s international map may no longer end at Canada — or at the U.S. border.
