Contour Airlines will begin flying in the Caribbean, launching thrice-weekly service connecting Dominica with St. Thomas on Sept. 24, then following on Sept. 25 with service between Dominica and San Juan four times per week.
Both routes will be operated with 30-seat Embraer regional aircraft. Contour has a mixed fleet of Embraer and Bombardier jets.
Contour will be the only carrier connecting St. Thomas and Dominica. It will compete on San Juan-Dominica with state-owned Trinidadian carrier Caribbean Airlines, which launched the route this month. Now-defunct Silver Airways flew San Juan-Dominica until March.
Entry into the Caribbean is strategic shift for Contour, whose scheduled flight operations are currently focused mainly in the Southeast, Midwest and Mountain West, with no service outside the U.S. It operates 22 federally subsidized Essential Air Service routes. Contour also has a private charter operation.
Contour has interline partnerships with American, United and Alaska, and in May announced a partnership with Spirit. American, United and Spirit fly to San Juan and St. Thomas. Contour plans to interline with both United and American beyond St. Thomas and San Juan.
Contour is 25% owned by SkyWest.