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| Founded | 1992 (1992) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commenced operations | 1992 | ||||||
| AOC # | S9BA675J[1] | ||||||
| Hubs | Charles F. Blair Seaplane Terminal •Svend Aage Ovesen JR. Seaplane Terminal, USVI | ||||||
| Fleet size | 1 | ||||||
| Destinations | 2 | ||||||
| Headquarters | San Juan, Puerto Rico | ||||||
| Key people | Darrell Richardson-CEO & President | ||||||
| Employees | 100 | ||||||
| Website | seaborneairlines.com | ||||||
Seaborne Virgin Island Inc, operating asSeaborne Airlines, is aFAR Part 121airline headquartered inCarolina, Puerto Rico, near the territory's capital ofSan Juan. It operates aseaplane shuttle service betweenSt. Croix andSt. Thomas. Originally headquartered on St. Croix in theUS Virgin Islands, the company relocated toPuerto Rico in 2014.
Since April 2018, the airline had been owned by its parent companySilver Airways. On June 11, 2025, Silver Airways ceased all operations and sold all their assets. Seaborne started that they will continue flying despite the liquidation of their parent company. Seaborne's operations are now centrally operated fromChristiansted Harbor Seaplane Base on St. Croix with daily flights to St Thomas on De Havilland DHC-6-300 aircraft.
Seaborne Airlines was established inSt. Croix, US Virgin Islands by founders Ken Dole and Charles Slagle in 1992.[2] The airline initially operatedseaplane sightseeing tours withDe Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters, prior to obtaining itsFAR Part 135 status and beginning scheduled passenger service in 1994.[2] The airline later obtained itsFAR Part 121 status on March 20, 1997.[1] In 2000, the airline was purchased by a new group of investors who began the push from a pure seaplane business to include land-based flights. In 2001, the airline began seaplane service toSan Juan, Puerto Rico, servingFernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport, also known as Isla Grande Airport.[2] In late 2008, the airline launched land-based air services to San Juan from bothSt. Thomas and St. Croix, under the "Seaborne Airshuttle" brand name.[3]
On March 1, 2010, Seaborne Airlines announcedVieques, Puerto Rico as a new destination, with flights toAntonio Rivera Rodríguez Airport from both San Juan and St. Croix for launch on March 18.[4] On December 15, 2010, the airline announced new services to San Juan'sLuis Muñoz Marín International Airport from St. Croix, St. Thomas, and Vieques, for launch on January 12, 2011.[5] On October 8, 2012, the airline announced new services toTortola andVirgin Gorda on theBritish Virgin Islands, servingTerrance B. Lettsome andVirgin Gorda Airports with flights beginning on December 8.[6] On April 1, 2013, Seaborne Airlines launched its first services with its newSaab 340B aircraft following FAA certification of the type in March.[7] The Saab 340B was also launched alongside a new route toPortsmouth, Dominica, servingMelville Hall Airport (later renamed to Douglas–Charles Airport).[8]
Starting in 2013, Seaborne Airlines began partnering with other airlines throughinterline andcodeshare agreements, withAmerican Airlines as its first partner with interlining agreements on February 14, 2013, followed by codeshare agreements on June 24, 2013.[9][10] As part of the partnership, the schedules of Seaborne's new services from San Juan to bothPointe-à-Pitre andFort-de-France in the French Caribbean (announced on March 25, 2013, before launch on June 1, 2013, following a two-month delay in the start of service) were subsequently timed accordingly in the interest of convenient connections with American's San Juan flights.[8][11][12]JetBlue became Seaborne's second airline partner, with an interlining agreement established between the two airlines in November 2013, later developing into a codeshare agreement in May 2015.[13][14][15]
On October 23, 2013, Seaborne Airlines announced its first destination in theDominican Republic, with service toLa Romana International Airport beginning on December 12, 2013.[16] On November 7, 2013, the airline announced new routes toSaint Kitts and Nevis, with service to bothRobert L. Bradshaw andVance W. Amory International Airports starting on January 15, 2014.[17] On December 18, 2013, Seaborne Airlines announced it was relocating its headquarters fromChristiansted, St. Croix to San Juan, the move of which was completed by March 2014.[18][19] On January 27, 2014, the airline announced service toSantiago de los Caballeros andPunta Cana in the Dominican Republic, with flights to Santiago'sCibao International Airport starting on March 15, 2014, and flights toPunta Cana International Airport starting on February 14, 2014.[20] The airline also launched flights from San Juan toSint Maarten with flights toPrincess Juliana International Airport on March 3, 2014,[21] as well as flights toSanto Domingo with flights toLas Américas International Airport on April 17, 2014.[22]
On March 10, 2014,Delta Air Lines became Seaborne's third airline partner through the establishment of an interline agreement, which later became a codeshare agreement in September 2016.[23][24][25] On September 30, 2014,United Airlines joined as Seaborne's fourth airline partner with its own interlining agreement.[26] On March 5, 2015, Seaborne announcedAir Europa as its fifth airline partner, with the two airlines codesharing on Seaborne's flights from San Juan and Air Europa's flights fromAdolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport to Santo Domingo'sLas Américas International Airport, effective from March 29, 2015,[27] although the codeshare agreement ended at a later date.
