Insel Air: A History
Insel Air has been in operation since 2006 and has grown to become the biggest airline based in the Caribbean. It operates as the national airline of Curaçao and its headquarters are based in Maduro Plaza, Willemstad. The airline's first flight departed from Curaçao and flew the short journey to Aruba. They then expanded to include services to Bonaire and Las Piedras in Venezuela.
In 2009, the company added services to Medellin, Charlotte, Caracas and more. In 2012 the company began operating a route between Curacao-Maracaibo. They started Insel Air Aruba, operating 13 new routes from countries like Cuba, Puerto Rico and Equador. They collaborated with KLM Dutch Airlines via a code-sharing agreement so that customers could easily travel with both airlines without having to re-check their baggage. Since 2016, the airline generally operates over the peak season rather than every week throughout the year.
Insel Air now flies to over 26 destinations within the Pan-American region, including south America, the Caribbean and Miami in the USA. They have formed partnerships with many international airlines, such as Air Berlin and Air France, to allow passengers from all over the world to fly with Insel Air. They have a large fleet of over 18 aircraft and offer 70 daily flights to and from their popular destinations.
Flying with Insel Air
Insel Air has two classes: Economy Class and Comfort Class. Both classes offer a dedicated cabin crew, a free snack and drink, an in-flight magazine, local newspapers and 32 inches of legroom. Comfort Class passengers receive extra benefits such as priority boarding and check-in.
They also offer a frequent flyer program called Insel StarMiles. Passengers can collect up to 500 Miles per one-way flight and can win a free return ticket in a raffle. There are 4 tiers in the frequent-flyer program, with each offering more rewards such as business lounge access and free upgrades. The frequent flyer miles that passengers earn can be shared with family and friends or donated to charity.
Practical Information for Insel Air
Check-in: The airline advises passengers to arrive in plenty of time, at least 3 hours before the flight leaves. They also offer online check-in.
Luggage: Every passenger is entitled to bring one piece of carry-on baggage, which must weigh 10 kg or under and have a maximum size of 55 x 35 x 20 cm. Passengers can also bring one extra personal item such as a walking stick, camera or briefcase with a max size of 50 x 30 x 20 cm. This item cannot have wheels and must fit under the seat.
When it comes to check-in luggage allowance, each passenger can bring one piece of luggage of up to 23 kg. Its height, length and width must be under 158 cm. Comfort Class travellers ate entitled to one extra piece of checked-in luggage with the same size and weight limitations. Extra baggage will be checked at a fee, with a maximum of three checked-in pieces per customer.