Airline launches flights to Puerto Rico

FORT MYERS — Getting to the Caribbean from Fort Myers will get easier starting Sunday.

Sun Country Airlines is scheduled to inaugurate nonstop flights May 3 from Southwest Florida International Airport to San Juan Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Puerto Rico.

This is the first time Fort Myers will have nonstop service to Puerto Rico, a hub for Caribbean travel. The inaugural flight will leave at 12:55 p.m. from Fort Myers.

The discount airline will offer two weekly flights between San Juan and Fort Myers on Thursdays and Sundays through Aug. 23. Passenger traffic will likely dictate future capacity, airport officials say.

The Lee County Port Authority has advocated for new service from Fort Myers to San Juan for years because it's a popular tourist destination and a gateway to the Caribbean.