On February 18, 2015, Seaborne Airlines announced new services toAnguilla with flights toClayton J. Lloyd International Airport, starting on April 30, 2015.[28][29] On September 1, 2015, the airline announced new services toAntigua with flightsV. C. Bird International Airport beginning on December 13, 2015.[30] On June 14, 2017, following the year-long suspension of its Antigua services, the airline announced the resumption of services to Antigua for July 21, 2017.[31] On March 8, 2017,Vieques Air Link became an airline partner of Seaborne with a codeshare agreement between the two airlines.[32][33]
On January 8, 2018, Seaborne Airlines announced its restructuring plan under theChapter 11 Bankruptcy Code following the2017 Atlantic hurricane season, specificallyHurricane Irma andHurricane Maria. The airline announced the acquirement of a $4.2 Million credit facility and entered a purchase agreement withSilver Airways, which was subject to the Court's approval and potential overbids.[34] On March 28, 2018, it was announced that Seaborne was bought by Silver Airways, with the acquisition completed on April 22, 2018.[35][36][37]
On August 28, 2019, it was announced that reservations for travel on Seaborne Airlines flights would be booked through theSilver Airways website, with Seaborne's reservation system integrated with Silver's on September 1, 2019.[38][39][40]
On December 30, 2024, Seaborne's parent Silver Airways filed forChapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company continues operations throughout the procedure with plans to exit bankruptcy by the first quarter of 2025.[41]
On June 11, 2025, it was reported that Silver Airways would cease all operations effective immediately and sell all their assets. Despite this, Seaborne Airlines continued to operate independently, with regular flights continuing operation.[42]
The airline is headquartered in the CAF2 building on the grounds ofLuis Muñoz Marín International Airport inCarolina, Puerto Rico.[43]
Prior to Seaborne's acquisition bySilver Airways in 2018, Seaborne's president andchief executive officer (CEO) was Gary Foss.[44] Following the acquisition, Steve Rossum, the CEO of Silver Airways, took over as CEO of the combined company.[37] Mr Rossum appointed Thomas Hanley as the executive director of Seaborne in 2023 with designs of restoring Seaborne services, destinations, and expansion. Today, Seaborne provides the Virgin Islands' only seaplane airline service between St Thomas and St Croix daily, with new destinations in 2024.
As of August 2020[update], Seaborne Airlines operates or has previously operated to the following listed destinations.[45] The list does not include destinations served only by its parent companySilver Airways, with which the two airlines share operations based atLuis Muñoz Marín International Airport.
The airline hasinterlining agreements with the following airlines:[49]
The airline hascodeshare agreements with the following airlines:[49]
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As of August 2025[update], Seaborne Airlines operates the following aircraft:[50]
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter | 1 | — | 15 | Operates seaplane services. |
| Total | 1 |
Seaborne Airlines'De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters, leased fromKenn Borek Air, are equipped with Wipline 13000 floats. The Twin Otters provide near hourly service betweenseaplane bases atChistiansted Harbor inSt. Croix andCharlotte Amalie Harbor inSt. Thomas.[47][48]
Saab 340 aircraft began scheduled operations with the airline in April 2013, and served all land-based destinations and airports.[7] Each aircraft had a different marine animal painted on the tailfin, consisting of a dolphin, lobster, manta ray, marlin, octopus, seahorse, sea turtle, or shark. Of the eight Saab 340s, six originally flew forAmerican Eagle, while two were originally fromFormosa Airlines. Prior to Seaborne's acquisition of its Saab 340s, theTwin Otters were used for both land and water operations.
The airline previously operated the following aircraft:[1][51]
Media related toSeaborne Airlines at Wikimedia Commons